Since Dr. No premiered in 1963, the James Bond franchise has exploded in popularity, with multiple films spanning five decades and six actors taking on the role. In that time, there has also been a steady stream of parodies inspired by the character's exploits and versions of the role that have been largely forgotten. Although many may not recall actors like George Lazenby in the role, there is an even more forgotten Bond that was nearly cast as the first actor to bring the character to life: David Niven.
When fans name Bond actors, it's fairly easy to skip over George Lazenby's role in the film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. This, of course, has nothing to do with his performance, as he excelled in the role, but more so because it was his only time as the character. In the next film, Diamonds Are Forever; Sean Connery returned to the role in his last performance as Bond for producer Albert R. Broccoli. But before Lazenby would take on the role, a spoof titled Casino Royale offered to have fun with the world of James Bond by playing on multiple aspects of the franchise while having many famous actors and actresses take on the role of Bond. Among these stars were Peter Sellars, Woody Allen and Ursula Andress.
Following the success of James Bond, spy spoofs became commonplace in cinema. In the '60s, films like Our Man Flint, starring James Coburn, and the Matt Helm franchise starring Dean Martin permeated movie screens. Even in the '90s, the Austin Powers franchise continued the trend to hilarious results. Loosely based on Ian Fleming's book of the same name, Casino Royale follows a retired Sir James Bond who is implored to come back to MI6 and help stop the evil organization SMERSH and a man galavanting under his name and creating chaos. Although he initially refuses, many assassination attempts bring him back into the business, and one of his many plans includes naming every agent James Bond to confuse SMERSH.
Niven does a fantastic job at balancing his comedic timing and a version of Bond unlike anything seen on screen before. Perhaps the most unique aspect of Niven's turn as Bond is that he carries himself as a man who has lived an exciting life but isn't as cold as in the books. However, when it came to actors, author Ian Fleming always pictured Niven as the ideal choice to play the spy in films. But once Sean Connery was cast in the role, the rest was history.
Niven's version of Bond had a suave attitude and quick wit to play a great version of the character in the prominent Bond films. But even though he never got the opportunity, he made a considerable impression in Casino Royale. But aside from knowing how to play Britain's favorite spy, he also knew how to have fun with the role and show just how creative the character could be.
Although he isn't as remembered as the likes of Roger Moore or Connery, Niven's turn as Bond serves as an anomaly in the character's history. He was never a proper James Bond, but Niven managed to bring to life a version that fit Fleming's vision. As a result, he also got to bring a quintessential portrayal of the spy to life, even if it was in a film that has since been overshadowed by many sequels and a more recent retelling.