James Mason

Richard Burton

Could have been Bond in: "Dr. No" (1962)

Case file: Surely you don't think Sean Connery was the first choice to play James Bond when the series started, do you? Although Connery is now seen as the gold standard for the character, he was a relatively minor actor when producers were searching to cast the part in the first Bond film, "Dr. No ... more." Cary Grant, James Mason, Rex Harrison and eventual 007 Roger Moore were all contenders, while Bond author Ian Fleming favored David Niven. But the top name on the list was Richard Burton, who turned down the opportunity and apparently passed again after Connery left the series in 1967. Anyone care to imagine Elizabeth Taylor as a Bond girl? (HPS/Camera Press)