Hollywood lost another legend today with the passing of Burt Reynolds. Reynolds appeared in several great movies but he also declined a role as James Bond.
Hollywood lost another legend today with the passing of Burt Reynolds. Reynolds is among the most famous actors of the last 50 years, most notable for his roles in The Longest Yard, Deliverance, and Smokey and the Bandit. Reynolds appeared in several great movies but he also declined some very large roles including our favorite: James Bond.
Opportunities Missed
Before we get to Mr. Reynolds declining the role of James Bond, let’s explore some of the other major roles he declined. Reynolds declined the role of Han Solo in “Star Wars: A New Hope” that later launched Harrison Ford’s impressive career. The Solo role seems like it would have been a very good role for Reynolds given the brash, charismatic and macho roles he excelled at. He expressed regret in passing on it.
Other roles that Burt Reynolds declined include those of the lead role in “Terms of Endearment” (Jack Nicholson) and “Pretty Woman” (Richard Gere). These two may have been for the best because I don’t think he’d be able to pull off those roles the way Nicholson and Gere did.
Burt Reynolds Turned Down James Bond Role
When I first heard that Burt Reynolds declined the role of James Bond I reacted the same way most of you reading this: “He was offered the Bond role. BURT REYNOLDS! What?”. My reaction had nothing to do with Mr. Reynolds or his ability as an actor but simply how he fits the role.
In his book “Reynolds, Burt My Life “, Reynolds explains that he was offered the role of James Bond after George Lazenby’s one, and the only appearance as James Bond in “On Her Majesty’s Service”. Lazenby’s effort in “On Her Majesty’s Service” netted one of the worst box office showings of the James Bond franchise’s 25 films. Reynolds turned down the role stating that “I thought no American could possibly play James Bond,”.
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I believe that Reynolds was correct to a degree. I can’t imagine Bond not being British. That said I do think that an American could play James Bond competently just like many foreign actors have played American characters very well. The problem with Burt Reynolds as James Bond is that Reynolds on screen and in life was a quintessential American man. Could Pierce Brosnan play an America well? Sure, but it’s damn hard to remove the Brit from Brosnan as a viewer. I think there would be a similar problem with Burt Reynolds as James Bond, it would just look odd and may come off as an American trying to be British. Burt Reynolds was just one of those actors that oozed Americana, so it may have been for the best that he declined the role.
Ultimately the role was given to a British actor, Timothy Dalton, who had a fine run as James Bond. Burt Reynolds wasn’t the only American to turn down the role. Clint Eastwood and Adam West (of Batman fame) also declined the role around the same time frame.