Sean Connery will always be the most iconic James Bond, but not everyone was pleased with the casting initially.

SUMMARY

James Bond author, Ian Flemmng, was not a big fan of Sean Connery’s casting in ‘Dr. No.”
In fact, he wanted actor Richard Burton to play the secret agent instead.
Connery has managed to remain the fan-favorite Bond despite ending his run with the franchise in 1971.

James Bond isn’t just another name. It’s an entire legacy on its own. Stemmed from Ian Fleming’s novels, the British secret agent quickly became a household name, and eventually, a huge part of the film industry.

Seven actors have had their turn of bringing the character to life but it all started with Sean Connery all the way back in 1962.

Sean Connery as James Bond in Dr. No (1962)
While Sean Connery’s portrayal of the character still remains an iconic one, Ian Fleming was initially not his biggest fan.

In fact, when Sean Connery was finally cast as James Bond, the author was quick to comment that the actor was not the “elegant man” he had quite hoped for.

To top it all off, Ian Fleming was actually interested in another actor altogether!

Ian Fleming Had His Doubts about Sean Connery


Never Say Never Again (1983)
Starting with Dr. No, Sean Connery played James Bond in seven films in the franchise, ending his run with Never Say Never Again in 1983. Clearly, the fans loved him enough to want to keep him around for almost a decade.

However, when Ian Fleming met Connery, he couldn’t see the actor playing Bond. Nicholas Shakespeare’s novel, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man, shines more light on the matter.

Fleming’s film agent, Robert Fenn, told Shakespeare (via Variety) that almost 30 actors were considered before signing Connery. This was because no actor was ready to fully commit to the role which would have them do multiple films for the franchise.

“We tried 20 or 30. No major actor would play the part for more than one picture and we couldn’t set up a deal with a distributor without commitment from a main actor.”

When Connery finally became the Chosen One, Fleming was not entirely a fan. Fenn recalled how the author was “shocked” upon meeting the actor as he “couldn’t speak the Queen’s English.” He added,

“Fleming said, ‘He’s not my idea of Bond at all, I just want an elegant man, not this roughneck.’”

Then who was Fleming’s ideal 007? Well, it was none other than Cleopatra actor Richard Burton. Unfortunately, the actor did not want to be a part of the James Bond universe.

Sean Connery Just Might be Fans’ All-Time Favorite James Bond

A still from Goldfinger (1964)
While Fleming was initially unsure about Connery playing Bond, the actor went on to become synonymous with the character.

From Pierce Brosnan to Daniel Craig, many actors have come and gone but fans have still not forgotten Connery’s iteration of James Bond. And it looks like they won’t be getting over him anytime soon either.

Take a look at what fans have to say about the Goldfinger actor:

In fact, in Shakespeare’s book, James Bond producer Michael G. Wilson praised Connery for his work and stated that if it wasn’t for him, the franchise might not have been what it is today.

“Sean Connery was the right guy in the movie for the right time. If it hadn’t been Sean, who knows? Would it have captured the attention of the whole world?”

Connery passed away in October 2020, but it goes without saying that his legacy will keep him alive for years to come!