Missing Jack Lord

mediapig

Every time I pop in my Dr. No DVD, I'm always struck at how awesome it was that Jack Lord played the first Felix Leiter. From the second he appears he is every bit as cool and suave, in a uniquely american way, as 007. I really wish he could have stuck around, as the camaraderie between Felix and Bond is pretty much lost in the films dues to the ever changing line up of actors.

Barbel

mediapig wrote:

I really wish he could have stuck around, as the camaraderie between Felix and Bond is pretty much lost in the films dues to the ever changing line up of actors.

Lord was approached to reprise the part of Felix in GF, but his demands re pay and billing couldn't be met- and so the ever-changing Felix process began.

thesecretagent

Definately the best Lieter in my opinion. He was the CIA's Bond. And I think that would have been acceptable to have someone every bit as good (or almost) as Bond. He comes close to the literary version. Other Leiters just didn't gel right - Goldfinger and DAF are prime examples. Would Bond have become close friends with these bumbling cops? No. I would like to have seen Jack Lord in the role again. The newest Felix Leiter is pretty good, and works well with Craig. An odd decision to have a black actor in the role, but he works well for me.

mediapig

I agree the new guy is great, although the character is being written a bit differently. And I know about Jack Lord's demands, and why he was dropped... but damn, it would have been cool!

perdogg

What was the deal in TB ? Leiter and Bond did not really get along.

thesecretagent

mediapig wrote:

I agree the new guy is great, although the character is being written a bit differently. And I know about Jack Lord's demands, and why he was dropped... but damn, it would have been cool!

What were these demands, and why was he dropped?

mediapig

I believe he wanted more money (I have no idea how much more.) And he wanted equal billing with Sean Connery.

youknowmyname

mediapig wrote:

I believe he wanted more money (I have no idea how much more.) And he wanted equal billing with Sean Connery.

Equal billing? I mean he was cool...but not THAT cool!