Wright is my favorite, followed by Hedison. Each gave Leiter some district qualities (Hedison was upbeat; Wright was a cynic), which helped me relate the the characters and added to the films in general. Each also benefits from multiple appearances.
Connery's various Leiters all blend together, except Linder, who is truly awful.
I know the feeling. Linder was originally cast as the man playing cards with Goldfinger (Austin Willis), but Guy Hamilton decided that Willis and Linder should swap parts.
Was Cec Linder really that bad or was it the way his Leiter was written?
I kinda like the way he interacts with Bond, "Dink?!"
I really think it was him. Jack Lord would have done so much better with that film. I don't like Felix being an old man. Linder really looks like an old man. David Hedison is 62 in LTK and looks considerably younger.
David Hedison is 62 in LTK and looks considerably younger.
Yes, Barbara Broccoli was surprised to find he was that age. The key is to find a Leiter who is a believable buddy for Bond- who looks and behaves as a man that James would hang out with socially as well as professionally. Hedison carries that off both with Moore and Dalton, and Wright carries that off with Craig. Lord does too, but Linder and Burton don't. Casey and Nutter fall in the middle. Terry doesn't get enough screen time to form an opinion.
Linder is actually a pretty good actor -- watch him in the BBC production of Quatermass and the Pitt, which was later remade into the film Five Million Years to Earth. But he seems intent to play Leiter as more of a fuddy duddy, and I'm not sure that is his choice.
Hedison is likable as Leiter. The problem is the part in Live and Let Die is written for him to mostly be curmudgeonly and disapproving, which might have worked much better when he was older, and the part in Licence to Kill is written for him to be more romantic, which might have worked much better for him when he was younger.
Linder is actually a pretty good actor -- watch him in the BBC production of Quatermass and the Pit, which was later remade into the film Five Million Years to Earth.
Totally agree- see post 37 above.
Off-topic- he was a better Roney than James Donald, and I adore both versions of the story. Some slight Bond connections- apart from Linder, there are Julian Glover and Bryan Marshall who turned up in later Bond movies (FYEO and TSWLM respectively).
David Hedison is 62 in LTK and looks considerably younger.
Yes, Barbara Broccoli was surprised to find he was that age. The key is to find a Leiter who is a believable buddy for Bond- who looks and behaves as a man that James would hang out with socially as well as professionally. Hedison carries that off both with Moore and Dalton, and Wright carries that off with Craig. Lord does too, but Linder and Burton don't. Casey and Nutter fall in the middle. Terry doesn't get enough screen time to form an opinion.
I never thought about Leiter's success through his relationship with Bond, but now that you say it that is why I like Hedison. Though I think Burton and Connery are okay together, since they're both 40-something out-of-shape men who don't have so much zest for life anymore. Jack Lord, Rik Van Nutter and David Hedison could have outshined Connery in that film, though Burton is closer to Linder than anyone else. But Burton is a solid notch above Linder, even though he's not one of the better ones.
Hedison is probably my favorite. It was great to see the filmmakers finally throw Leiter to the sharks, and since Hedison had already done LALD, just seems appropriate to me. Jack Lord and Van Nutter are probably my favorites of the Connery Leiters. Although I do feel he had good chemistry with Bernie Casey.
It's funny- when ever I see the Geiger counter scene in DR NO, the shot of Sean and Jack together sans jackets, they look like best buddies, or jokingly twins with similar haircuts. Then in DAF the shot of Burton and Connery at the airport they look again like twins: both a bit bulkier, again-the same haircuts, middle aged.
Pity Felix has never really been represented as he is in the novels. Not many Texan actors I can think of other than Matthew McConaughey that are the right age. In the 90s I used to think MacGyver's Richard Dean Anderson might've made a decent Felix opposite Tim or Pierce. Wright is alright with Craig, but there really hasn't been any good scenes with him that truly display their friendship.
Linder is actually a pretty good actor -- watch him in the BBC production of Quatermass and the Pit, which was later remade into the film Five Million Years to Earth.
Totally agree- see post 37 above.
Off-topic- he was a better Roney than James Donald, and I adore both versions of the story. Some slight Bond connections- apart from Linder, there are Julian Glover and Bryan Marshall who turned up in later Bond movies (FYEO and TSWLM respectively).
Great minds! {[]
I only saw Quatermass and the Pit last year -- the whole series is on youtube. Five Million Years to Earth is one of my favorite movies, but I found the longer series to be intriguing. Andrew Keir is still my favorite Bernard Quatermass (though I basically enjoy them all, the weakest being Brian Donlevy). I had high hopes for John Mills, but while he was good, the series was only slightly better than average.
They've never gotten Felix quite right, have they?
For me, Jack Lord is the closest. He's cool, decently looks the part, and has enough heft that he can be Bond's equal (not his minion, as was all too often the case in some other films). Part of the rapport is missing, because the cinematic Bond meets Leiter for the first time in DN. It would have been interesting to see Lord develop the character in subsequent films, but he opted out.
David Hedison is definitely next best in my book. His rapport with Bond seems genuine in both films, and he plays the character with an ebullience that works really well -- a bit like Armendariz in FRWL.
Then there's Bernie Casey, who also was quite good. His physical size and outsized personality, while not necessary how Fleming wrote the character, both were effective. As with Hedison, I felt the strong personal connection between his Leiter and Bond.
Jeffrey Wright is a wonderful actor, and I loved him in CR. But the way he was written in QOS, as a bitter pawn, was a travesty. Not the actor's fault, just a very poor creative choice IMO.
I think Cec Linder was just bad casting. Having Felix be a drab, grandfatherly civil servant doesn't work. On the plus side, there's a lightness about his interactions with Bond that is appealing -- the nudge-nudge-wink-wink of "liquor for three" is a perfect example.
John Terry's Felix is totally underwritten, but as an actor he had potential in the role.
Norman Burton's exasperated bumbler is a low point. Yes, it's consistent with DAF's overall goofiness, but he appears to be the dumbest CIA operative in history. Maybe all the good agents were seconded to J. Edgar Hoover and spying on the likes of John Lennon!
Rik van Nutter -- He has the hair, lankiness and overall look of Fleming's creation. He has the screen presence and acting ability of driftwood. As if having Anita Ekberg on the side of a building in FRWL wasn't enough, they needed to cast her husband in TB as well? Yikes.
That's pretty cool. I know there's been at least one more recent iteration of Quatermass, but I would like to have someone take up the mantle with a period spin on it -- someone like Ian McKellen or even the late Alan Rickman playing Quatermass in a film set in the 1950s, for instance. I want someone who has his intellect and humanity but also fits more the traditional scientist type. The strength of the character, to me, was that he was the hero without trying to be the hero. He stuck to science as his guide.
I'll go with David Hedison. His personality matches the character in the books. Had LALD been done faithfully I can easily see Hedison talk his way out of a beating by arguing jazz with Mr Big's henchmen.
In addition, after Fleming's Leiter loses his arm and leg, by DAF he's pretty much brushed off the incident as part of the job and is back to his upbeat self-just like Dave at the end of LTK who suggests going fishing.
Every time I see the Geiger counter scene in DR NO- when Jack Lord sits next to Connery with his jacket off, similar haircut, I'm thinking they really seem like buddies- they're practically twins.
In DAF at the airport with Norman Burton- again they look like practically twins: same age, same build, same haircut.
Connery had good chemistry with all his Leiters, but with Jack Lord, Rik Van Nutter and Bernie Casey I believe their friendship the most.
Jeffrey Wright had good chemistry with Daniel in both his films, but I feel he was a wasted and missed opportunity. They could have really had some great scenes together out of the Fleming novels. Instead he lurks in the background of QoS doing pretty much nothing.
John Terry, it's easy to dismiss his performance: "YOU MEAN THIS IS A PUT UP JOB???!".
However, he has an eighties variation of a Leiter look, is the same generation as Dalton, and they do seems like friends. Still, he's barely in it and almost unfair to judge him against the others.
Cec Linder was simply mis cast. He was as miscast in Goldfinger as he would be if one were to put him in a red cape and blue tights and have him play Superman. That being said, I still think he had good chemistry with Sean, and Leiter in this film is basically a straightforward government agent, no frills.
It's a pity The Brozzer never had a Felix Leiter to play off of. Jack Wade is so not cool he makes Sheriff JW Pepper look like Sean Connery. I always felt 90s era Richard Dean Anderson with his straw hair and tall lean build would have made a good Leiter to Pierce's Bond. Get rid of Wade and have both 80s ABC television icons Remington Steele and MacGyver in GoldenEye.
Naturally David Hedison is the one I would ultimately choose. What he does for LTK is highly underestimated imo. And in retrospect it is such a treat every time, when I see him in LALD.
Jeffrey Wright is another missed opportunity in the Craig-era. Almost annoyingly so. But what we have of him after CR in QOS is at least brilliant and one of the main reasons even to watch the film.
Bernie Casey, if he counts, and for me he does, he is actually my favourite I must say. His portrayal is what I actually imagine when I read the books.
Norman Burton, he is my secret guilty pleasure Felix. I am tempted to choose him as my favourite even. I love how much screen time he gets in DAF and he is such fun together with Connery.
Norman Burton, he is my secret guilty pleasure Felix. I am tempted to choose him as my favourite even. I love how much screen time he gets in DAF and he is such fun together with Connery.
"Relax! A mouse with sneakers on couldn't get through!" ) ) )
Naturally David Hedison is the one I would ultimately choose. What he does for LTK is highly underestimated imo. And in retrospect it is such a treat every time, when I see him in LALD Bernie Casey, if he counts, and for me he does, he is actually my favourite I must say. His portrayal is what I actually imagine when I read the books.
Comments
Connery's various Leiters all blend together, except Linder, who is truly awful.
I kinda like the way he interacts with Bond, "Dink?!"
"Better make that two."
I really think it was him. Jack Lord would have done so much better with that film. I don't like Felix being an old man. Linder really looks like an old man. David Hedison is 62 in LTK and looks considerably younger.
Never saw that. But he has great chemistry with Moore and Dalton
"Relax, your in N'awlins now..."
Yes, Barbara Broccoli was surprised to find he was that age. The key is to find a Leiter who is a believable buddy for Bond- who looks and behaves as a man that James would hang out with socially as well as professionally. Hedison carries that off both with Moore and Dalton, and Wright carries that off with Craig. Lord does too, but Linder and Burton don't. Casey and Nutter fall in the middle. Terry doesn't get enough screen time to form an opinion.
Hedison is likable as Leiter. The problem is the part in Live and Let Die is written for him to mostly be curmudgeonly and disapproving, which might have worked much better when he was older, and the part in Licence to Kill is written for him to be more romantic, which might have worked much better for him when he was younger.
Totally agree- see post 37 above.
Off-topic- he was a better Roney than James Donald, and I adore both versions of the story. Some slight Bond connections- apart from Linder, there are Julian Glover and Bryan Marshall who turned up in later Bond movies (FYEO and TSWLM respectively).
I never thought about Leiter's success through his relationship with Bond, but now that you say it that is why I like Hedison. Though I think Burton and Connery are okay together, since they're both 40-something out-of-shape men who don't have so much zest for life anymore. Jack Lord, Rik Van Nutter and David Hedison could have outshined Connery in that film, though Burton is closer to Linder than anyone else. But Burton is a solid notch above Linder, even though he's not one of the better ones.
It's funny- when ever I see the Geiger counter scene in DR NO, the shot of Sean and Jack together sans jackets, they look like best buddies, or jokingly twins with similar haircuts. Then in DAF the shot of Burton and Connery at the airport they look again like twins: both a bit bulkier, again-the same haircuts, middle aged.
Pity Felix has never really been represented as he is in the novels. Not many Texan actors I can think of other than Matthew McConaughey that are the right age. In the 90s I used to think MacGyver's Richard Dean Anderson might've made a decent Felix opposite Tim or Pierce. Wright is alright with Craig, but there really hasn't been any good scenes with him that truly display their friendship.
I only saw Quatermass and the Pit last year -- the whole series is on youtube. Five Million Years to Earth is one of my favorite movies, but I found the longer series to be intriguing. Andrew Keir is still my favorite Bernard Quatermass (though I basically enjoy them all, the weakest being Brian Donlevy). I had high hopes for John Mills, but while he was good, the series was only slightly better than average.
For me, Jack Lord is the closest. He's cool, decently looks the part, and has enough heft that he can be Bond's equal (not his minion, as was all too often the case in some other films). Part of the rapport is missing, because the cinematic Bond meets Leiter for the first time in DN. It would have been interesting to see Lord develop the character in subsequent films, but he opted out.
David Hedison is definitely next best in my book. His rapport with Bond seems genuine in both films, and he plays the character with an ebullience that works really well -- a bit like Armendariz in FRWL.
Then there's Bernie Casey, who also was quite good. His physical size and outsized personality, while not necessary how Fleming wrote the character, both were effective. As with Hedison, I felt the strong personal connection between his Leiter and Bond.
Jeffrey Wright is a wonderful actor, and I loved him in CR. But the way he was written in QOS, as a bitter pawn, was a travesty. Not the actor's fault, just a very poor creative choice IMO.
I think Cec Linder was just bad casting. Having Felix be a drab, grandfatherly civil servant doesn't work. On the plus side, there's a lightness about his interactions with Bond that is appealing -- the nudge-nudge-wink-wink of "liquor for three" is a perfect example.
John Terry's Felix is totally underwritten, but as an actor he had potential in the role.
Norman Burton's exasperated bumbler is a low point. Yes, it's consistent with DAF's overall goofiness, but he appears to be the dumbest CIA operative in history. Maybe all the good agents were seconded to J. Edgar Hoover and spying on the likes of John Lennon!
Rik van Nutter -- He has the hair, lankiness and overall look of Fleming's creation. He has the screen presence and acting ability of driftwood. As if having Anita Ekberg on the side of a building in FRWL wasn't enough, they needed to cast her husband in TB as well? Yikes.
In addition, after Fleming's Leiter loses his arm and leg, by DAF he's pretty much brushed off the incident as part of the job and is back to his upbeat self-just like Dave at the end of LTK who suggests going fishing.
Every time I see the Geiger counter scene in DR NO- when Jack Lord sits next to Connery with his jacket off, similar haircut, I'm thinking they really seem like buddies- they're practically twins.
In DAF at the airport with Norman Burton- again they look like practically twins: same age, same build, same haircut.
Connery had good chemistry with all his Leiters, but with Jack Lord, Rik Van Nutter and Bernie Casey I believe their friendship the most.
Jeffrey Wright had good chemistry with Daniel in both his films, but I feel he was a wasted and missed opportunity. They could have really had some great scenes together out of the Fleming novels. Instead he lurks in the background of QoS doing pretty much nothing.
John Terry, it's easy to dismiss his performance: "YOU MEAN THIS IS A PUT UP JOB???!".
However, he has an eighties variation of a Leiter look, is the same generation as Dalton, and they do seems like friends. Still, he's barely in it and almost unfair to judge him against the others.
Cec Linder was simply mis cast. He was as miscast in Goldfinger as he would be if one were to put him in a red cape and blue tights and have him play Superman. That being said, I still think he had good chemistry with Sean, and Leiter in this film is basically a straightforward government agent, no frills.
It's a pity The Brozzer never had a Felix Leiter to play off of. Jack Wade is so not cool he makes Sheriff JW Pepper look like Sean Connery. I always felt 90s era Richard Dean Anderson with his straw hair and tall lean build would have made a good Leiter to Pierce's Bond. Get rid of Wade and have both 80s ABC television icons Remington Steele and MacGyver in GoldenEye.
Naturally David Hedison is the one I would ultimately choose. What he does for LTK is highly underestimated imo. And in retrospect it is such a treat every time, when I see him in LALD.
Jeffrey Wright is another missed opportunity in the Craig-era. Almost annoyingly so. But what we have of him after CR in QOS is at least brilliant and one of the main reasons even to watch the film.
Bernie Casey, if he counts, and for me he does, he is actually my favourite I must say. His portrayal is what I actually imagine when I read the books.
Norman Burton, he is my secret guilty pleasure Felix. I am tempted to choose him as my favourite even. I love how much screen time he gets in DAF and he is such fun together with Connery.
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS