When did Connery sign the DAF contract?

HalfMonk HalfHitman

Does anyone know the actual date?

To that end, does anyone know the date Lazenby officially walked?

I can't find these details via Google thus far so I thought I'd ask the 007 think tank.

Barbel

Hm, I know Connery signed the contract in late February 1971 and it was announced in early March. I'll have a look around and see if more accurate dates can be found.

Edit: Connery's return was announced on 2nd March 1971.

HalfMonk HalfHitman

Thanks Barbel!

Silhouette Man

When he thought he'd get loads of money! )

Barbel

...which he promptly gave to charity, don't forget.

Thunderpussy

Which I'd say when adjusted for inflation would have been a fortune .

Barbel

I believe his fee was a record amount at the time.

(Interestingly, while I was looking for the exact date Connery signed this contract I came across George Lazenby stating that Harry Saltzman had offered him a million to play Bond in DAF, on a one-picture basis. Lazenby asked for two million (unheard of at that time) and was refused. No doubt Saltzman & Broccoli decided that Connery would be better value box-office wise if they were talking about that amount of money.)

Thunderpussy

Interesting, I never knew that -{

Barbel

That's a short version, of course.

I've still not been able to find the exact date Connery signed, just "late February". And the exact date Lazenby quit is open to interpretation, since negotiations continued for some time. He did announce his resignation before OHMSS opened, but technically that wasn't valid in itself (another long story) so Cubby & Harry continued to negotiate with him for some time. He was offered spectacular deals but states that his manager told him to turn them down.

It might be helpful to find the exact date John Gavin signed, since clearly that would have to be after Lazenby was definitely out of the picture (pun not intended) but I'm drawing a blank there.

Thunderpussy

I remember Lazenby saying he was offered a seven picture deal but didn't know it was for " Megabucks "
I know Gavin was paid ( 250,000 dollars I think ), I wonder if this makes him the highest paid actor for
Not getting a role ?

Barbel

Lazenby was offered a deal that would have kept him as Bond at least until LTK, with the chance to do non-Bond pictures in between. His (or his management's) main beef was that the contract stipulated that he should shave every day, keep his hair in the Bond style (and he wanted to grow it long-

- this was just after the hippie phase and he was a young man), only go to certain night spots, etc etc. It was a tough contract.

As regards being the highest paid actor not to do a role, I'm not sure. It happens more often than we think, owing to "pay or play" clauses being quite common. One example would be Bob Hoskins being paid his full fee not to play Al Capone in "The Untouchables" once Robert de Niro said he wanted the part.

Thunderpussy

Being paid not to work, is nice work ......... If you can get it.

Barbel

It's happened to me a few times! ) (Double-bookings)

Thunderpussy

) So you had to Sing and Dance ?

Barbel

Nah, took the money and ran!

Thunderpussy

I guess this happens in other movie professions too, like composers being changed etc
Due to directors or producers wants.

Barbel

Absolutely. It's one of the reasons why films can cost so much.

Silhouette Man

Barbel wrote:

...which he promptly gave to charity, don't forget.

Oh, yes. Quite true. Only my little joke. Connery was a great man for doing that in fact. -{

Grindelwald

Thunderpussy wrote:

Being paid not to work, is nice work ......... If you can get it.

Once when Nicholson had been drinking he paid his lawnmover man 100$ not to move the lawn )

They busted Laz' balls yet they had no problem with Sir Rog turning up with a beard for the MR premiere 8-)

Barbel

Grindelwald wrote:

Thunderpussy wrote:

Being paid not to work, is nice work ......... If you can get it.

Once when Nicholson had been drinking he paid his lawnmover man 100$ not to move the lawn )

Quite right, too. I wouldn't want to sober up and find that my lawn had been moved.