Richard Burton could have been the first Bond

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

London (ANI): Late actor Richard Burton"s great-nephew has revealed that the actor could have been the first star to play James Bond on the big screen if he had not labelled the movie “just another movie", when Ian Fleming had approached him with the offer to portray the suave agent.

Guy Masterson says that Fleming wanted Burton to take the lead in 'Dr No", but when he could not see any the potential in the movie, the role was eventually given to Sean Connery. “He told me that Ian Fleming had approached him asking him to play Bond. But back then, in 1959, Bond was a new concept – nobody had any idea it would be as big as it became," the Daily Express quoted him as saying.

Masterson also said that upon watching Daniel Craig"s commendable performance in 'Casino Royale", he realised that Burton would also have been great if he had not declined Fleming"s proposal. “Had Burton played Bond, he would have been absolutely fantastic," says Guy, whose grandmother Cissy was Burton"s aunt. “I saw Daniel Craig in Casino Royale the other day and I thought to myself, 'Yes, that"s Richard". That"s very much how my uncle would have played the role," he added.