Debonair Facts About George Lazenby, The Bond Who Walked Away
The name "George Lazenby" has become synonymous with missed opportunities and mountains of regret. The Australian model-turned-actor lost out on fame and fortune when he walked away from the role of a lifetime.
Read these regrettable facts about George Lazenby, the man who bailed on Bond, James Bond.
1. He Barely Had A Chance
George Lazenby was born in 1939 in Australia—a long way away from his future in Hollywood. In fact, everything about his childhood was surprising. Far from a suave upbringing, his father was a railway worker and his mother was a department store clerk. It should have been a quiet childhood...except for the fact that he barely survived it.
2. He Went Through A Horrific Ordeal
When he was just a wee little joey, Lazenby underwent multiple surgeries that had him in the hospital for 18 months. By the end of the ordeal, he only had half of one kidney left, and Lazenby’s doctors were less than optimistic about his prospects.
They told the Lazenby family that he would be lucky to make it to 12. Luckily, they were wrong...but more upheaval was on the way.
3. He Fell Head Over Heels
In 1963, when Lazenby was 24 years old, life threw him a curveball. While in Australia, he met an upper-class girl and fell in love, and he had it bad. In Lazenby’s own words, “I fell in love with this beautiful woman who was way out of my class […]”. Unbeknownst to Lazenby, this chance encounter would set his whole life—and fame—into motion.
4. He Made A Rash Decision
Lazenby was about to make his move on this “beautiful woman” when she up and moved to England. Compelled by some astral force—or the force in his pants—Lazenby did the only thing that a lovestruck 24-year-old could do.
He moved to London to pursue his heart and track down this mysterious woman. Only, it didn't work out as planned.
.jpg){kind=link}
