Amidst the exciting car chases, whizzing bullets, and clinking martinis, James Bond movies have featured more than a few cameos, but the most obvious ones have been surprisingly absent. Since Sean Connery first played 007 in 1962, actors, composers, directors, and producers have popped up throughout the decades, adding an element of fun and continuity to the dynamic action, dramatic tension, and romance involving England’s most famous secret agent.
From the iconic James Bond gun barrel intro that opens Dr. No (1962), in which Bob Simmons (not Connery) appears to walk, turn, and shoot the camera, to Sammy Davis Jr. in Diamonds are Forever (1971) and Dolph Lundgren in A View To A Kill (1985), there have always been famous people in Bond films, enriching their cinematic lore and providing more than a few Easter eggs. After Connery left the role and ushered in a long line of Bond replacements, for one reason or another, they’ve remained firmly apart from the franchise after their time as 007 was up.RELATED: Dr. No’s Felix May Secretly Be The Reason For James Bond’s Coolness
Past James Bond Actors Could Have Had Fun Cameos
The obvious choice for cameos in the post-Connery era were former actors who have taken on the mantle of James Bond, but so far that’s never happened. Skyfall nearly cast Connery in a role that would have pulled the actor out of his retirement, and could director Sam Mendes have succeeded, it would have been the first time that a former Bond actor had ever reappeared in the franchise’s long history. Mendes envisioned Connery as Kincade, the groundskeeper for the Skyfall estate, a role that eventually went to Albert Finney.
As wonderful as it would have been to watch Connery helping Daniel Craig’s Bond and Dame Judy Dench’s M fortify the manor against Javier Bardem’s Raoul Silva, the fact that the actor didn’t come out of retirement at Spielberg’s request to rejoin the Indiana Jones franchise with its fourth installment didn’t bode well for a request from Mendes. This is a shame, as Kincade was definitely the sort of role that would have been perfect for a former Bond, particularly because of his banter with other legacy characters.
Ian Fleming Never Appeared In Connery’s Films
Although there have been several unused Ian Fleming titles in Bond movies, the plots of all 14 of his novels have been filmed, making it surprising that the author never appeared in at least one film during Connery’s run. Fleming died in 1964, but was a known fan of Connery’s performance in Dr. No, so much so that he made Bond half-Scottish in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in homage to the Scotsman bringing his literary hero to life. He could be found on the set of From Russia With Love (1963) before his death, easily facilitating a bit part.
Had Fleming lived longer, it’s possible that he would have become his era’s Stan Lee, appearing in his Bond films as Lee made cameos in the MCU. Fulfilling the Stan Lee-esque role is James Bond producer Michael G. Wilson, who can be spotted in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983), A View To Kill (1985), The Living Daylights (1987), Licence to Kill (1989), Goldeneye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Die Another Day (2002, and Casino Royale (2006).
Why James Bond Actors Have Not Returned For Cameos
Even though Connery and Roger Moore played James Bond the longest, neither of them was interested in cameos in any subsequent films. They were the two most prominent faces in the franchise up until Timothy Dalton played the superspy in The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989), but because of the distinct tonal shift in the franchise from slightly campy to Byronically melodramatic, seeing former Bonds appear could have been too jarring. While Pierce Brosnan’s four-movie tenure marked a return to the ultra-cool Bond brand, and Daniel Craig’s five-movie Bond run saw a visceral new direction for the franchise, other Bond cameos continued to feel distracting.
So far, the cameos in Bond movies have been done thoughtfully, such as honoring composer John Barry (seen conducting in The Living Daylights) to put a face to his iconic score, or, as in Blofeld’s cameo in No Time To Die, to highlight the end of the Craig era. Including former Bond actors in new James Bond films might seem a little too on the nose, distracting from the current actor, and descending into parody territory.
