James Bond: 12(!) actors, and 27 movies in 60 years

6x James Bond

I’ve been looking for a list of all James Bond movies in chronological order myself more than once in the past, so when I eventually found the information I figured I’ll make it a little easier for others to find as well by posting a chronological list here.

The first Bond movie, Dr. No, premiered on October 5th, 1962.

The release of the most recent Bond movie, ‘No time to die’, was originally scheduled for March 31st, 2020, but got postponed a couple of times because of the coronavirus/COVID-19, and it was eventually released on September 28th 2021.

27 movies

In the past 60 years, a total of 27 James Bond films has been made:

titleyearactor
Dr. No1962Sean Connery
From Russia with Love1963
Goldfinger1964
Thunderball1965
Casino Royale1967David Niven
You Only Live Twice1967Sean Connery
On Her Majesty's Secret Service1969George Lazenby
Diamonds are Forever1971Sean Connery
Live and Let Die1973Roger Moore
The Man with the Golden Gun1974
The Spy Who Loved Me1977
Moonraker1979
For your eyes only1981
Never say never again1983Sean Connery
Octopussy1983Roger Moore
A view to a kill1985
The living daylights1987Timothy Dalton
License to kill1989
GoldenEye1995Pierce Brosnan
Tomorrow never dies1997
The world is not enough1999
Die another day2002
Casino Royale2006Daniel Craig
Quantum of solace2008
Skyfall2012
Spectre2015
No time to die2021

12 actors

And no less than 12 actors have portrayed James Bond in the media. In chronological order: Barry Nelson, Bob Holness, Sean Connery, Roger Moore, David Niven, George Lazenby, Christopher Cazenove, Timothy Dalton, Michael Jayston, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Craig & Toby Stephens. [main source]

(Did you get to 12 when you counted them in your head? I didn’t… 😎 )

172 thoughts on “James Bond: 12(!) actors, and 27 movies in 60 years”

  1. So am I the only one that is saddened by the death of James Bond in the movie No Time to Die….I understand Craig current JB wanted out of the part…I think there could of been another way…

      1. The movie has been out months. If you haven’t seen it yet don’t cry cos you read spoilers

  2. No mention of the first person to portray Bond on the big screen? Stunt man Bob Simmons in the original gunbarrel scene

      1. Or the Spy Maker with Jason Connery, which gives insite to the life the author lived, and where a lot of the recurring characters come from.

  3. At least you mention Barry Nelson, but you don’t put the year he was ‘James Bond,’ being the very first actor to portray the character should be significant. He played JB in 1954’s “Casino Royale.”

    Also, who is Bob Holness, and when did he play JB..?!

  4. The fact that Bond is always referred to as 007 is actually mentionned but if you’ve noticed he is also told that it’s just a number. 007 could be anybody but there is only one James Bond. Besides James Bond could never be a real agent because he lacks all the skills of real field agents.This is a story people…not the real world. So just sit back and enjoy the fantasy. The stories were meant to be entertaining,not factual.

  5. Ian flemming would turn in his grave with the proposal of putting a female 007 in an English gentleman role.It is not what it’s all about.

  6. Tbh I thought that 007 was that one guy Murphy in no time to die. Its the only 007 i’ve ever watched.

  7. David R Huckstep

    Come on folks, don’t ruin the tradition and the creator of James Bond with a female Bond. No place for so called political correctness. What is next, a black female, a Hispanic female, an Asian female, and on and on. Please don’t!!!!!!!

  8. Daniel Sean Brosnan

    Is it true that they are thinking of a female acting in the lead role of the next James Bond .🤔wonder what her name will be

  9. The leader actor of James Bond has to be from Britain that’s why you can’t have American actors play Bond.

  10. There’s a lot of Timothy Dalton hate. He was one of my favorites. He was the most believable, if I closed my eyes and pictured the novel spy.

  11. Here is my list of best James Bond actors ( in descending order)
    Sean Connery
    Roger Moore
    Daniel Craig
    Pierce Brosnan
    George Lazenby
    Timothy Dalton
    Five Best Bond movies ( in descending order)
    On her Majesty’s Secret Service
    From Russia with Love
    Gold Finger
    Moonraker
    A view to a kill / Casino Royale

  12. Timothy Dalton was a borderline performing actor in James Bond, and I agree Sean C. was one of the best.
    Although I have grown along over the years with Pierce Brosman and most and for all Daniel Craig.

    But, as sure you go to hell, the last “No time to die” movie was the worst and if hit my TOP 1 as worst James Bond movie (plot) ever seen. Daniel tried hard, he did but you can’t make gold out of SH1T.

    Already annoyed by the covid delay and good job done to not release any details….I can know understand why!

    If anything would have leaked or anyone seen this SH1T movie in advance, a big fair amount of viewers would not have been bothered to waist their money on this bad movie.

    I thought, hell even Disney managed to not totally ruin and making money out of a classic Star Wars trilogy.

    But this last James Bond movie sets a new negative mark.

    The new next James Bond (actor) will have a hell of a job to get this straightened out again.

  13. Anyone thinking of a Tom Hardy James Bond? Could be an interesting character if he’d keep his face completely visible, for once…

  14. Concerning a woman James Bond … get real. The role is made for a male actor. And, yes, women were excruciatingly used as sex kittens in the first group of Bond films. But a woman 007? Yes. Another blogpost defines the conundrum well: “In the first Bond book, 1953’s Casino Royale, Fleming describes what it means for Britain’s iconic super spy to hold the distinction of 007: “you’ve had to kill some chap in cold blood in the course of some job.” Through dozens more Bond books, and twenty-five movies, Fleming and other writers have given more clarity to the meaning of the double-0 moniker.” So there.

  15. You could be a little nicer. Interview today with Craig shows there is still possibility of a woman Bond. He wouldnt recommend it but it is still on th table

  16. Agree! Even Daniel Craig said no woman should play Bond. There was talk about it but hopefully that will be quashed

  17. I have been a James Bond fan since I was a kid back in 1962. James Bond should never be played by a woman actor. It does not make sense. Next we will have a man play Wonder Woman. What is it with the gender obsession? Leave our famous characters alone. Stop with the social politics. Give us a break and let us enjoy. If a woman wants to play a secret agent, have somebody do the work and create a new agent who is female. It is not right to take advantage of work and fame previously created and use it as a trampolin to promote gender politics.

    1. As you can see Barry Nelson is in the list of actors who have portrayed James Bond, but I don’t consider S01E03 of Climax! a movie as such so it’s not in the list of movies.

  18. A. very sad day for both the Scottish people, actors in general and the world community as a whole. In his prime I think that he was my favorite 007 by far.

    May he forever Rest In Peace after bringing the world so much joy. I just hope that he managed to do that in his private world too!

    1. You are of course 100% correct! How on earth did that mistake slip on there?
      (and how come no one else noticed all these years? 😁)

      I’ll correct it before the day is over!

    1. No. We know that she becomes 007 after Bond retires following the events of “Specter”. She is not Bond. The film franchise is “James Bond – 007”. No, she does not become the next Bond.

      1. An excellent James Bond should be Richard Madden he was brilliant in the TV drama Bodyguard.

    2. No woman should play James Bond I am sure Ian Fleming would turn in his grave if it was so!

  19. The only Bond’s that should be counted are the official ones.

    Not the lame, ridiculous, too stupid to laugh at spoof Casino Royale. Nor the Thunderball remake Never Say Never Again. Nor the radio voice actors & most definitely not the absolutely awful Casino Royale with Barry Nelson!!

    A honourable mention should be attributed to the guy who played him in the documentary you mention.

    As well as Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007, the docudrama that George Lazenby did last year is well worth a look called Becoming Bond.

    1. Well… It all depends on how you count them. My list contains 26 movies already, but I’ve chosen to include the 2 unofficial Bond movies, Casino Royale (1967) & Never say never again (1983). Exclude those, and you’ll have only 24 official Bond movies to date.

      1. Why are they considered unofficial? Though I did miss the original casino royale in my own movie collection so I’ll have to find that one bring my list to 26 also.

        1. I think it’s simply because they weren’t produced by Albert R. Broccoli, but anyone is welcome to correct me if I’m wrong here.

  20. Michael Casaletto

    I’m 70 years old and for those of us who grew up on the James Bond movies without reading the books, no one, ABSOLUTELY no one can replace Sean Connery, It was as though the movie’s were written explicitly for him. One of the things I missed the most was of course his voice, definitely 007. He was much smoother then the others, ” Stirred, not shaken “. It’s would be like replacing Jackie Gleason on the Honeymooners

  21. Hi I am great followers of Bond films and my suggestion is those who are acted as a Hero in a Bond film like Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig they are needs to be act in any one part of Bond film.It will surprise to Bond movie followers. But Script and Screenplay should be good to carry the weight age to every one.

  22. Roger Moore was the best with Connery second followed by Brosnan and Craig even.Dalton was horrible,almost stopped watching the Bond movies because of him.

    1. I didn’t think Dalton was terrible, but the scripts for his movies were. Otherwise, I completely agree with you.

    2. To quote Raymond from Everybody loves Raymond. “You are an idiot wrapped in a moron” Daniel Craig was the best, followed closely by connery. A three way tie for last Brosnon Dalton and Moore. Not seen any of the others

  23. Connery (in the first 2 films anyway), 2. Craig (although he’s hard to imagine as the Naval Commander Fleming wrote him as ), 3. Connery (in the remaining films), 4. Dalton (highly underrated and rose above the material), 5. Lazenby (thankless job to follow Connery and he did just fine in the best 007 film), 6. Brosnan (no real sense of danger), 7. Moore (…danger? What’s that? raises eyebrow and does double take). then the rest, although Niven/Sellers were fun.

  24. I find I like Craig’s portrayal and find it closer to the books. Second I rate Connery. I found the whole Moore era too cartoony with too many gadgets and too much of a predictable format.

  25. Connery…Sean Connery played the character with such confidence that Bond,James Bond became 007 license to movie sequels. The Godfather of spy!! All others must be triple 000 agents.

  26. To me, the REAL James Bonds were those who were the stunt doubles for the actors that you never hear about and get a 1 second credit at the end of the film.

  27. I am curious as to the ages of the people that posted comments. I’m 56 and a Bond fan. Connery was the best Bond originally ( and my favorite, still is) but as times change, so does the way we see our heroes. Connery was great because he was rugid and handsome in a manly way, not like a male model (Roger Moore) and looked as if he could survive a lot of things he came up against. As we get into the 2000’s I can see the younger generations liking Bronson and Craig, who by the way did great jobs of portraying Bond. I’m old school and Connery is still my guy. Oh, and I’m talking movies not series.

  28. The “watch-waking-the-(thought to be)-dead-agent” thing wasn’t from a Bond Movie, but from one called In Like Flint – starring James Coburn

  29. I have a problem with this list I don’t people who played Bond in a spoof should be considered James Bond. Also voice actors I’m kinda on the fence about whether they should be considered an actual portrayal of James Bond.

    1. Andrew jeffers

      Yes I just want real James Bonds that played in Asheville movies not spoofs or voice overs

  30. Are the movies released in the same order as the books? Are the novels written in chronological order? Great article!

  31. Roger Moore was Ivanhoe,and the saint tv shows from the sixtys,,I like Roger but acting
    You can not whatsoever compare him whit Sean or Daniel……..

  32. I love the BOND and off course bonds specially Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnon and Daniel who added their flavors in it.
    Now I’m at my 40s , grown up with Moore, Dalton, lived with Pierce and Daniel , still enjoying and love to watch Tom Hiddleston (my opinion) as next one . will manage also with Tom hardy or Henry cavill (Superman if chosen for bond)

  33. connery hands down was the best then brunson and then craig and of course daltun now iys 2017 when is the next movie coming out i need my fix and ive seen every movie and to me all the other bond men werent sexy enough

  34. By far, the most believable James Bond is Daniel Craig. Come on people, no secret agent can go completely unscathed like Moore or Bronson. Second best is Connery. In last place is Lazenby, what a homely, unattractive fellow. Whomever follows Craig in the Bond series has huge shoes to fill, I hope the producers feel the same way. Ty

    1. Savannah R Johnson

      Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Pierce Brisbane were the best 007’s. 007 is a suave debonair agent with natural swag. Daniel is good, but definitely not the best!

    1. Amen brother. I’m 63 and cut my youth at the movies on bond films and creature features. Mummy, wolfman, Dracula, King Kong, Godzilla, & the Thing you get the idea.

  35. By far the best Bond was Sean Connery. He actually got better looking as he got older. Best ever ever ever

  36. Paulito Coronacion

    During my younger years, I remember still when I am an elementary student I love watching James Bond films I’m a avid fan of those movies now a senior citizen still watching them repeatedly…..

  37. The only ‘sole’ Bond – of the official series – I can think of is George Lazenby. If you watch the documentary Everything or Nothing, the Untold Story of James Bond, he made “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” and then hooked up with an agent who convinced him that Bond wouldn’t last!

    1. confidence igwe

      He was the worst James Bond in history, actually hated on her majesty secret service because of him

  38. You could arguably make it 13, if you count (I think) Bob Simmons who is the ‘Bond’ in the opening ‘gun barrel’ sequences of the first couple of films?

  39. I think Roger Moore was a great bond. He had the best Whitty jokes and a kill or after shagging a women or when interacting with Q. I was born in 1989 but I own all the films and my top 3 go Daniel Craig, Roger Moore, and of course Sean Connery. I love them all tho I don’t think dalton was that great of a bond just like Andy dalton isn’t that great of a Quarterback. Still I love Bond movies and when Craig stops I really hopeople they can find someone that can really fill the shoes of 007 James Bond.

  40. Mary Elaine Wityshyn

    Great job on the site one thing I wanted to ask did odd job appear in the films after goldfinger

  41. Hated All of Roger Moore’s James Bond Movies!!!!
    I felt he truly did a disservice to the Bond Legacy.
    He played bond like a cartoon character….
    I haven’t missed any Bond movie premiere at the movies until Roger Moore!!!! Truly dissatisfied.

  42. I’ve started watching the films, based on your chronological order. Up to number ten now. Had to buy a couple off amazon. But the rest on British TV. Thank you for listing it.

  43. James J Pepper

    EXCUE ME!!
    American ACTOR Barry Nelson played Jimmy Bond, a CIA agent on PLAYHOUSE 90 on CBS Network, Sunday night.

      1. I would also put forward that Sean Connery’s character in “The Rock” was a retired SAS captain… An obvious throwback, if you ask me.

  44. Would love to see a real Bond weekend with all of the movies. Must be a license issue as to why we don’t get to see them all. Daniel Craig is great but he was looking a little old in Sky Fall. The James Bond roll is so demanding. A few actors only did one movie so there wasn’t much of a connection made with 007.

  45. Another Bond radio play by BBC radio 4, Diamonds Are Forever, 007 played by Toby Stephens, 25 July 2015

    1. I dont feel voiceover actors. Should be included in the list. Theu were not actual onscreens.

  46. I was 10 years old when I first saw James in “Dr No” in 1962. I was an instant lifelong fan. Sean Connery was so cool and dangerous. Then came Roger Moore who I never, never liked as Bond. He always seemed to be trying too hard to be cool, and he never seemed dangerous at all. I was sucked he was cast in so many Bond movies. But compared to some of the disasters in casting Bond, (Lazenby, Dalton, Niven, I guess Moore wasn’t that bad, yet none of them came close to Connery IMHO. They cast Brosnan in 1995 and while he wasn’t as physical or very dangerous, he played the part with a lot of substance and brought an air of distant coolness that the character and the series badly needed. Then came Daniel Craig. WOW!! His 4 Bond movies are by far the best since Connery. He is the toughest Bond yet, even tougher than Connery. He is very cool without trying to be cool. And the women swoon over him and the men want to be like him. The perfect James Bond for today’s audiences. I never thought I’d hear myself say this, but he has replaced Sean Connery as my favorite Bond. He now sets the standard for which future actors must try and achieve with their Bond characters. I know many people will disagree with me and that’s okay. That’s why we have discussions like this, so that many opinions can be heard. Cheers!!

    1. It is indeed true that Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, Daliah Lavi & Terence Cooper played ‘James Bond 007’ temporarily in Casino Royale (1967) as well. (Woody Allen was Jimmy Bond).
      I have considered adding them separately but decided against it for now. However, I will rewatch the movie and see whether they’re worth of being included in the count.

      1. I suspect if you did a poll, the majority (or at least plurality) view would be:
        “Not on your life — and while you’re at it, lose Niven from the list.”
        The 1967 Casino Royale was a goof — it was fun, it was a frolic, and it was all kinds of yummy (brilliant soundtrack, too), but it was NOT a James Bond 007 film, nor did it try to be.
        It was “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” does Bond…
        And if that reference from this side of the pond goes past any of you Brit’s, go on YouTube and check it out. There are a few surviving full episodes, and numerous clips to be found there. I’m not really qualified to say, but my guess is they were our Benny Hill.
        Thanks for compiling this list.
        I assume you already know this, but if you don’t, you may take great pride that it is currently the NUMBER 1 hit (out of ~ 14 MILLION!) for a Google search on “how many james bond movies”
        Cheers

  47. Never knew DAvid Niven played JB. Never seen his Casino Royale and certainly never on the UK tv, Connery must win as best !

      1. Sean Connery is # 1. #2 Roger Moore #3 Pierce Brosnan # 4 Daniel Craig. George Lazenby was pushed out tricked into quitting.Timothy Dalton was the worst 007 ever. George should have stayed or not tricked into leaving. But Lazenby was so much better than Dalton could dream to be

    1. I grew up, loving the series (thanks, dad!) and I’ll always judge every Bond against Sean Connery (Pierce Brosnan made me sick– far too soft for Bond). But I must say, that I really like Daniel Craig. I really hope Daniel makes it to 7 eps.

  48. thanks for this list had been searching for the years and order now I finally have it all. Pierce Brosnan was not a good bond for me didn’t feel he could ever match the finesse of Moore and Connery Lazenby Dalton and Craig but that’s just me loved him as Remington Steele when I was young and thought he would be a good Bond but was dissapointed BOND ROCKS! So Happy Daniel Craig has carried on. the Bond tradition however would Love to see Timothy Dalton come back and do another one and hated that George Lazenby only did one he was Great! But of course Moore and Connery are still and always will be the Top Bonds Ever!!!!! Go Team Bond! Leelee

  49. Van somebody tell me in which mobie James Bond is faking to be dead and wapens up in time by his watch on his Polse ? Thx

      1. Matthew, thans for your reply. I have watchers again thuis movie and I believe I know which scene you mean. Unfotunately, this is not the scene that I remember. ( I hope it is not only my fantasy )
        Als far als I remember it was Roger Moore who deliberately hided in a coffin, pretending to be dead. When it is time for action his watch starts pulsating on his polse to wake him. He even cotrols his breathing.
        I hope I was more clear now and I hope somebody van help me out here because I’m getting real frustrated here.
        Thanks.
        Eddie

    1. As you see below the list, Barry Nelson is mentioned. However, his portrayal of James Bond was in episode S01E03 of the TV seriesClimax!‘. Technically speaking not a movie.

  50. i have alwways seen the movies have never imagine a tv series that is amazing that bond has been arouns that long. love the actions and the neat little toys he has to work with.

    1. I’ve been watching JB for over 50 years. The one first I saw was Goldfinger, which I thought I saw in 1964, but this list says 1965. It’s my favorite for nostalgic reasons. That said, I think Daniel Craig is, without a doubt, the best Bond ever, but to each their own.

  51. Thank God :
    I have seen all 26 movies of James Bond : 007 :
    my most favorite
    spy hero , dream son of Ian Fleming ….!
    And I do posses all 26 movies DVD
    collection too .

  52. A possibly underrated movie in this day and age, The World Is Not Enough, came in 1999 if you read the chart. It features Pierce Brosnan and a submarine fight, not to mention a boat chase and a huge twist that I didn’t see coming. No spoilers for you though! I got my copy from a thrift store and it runs perfectly

  53. Nadine Francis

    They started out so silly with corny jokes and poor acting and now they are excellent. My favorite is Daniel Craig. Excellent actor and serious 007. I had just come home from the USN when the first one came out. Had to have my VHS copies made into DVD’s.

  54. I say that bond movie you only live twice I saw that one when I was like 10 maby how to not go to war with russa was cool then but that was befor vietnam

    1. You must be joking. Research required here man. My cats a good 007 fan her name is Trinity, she’s 13years old.

      1. Hmm, it was a bit of an in-between. It was indeed not a feature-length movie, but it doesn’t really meet the criteria (‘a coherent narrative unit within a larger dramatic work such as a film or television series’) of an episode either since the episode before and after the James Bond-one were in no way coherent to it. 😎

  55. In the Niven spoof CASINO ROYALE, Woody Allen played his nephew, Jimmy Bond. I think it might be fair to include him if we are going to list a South African radio show actor that no one outside that country is likely to have heard.

      1. Hmm, you have a point there! 🙂

        I see that the IMDB indeed lists him as ‘Evelyn Tremble/James Bond 007’. However… that applies to Ursula Andress as well. She’s listed as ‘Vesper Lynd/James Bond 007’.

        I think I’ll first rewatch the movie, before I add them, and the others listed as ‘James Bond 007’ 🙂

  56. I was born in 1968 and been a huge bond fan, always. I’ve never heard of Christopher Cazenove’s involvement in the bond world?

    1. Christopher Cazenove played James Bond in Omnibus: The British Hero, a documentary and literary review style show on the BBC. He acted out several scenes from Ian Fleming’s novels, including the scene from Goldfinger, where James Bond is nearly killed with a chainsaw (as opposed to the laser in the film Goldfinger).

      1. False bring. George Lazenby took to too much partying and womanising so they had to let him go. His movie On her majesty’s secret service also dint do too well and bond was still not fully established so they had to bring Sean connery back. Never say never again was not an official bond movie. Sean cannery only did it to spike Albert r broccoli as they had a fall out after you only live twice as they were not paying him well and the two had other differences. You can watch “everything or nothing” the untold story of 007

        1. Lazenby only signed a 1 movie contract on his managements’ recommendations. They believed that the franchise wasn’t viable and wouldn’t last much longer.
          Interesting side note; Adam West turned down the role as he thought that Bond shouldn’t be played by an American.
          Pop culture note; Lazenby is Marge Simpson’s favourite Bond!

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