George Lazenby, best remembered for playing James Bond in the 1969 film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, has announced his retirement.
On July 24, Lazenby, 84, posted a picture of himself and a statement on Instagram and X, announcing his retirement from performing to spend more time with his family after working in cinema and television for almost five decades.
“This was not an easy choice, but it is time to announce my retirement from work. As a result, I will no longer be performing, making public appearances, doing interviews, or signing autographs as of today,” Lazenby declared in a statement.
The actor made his big screen debut as 007 after Sean Connery played the legendary British spy role in the series’ first five films. He finally only appeared in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Connery, who died in 2020 at the age of 90, returned to the role in 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever.
“It’s been a fantastic trip, but growing older is not enjoyable. “I’d like to thank my manager and friend, Anders Frejdh, for his assistance since 2013 – the best representative I’ve ever had,” Lazenby said in his statement. “Now I can focus on spending more time with my family. My heartfelt thanks to everyone out there for their love and support throughout the years. It’s meant a lot to me. George xx”
Following his role as Bond, Lazenby embarked on an acting career that has seen him appear in 64 films and television shows, according to his IMDb biography. His most well-known films are 1975’s The Man from Hong Kong and 1993’s Civil War epic Gettysburg. According to the Daily Express in the United Kingdom, Lazenby almost resumed the 007 character for 1983’s Never Say Never Again, but Connery ultimately reprised the part for the last time in his career. Lazenby’s most recent appearance was in the 2024 film Mundije.
In 2019, Lazenby told the Sydney Morning Herald that he had “a lot of arrogance” when playing Bond and that his buddy Ronan O’Rahilly encouraged him not to play the role in any more Bond films during the 1970s because he believed the brand would lose appeal. As a consequence, Lazenby struggled to get employment in Hollywood for a while.
“Look, for a guy who has never acted before, I did a pretty s— job,” he told the publication. “But because of the narrative and the other characters involved, it’s definitely one of the finest Bond films. And, you know, I gradually learned to act.”
