There was a fair amount of trepidation a few years back when it was announced that Daniel Craig was to replace Pierce Brosnan as the new James Bond in an updated version of Casino Royale. The concern was misplaced, as Craig and the film were a hit. Now, fans and general audiences are eagerly anticipating the new Bond movie, Quantum of Solace.
But it’s interesting to note that Daniel Craig’s taciturn take on the Bond character in Casino Royale was not the first. Most remember the more comic version of the movie starring David Niven in 1967, however it was a 1954 live TV version of Ian Fleming’s best-selling novel that introduced the story and James Bond to mass audiences. Aired on the anthology series Climax!, Barry Nelson was the first to play Bond on screen, co-starring Peter Lorre and Linda Christian (the very first Bond girl!). Take a look at this video; Nelson’s interpretation is also taciturn, matter-of-fact, but unlike Daniel Craig, very un-British!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LExo2VgTZuA
Jim Benson
Host, TV Time Machine Internet Radio Show
Jim Benson TV Time Machine Blog 