Clint Eastwood turned down roles as Superman and James Bond

[Goldeneye]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film ... -Bond.html

Clint Eastwood turned down the parts of Superman and James Bond in his early career, the actor has revealed.
The Dirty Harry star said he was offered "pretty good money" to take over from Sean Connery after the Scottish actor stepped aside from the role.

When Eastwood turned down the part, Australian model George Lazenby stepped in for a single outing.

Connery returned for a then record deal in excess of $1 million in Diamonds Are Forever, before Roger Moore took over.

Eastwood also disclosed he was lined up to play Superman before Christopher Reeve, but decided he was too old.

The 80-year-old actor said: "I was offered pretty good money to do James Bond if I would take on the role.

"This was after Sean Connery left. My lawyer represented Cubby Broccoli [who produce the Bond franchise] and he came and said, 'They would love to have you.'

"But to me, well, that was somebody else's gig. That's Sean's deal. It didn't feel right for me to be doing it."

Oscar winner Eastwood also said in an interview with the LA Times he was an early candidate for the role of world's most famous superhero.

"I can remember – and this was many years ago – when [Warner Bros. President] Frank Wells came to me about doing Superman. So it could have happened.

"This was when they first started to think about making it. I was like, 'Superman? Nah, nah, that's not for me.' Not that there's anything wrong with it. It's for somebody, but not me."

Christopher Reeve played the part in three films before tragically breaking his neck in a riding accident.

Connery was paid just $17,000 for Dr No, rising to $250,000 for From Russia With Love, $500,000 for Goldfinger, $750,000 for Thunderball and $750,000 for You Only Live Twice.

After he returned for Diamonds Are Forever his fee was upped to $1.2m and a share of the box office.

He made one last comeback in 1983 with Never Say Never Again for $5m in a version without the backing of Eon, who have made all 22 other films.

[Kristatos]

I thought this was already common knowledge about Bond, Didn't know he'd turned down Superman, but I'm glad he did. I love Clint, but as Supes? That'd be like casting Daniel Craig as James Bond.

John Landis said Clint also turned down the role of Dick Tracy when Landis was attached to direct, many years before Warren Beatty took over as director and star. Turned it down quite unequivocally, apparently. He even gave the same "wtf" look that he gives as Dirty Harry, just before he wastes some low-life punk looking for a rep.

[Dr. No]

Ah, the 70s. When men were men and Bond was cool

I didn't know about Superman. I guess the sign of great actor is know their limitations. I could take the job but I know better. Unlike Craig. Superman with east wood or Bond would have been awful. Sure some part of it might be interesting part but they would be the classic films they became.
You know I've always thought Eastwood would be a great Wolverine Too old now unless he is playing old Wolverine 400 or 500 years old

[Captain Nash]

Love Clint.
But the Bond series would've ended after the next actor took the role. Would've been the same if Burt Reynolds or Robert Redford.
I'm not anti-American, but Bond should be played by a British or at a push Australian actor.
End of.

[Dr. No]

I respect Eastwood, he is great as Dirty Harry and so many other roles but Bond, he and Adam West knew it wasn't a good idea. So did Cubby come to think of it.

A lot of good young Brit and Aussy actors to take over, Bond is not in trouble the producer may be if they can't adapt.

[Goldeneye]

Spoof!

Clint Eastwood Reveals Why He Turned Down The Role of James Bond
Written by Abel Rodriguez
HOLLYWOOD - Clint Eastwood, the man who made Dirty Harry a household name and was the American who pioneered spaghetti westerns revealed that many years ago he was offered the role of James Bond.

Eastwood said that his hair stylist, his manager, and most of his family members encouraged him to take the role.

And Clint says that he actually thought about it long and hard, but in the end he had to turn the part down.

The man who starred in The Outlaw Josey Wales said that he just could not see himself going from riding a horse to riding a Lamborghini.

He also noted that there was no way that he could see himself sipping on a martini with an olive in it after being used to drinking shots of whiskey in dirty glasses.

Eastwood even said that Sean Connery called him up and told him that playing the role of Bond...James Bond made him a lot of money and he actually got to hold, hug, caress, and boink a lot of the world's most glamorous women.

Clint said he laughed and said that he just kinda got used to riding horses, smoking them little bitty stinking cigars, and cavorting with wild, wicked, sweaty women.

Eastwood said that Connery laughed and called him a dumb, stupid, cowboy sumbitch. Clint laughed and called Connery a dumb, stupid, debonair sumbitch.

In other news. President Obama has said that now that U.S. troops are out of Iraq, his next goal is to get the U.S. troops out of Detroit.

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