George Lazenby

George Robert Lazenby (; born 5 September 1939) is an Australian retired actor. He began his professional career as a model and an actor in commercials. He had no film acting experience when he was cast as the fictional British spy James Bond for the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). Lazenby replaced the original Bond actor, Sean Connery, but declined to return for subsequent films in the series, instead pursuing roles in Universal Soldier (1971), Who Saw Her Die? (1972), The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss (1974), and The Man from Hong Kong (1975).

Early life

George Robert Lazenby was born on 5 September 1939 in Goulburn, New South Wales, at Ovada Private Hospital, to railway worker George Edward Lazenby and Fosseys retail worker Sheila Joan Lazenby (née Bodel). He attended Goulburn Public School in his primary years and Goulburn High School until 1954. His sister Barbara was an accomplished dancer. When he was young, he spent 18 months in hospital after he underwent an operation that left him with only half a kidney.

When Lazenby was about 14, he moved with his family from Goulburn to Queanbeyan, where his father ran a store. He served in the Australian Army, then afterwards worked as a car salesman and mechanic.

Early jobs and modelling

Lazenby moved to London in 1964 to pursue a woman with whom he had fallen in love. He became a car salesman in Finchley, where he was spotted by a talent scout who persuaded him to become a model. He was soon earning £25,000 a year. He was widely known for appearing in an advertisement for Fry's chocolate bars. In 1966, he was voted Top Model of the Year.