007 Chronicles (07:10:68)
7th October 2016
On this day in 1968 at the Dorchester Hotel, George Lazenby was revealed as the new James Bond
By MI6 Staff
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 - On this day in 1968 at the Dorchester Hotel, George Lazenby was revealed as the new James Bond)
For the first time in the history of the series, a new actor was being announced to take over the role of James Bond. The day was Monday 7th October 1968. The location was the Dorchester Hotel in London. The center of attention was Australian model turned actor George Lazenby.
A lot of preparation was done behind the scenes in the run-up to the big day. After a course of elocution and acting lessons, Lazenby was packed off to the Riviera for a short break while EON publicists prepared for the great unveiling, which was announced to the public by the press on October 3rd. EON then moved to snap up the advertising material that Lazenby had previously modeled for, hoping to suppress it so as not to distract from their new Bond's image.
"I've let somebody else pave the road for me. Now I've got to take the chance of developing a role of my own." - George Lazenby
Lazenby was formally introduced to the world's media at a press conference at the Dorchester on a cool, dry London morning. A second press junket was staged at the Hilton's Roof Restaurant on October 13th where Lazenby posed with his two co-stars, Diana Rigg and American actor Telly Savalas who was to replace Donald Pleasance as Blofeld.
Eight days after the Hilton press conference, on Monday 21 October 1968, the crew of 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' assembled in Switzerland to begin principal photography.
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