George Lazenby Bio
George Robert Lazenby (born 5 September 1939) is an Australian retired actor, best known for his role as James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). He began his career in modeling and commercials before landing the iconic role of the fictional British spy. Lazenby portrayed James Bond only once, yet his single appearance became a lasting part of cinema history. After stepping away from acting in 2024, he announced his retirement to focus on his family.
Despite his brief tenure in the Bond franchise, Lazenby remains a recognized figure in film history. He later pursued a variety of roles in international productions before ultimately leaving the spotlight.
Early Life and Background
George Robert Lazenby was born on 5 September 1939 in Goulburn, New South Wales, at Ovada Private Hospital. He was the son of railway worker George Edward Lazenby and Fosseys retail worker Sheila Joan Lazenby (née Bodel). Lazenby attended Goulburn Public School in his primary years and Goulburn High School until 1954. He grew up with a sister named Barbara, who was an accomplished dancer.
As a child, Lazenby spent 18 months in hospital after undergoing an operation that left him with only half a kidney. When he was about 14 years old, he moved with his family from Goulburn to Queanbeyan, where his father ran a store. After his schooling, he served in the Australian Army and later worked as a car salesman and mechanic.
Path to Acting
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 and became widely known for appearing in an advertisement for Fry’s chocolate bars. In 1966, he was voted Top Model of the Year.
His transition to film came unexpectedly. In 1968, producer Albert R. Broccoli met Lazenby at a barbershop and later saw him in a Big Fry commercial. Impressed by his look, Broccoli invited him for a screen test for the role of James Bond. During the audition, Lazenby accidentally punched a professional wrestler acting as stunt coordinator, impressing Broccoli with his ability to display aggression. Though he had no formal film training, Lazenby was cast as the new James Bond.
George Lazenby Career
Early Career (1963–1968)
Lazenby’s career began in modeling after being discovered in London in 1964. He worked steadily in television commercials and print advertisements, building a reputation in the fashion industry. His success as a model, particularly his Fry’s chocolate bar advertisement, brought him to the attention of film producers.
His modeling career earned him the Top Model of the Year title in 1966. This recognition, combined with his striking appearance, led to his unexpected casting as James Bond in 1968.
Breakthrough (1969–1971)
Lazenby’s breakthrough came with his casting as James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). He replaced Sean Connery in the role but declined to return for subsequent films. Prior to the release of the film, Lazenby decided to leave the role after his agent convinced him that the secret agent would be archaic in the liberated 1970s. He also felt that he had received poor treatment on the film set.
After leaving Bond, Lazenby made Universal Soldier (1971), which he helped write and fund. He admitted that after leaving the role of Bond, he was largely unhireable, with his agent describing him as “difficult.” He next appeared in the 1972 Italian giallo film Who Saw Her Die? opposite Anita Strindberg, losing 35 pounds for the role and earning positive reviews.
Lazenby spent the next 15 months sailing around the world with his partner Chrissie Townson. In February 1973, he revealed that he had spent all the money he had earned from playing Bond, had experienced two nervous breakdowns, and had become an alcoholic. That same year, he starred in the BBC’s Play for Today series in Roger Smith’s The Operation.
Notable Works and Milestones
Lazenby’s signature work remains On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), his only appearance as James Bond. He also appeared in Saint Jack (1979), directed by Peter Bogdanovich, which the Australian magazine Filink called “one of the best things – if not the best thing – Lazenby ever did outside of Bond.” In 1993, he appeared in Gettysburg as Confederate Brigadier General J. Johnston Pettigrew. He appeared as himself in the 2017 docudrama Becoming Bond.
George Lazenby Family
George Robert Lazenby was born to George Edward Lazenby, a railway worker, and Sheila Joan Lazenby (née Bodel), who worked at Fosseys retail. He has a sister named Barbara, who was an accomplished dancer. Lazenby has four children: daughter Jennifer from a relationship with Maureen Powell; daughter Melanie Andrea Lazenby, born on 13 September 1973, and son Zachary “Zack” Lazenby, born on 9 November 1974, from his marriage to Christina Ross “Chrissie” Townson; and son George Junior Lazenby, born on 12 July 2004, from his marriage to Pam Shriver.
Personal Life
Lazenby married Christina Ross “Chrissie” Townson in 1973. They had two children together before divorcing in 1995. His son Zachary was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour at age 11 and died at age 19 in 1994. In 2002, Lazenby married former tennis player Pam Shriver, with whom he had three children. They lived in Brentwood, California, before Shriver filed for divorce in 2008; the divorce was finalised in May 2011.
In late 2023, Lazenby was injured in a fall and was briefly hospitalised, returning home on 18 December. In 2025, his ex-wife Pam Shriver revealed that Lazenby has dementia and that she is caring for him.
