James Bond actor George Lazenby spotted for first time since retirement news in rare photos
George Lazenby is living the retired life.
The 84-year-old actor, who played James Bond only once in the 1969 film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” was seen for the first time since announcing his departure from Hollywood.
In the exclusive photos obtained by The Post, Lazenby was spotted with his ex-wife, former tennis star Pam Shriver, in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The Australian-born actor showcased his support for his home country and his ex’s former profession by wearing an Australian Open shirt with sneakers and a baseball cap during the outing amid the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The ex-superspy used a walker to get around and appeared in good spirits with Shriver, whom he was married to from 2002 until their divorce in 2011.
Lazenby revealed his retirement on social media last week, stating the decision didn’t come lightly.
“This hasn’t been an easy decision but it’s time to announce my retirement from work,” the James Bond star wrote in a touching post. “Therefore, I won’t be doing any more acting or making public appearances, doing any more interviews or signing any more autographs as of today.”
“It’s been a fun ride but getting older is no fun.”
Lazenby reminisced about his career, showing appreciation to those who helped him along the way.
“I would like to thank my manager and friend, Anders Frejdh, for helping me since 2013 – the best representative I ever had. I can now concentrate on spending more time with my family. My sincere gratitude to everyone out there for your love and support over the years. It has meant a lot to me,” he shared.
Lazenby played James Bond without any prior acting experience after Sean Connery left the 007 franchise following “You Only Live Twice” (1967). Lazenby’s film catapulted him into fame and became one of the highest-grossing movies of the year.
“I had a meeting with Peter Hunt [the director] and told him I didn’t tell the truth,” he explained of his James Bond audition. “I had never acted before in my life, and I was willing to walk away then. And Peter just bust out laughing and ran around the room holding his belly.”
“‘You say you can’t act? You fooled two of the most ruthless men I’ve ever met in my life,’” Lazenby remembered Hunt stating. “‘Stick to your story, and I’ll make you the next James Bond.’”
He collected $50,000 for the role and was offered to play Bond in six more films, but turned down the role every time.
“It made me famous, and I had to deal with that for a while, which is a pain in the butt,” Lazenby told The Post in 2017. “You know, it’s just part of me. I don’t know why it happened.”
Lazenby went on to appear in over 60 projects during his career, but no character was ever as notable as Bond, James Bond.
