Superspy named Bond… James Bond

There are twenty-five James Bond Films produced by EON Productions and distributed by United Artists and MGM. The first, Dr. No was released in 1962 and the twenty-fifth installment, No Time to Die, was released in 2021; making it one of the longest-running film series of all time. Combined, all 25 released Bond films have grossed over $7.0 billion. (Adjusted for 2016 inflation: $16.4 billion^[1].) which also make the series the highest-grossing of all time with figures adjusted in front of Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  

Producers Broccoli and Saltzman began a UK-wide search to cast Bond and held a “Find James Bond” contest to encourage auditions. The winner, Peter Anthony, dropped out due to stress. Patrick McGoohan, Richard Johnson, James Mason, Rex Harrison, David Niven, Trevor Howard, and Broccoli’s friend Cary Grant were all in contention at one point but Sean Connery won out in the end, having proven himself to the producers in his roles in On the Fiddle and Darby O’Gill and the Little People.

Connery appeared in five Bond films; 1962’s Dr. No, 1963’s From Russia with Love, 1964’s Goldfinger, which made the franchise a cultural phenomenon and was very the first time it was recognized worldwide,1965’s Thunderball, and 1967’s You Only Live Twice; before announcing that he was leaving the series at the end of his contract. He was burnt out due to the rapid schedule and wanted to branch his career out.