In a stunning revelation, beloved Hollywood icon Dick Van Dyke has shared that he was once offered the chance to become the next James Bond, a role that could have dramatically altered the course of his career.
The Fateful Offer from 007's Producer
Van Dyke disclosed this remarkable piece of cinema history during an interview with Al Roker on NBC's Today, conducted ahead of his milestone 100th birthday next month. The screen legend recalled that producer Cubby Broccoli, the mastermind behind many of the James Bond films, personally approached him with the offer.
"Cubby Broccoli came to me and said, 'Would you like to be Bond?'" Van Dyke told Roker. The offer was extended during a pivotal moment for the franchise, following Sean Connery's departure from the iconic spy role. Connery left the part twice, in 1967 and 1971, though the exact timing of Van Dyke's offer remains unclear.
The Reason Behind the Surprising Rejection
Despite the magnitude of the opportunity, Van Dyke had an immediate and self-aware reason for turning it down. His response to Broccoli was both humorous and telling: "I said, 'Have you heard my British accent?'"
This witty retort was a direct reference to his now-infamous attempt at a Cockney accent for his role as Bert in the 1964 classic Mary Poppins. Van Dyke's performance has been widely criticized over the decades for its inauthenticity, a fact he himself acknowledged in 2017 when he received a Britannia Award for excellence in television from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
During his acceptance speech, he famously apologized, stating, "I appreciate this opportunity to apologize to the members of BAFTA for inflicting on them the the most atrocious Cockney accent in the history of cinema."
Regrets and Future Ambitions
Reflecting on the Bond decision, Van Dyke expressed some regret about turning down the legendary role. However, he also shared a surprising revelation about what character he still hopes to portray.
"I wanted to be Scrooge," he confessed. "Always wanted to play Scrooge, and I could do it. It's just November. I still got time."
The entertainment legend also expressed bewilderment that no one from the entirely English cast of Mary Poppins, including his co-star Julie Andrews, had offered him guidance on improving his accent at the time. "I was working with an entire English cast and nobody said a word, not Julie [Andrews], not anybody said I needed to work on it so I thought I was alright," he recalled.
Dick Van Dyke will celebrate his 100th birthday on December 13, marking the extraordinary occasion with the release of a new book titled "Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths About Aging."
