THE MAN WHO COULD HAVE BEEN OO7.

Well, Actor John Gavin certainly met all the requirements of being the suave secret agent 007. He was tall, dark, and handsome, maybe too handsome. Gavin was signed to the role of James Bond in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. But the studio was uncertain after the ordeal with George Lazenby in ON HER MAJESTY SECRET SERVICE being that the audience did not connect with him in the role. So the studio offered Connery a hefty sum of money to return to lure him back. Connery accepted the deal after publicly bad-mouthing the studio on how displeased he was with YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and vowed never to play BOND again, but money talks.

Again, after wrapping DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, Connery headed towards the exit and never looked back until 12 years later, but that's another story. John Gavin again was slated to play Bond in LIVE AND LET DIE. Unfortunately, the producers decided to go with British actor Roger Moore who played Simon Templar on the British TV series THE SAINT.  It made perfectly good sense at the time, Moore looked dashing in a tux and was established in the spy ring of entertainment. But every Bond film that Moore made became campier than the next heading the franchise down a different path. We certainly can't blame Moore entirely for the scripts he was given. Remember that's why Connery took the high road because he didn't like the way things were heading. But not all is lost.. there are those of us who appreciate CAMPY films.

John Gavin was basically known for his good looks which certainly meets the criteria of a leading man. Universal Pictures groomed Gavin to be a leading man in the mold of Rock Hudson. But Gavin was usually used as window dressing for older actresses like Susan Hayward in BACK STREET (1961) and Lana Turner in IMITATION OF LIFE (1959) as their romantic interest. Considered to be the most promising male newcomer, Gavin was Universal's new white hope. One critic penned that Gavin " invariably cast as a staunch fellow of goodwill, who looked handsome but was permitted little action opposite his leading ladies."

Gavin did get some creditable recognition appearing in Alfred Hitchcock's PSYCHO (1960). The film would live on to be one of Hitchcock's finest achievement, becoming a classic. Another success for Gavin was playing Julius Caesar in Stanley Kubrick's  SPARTACUS (1960). Unfortunately, Gavin was back to becoming man candy to leading ladies like Doris Day in MIDNIGHT LACE (1960) and Sophia Loren in A BREATH OF SCANDAL (1960).

Would hiring John Gavin made a difference in the Bond franchise. Personally, I feel that a golden opportunity was missed by not hiring Gavin as James Bond. I think Gavin would have reinstated the persona of Bond that Sean Connery created in all those earlier films. Could Gavin handle being a top-billing star without the crutch of his leading lady?  He certainly oozed with the same-sex appeal ( maybe more so ) and cool suave charm of Connery that made Bond who he is. A ladies' s man who could charm the panties of the bad bond girls, seducing them to switch sides. The real question is Gavin's acting ability, who has been labeled rather " stiff and wooden." Yes, Gavin would have continued the Bond brand as business as usual in the world of espionage depending on the scripts and the right director to work with him.

After Sean Connery returned as Bond in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971), earning a whopping 1.25 million, Gavin was able to keep the 50 million he was given as advance by signing on as the third bond, for merely stepping aside. Gavin became the President of Screen Actors Guild that same year until 1973. But Gavin would consider the next chapter of his life to be his greatest achievement when President Reagan appointed him as Ambassador of Mexico in 1981. Gavin was of Mexican descendant and grew up bilingual of Spanish and English. He served as Ambassador for five years (1981 to 1986). Whenever asked about having any regrets about NOT  becoming James Bond, Gavin would simply reply " NO, because it might have prevented me from fulfilling my childhood dream, to be U.S. Ambassador to Mexico."