James Bond first hit the screen in 1963. Ever since, countless people have been entertained by the exploits of Agent 007, and there appears to be no end in sight for these films. With "Spectre" coming out on Nov. 6, I pondered over who the best Bond is. Here now is my list of greatest Bonds of all time.
For full disclosure, I have seen none of the films that have George Lazenby, David Niven, and Barry Nelson.
1. Sean Connery (Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, Goldfinger, Never Say Never Again)
You simply don't get better than the original 007. Sean Connery, despite sounding entirely Scottish, was the best James Bond. He could convey all the seriousness, but he could be punny when it was called for. Sean Connery is one of the few actors who could be synonymous with the character he was portraying, much like Hugh Jackman with Wolverine or Heath Ledger with The Joker.
Side note: I would LOVE to see Connery come back in a newer Bond movie, just to have a nod to "James Bond" being a code name, rather than an actual name. I am not sure how long Daniel Craig will be James Bond, but I would love to see these two on screen.
2. Daniel Craig (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre)
A fresher, more modern take on James Bond, Daniel Craig has brought a certain charm to the role and has kept a lot of the humor without losing the seriousness of the films. Daniel Craig is also at number two because in "Casino Royale," we see a side of James Bond that we have never seen before: vulnerability. We see him fall in love and face heartbreak. We see him as much more human.
3. Roger Moore (Octopussy, Moonraker, The Spy Who Loved Me, The Man With the Golden Gun, A View to a Kill, Live and Let Die, For Your Eyes Only)
Roger Moore and Sean Connery have the greatest longevity as Agent 007, both at seven movies. However, it is Roger Moore's presence as Bond, the charm you could hear in his voice, that lands Moore here. The Roger Moore "Bond" films also balanced Bond as a character with the plot and action with which they were working. The action sequences during these films were (for the most part) believable (certain sequences, like the ski chase from "The Spy Who Loved Me," had to be done partially with a green screen).
4. Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights, License to Kill)
The shortest run in the Bonds was Timothy Dalton, lasting only two films. His performance was largely forgettable to me. Not because he was a bad Bond, but because he gets lost in the number of actors who have played the part. Timothy Dalton shows us another part of Bond's character - we can see what he becomes when he is a man with nothing to lose. We saw this first with him, but more recently in Daniel Craig. I would be mistaken to say he was a bad Bond; he is the victim of too many actors playing one character.
5. Pierce Brosnan (Tomorrow Never Dies, Goldeneye, Die Another Day, The World is Not Enough)
Pierce Brosnan is another actor who offered a semi-modern take on the character of 007. The action in the movies was believable and it was great, but Brosnan was almost too reliant upon puns and comic relief. Because of this, it is hard to believe his character; however, he does take care of the charming and attractive aspects of Bond's personality.

























