Timothy Dalton

Walsh born actor Timothy Dalton had attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and quickly became a strong Shakespearean actor in the movie business. He acted with the royal Shakespeare Company all over the world. In 1968 he stared in the awarding winning film ‘The Loin and Winter’ (which was remade in 2003) he acted opposite Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn and Anthony Hopkins. In 1969 Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman approached Timothy Dalton for the role as James bond in the upcoming film On Her Majesty's Secret Service Dalton you was 24 at the time showed interest in playing the role and did take the role but quickly ask to be relisted from the role which he was but the Broccoli all ways keep Dalton in mind as a possible actor for the role.
For the 1970s saw Dalton play many roles mostly costume dramas or Shakespearean work such as Giochi particolari Wuthering Heights ,Cromwell and Mary, Queen of Scots.
For much of the 1970s Dalton stayed much a theatre actor and stage producer after the film Mary Queen Of Scots (1975) he did make a film for three years. His return was in Sextette which he played the husband of 85-year-old Mae West. His return saw go over to the USA were he stared as a TV actor and film actor.
Although he had made a many films and acted with some of the best Shakespearean actors he was in the end of the 70s to very well known even though he was a top choice in the eyes of Albert R. Broccoli a one of the best choice for one the biggest roles in show bunnies James Bond and in his career (at that time) he had been offered the role twice and turn it down still feel that he was too young to play the part.
In the 1980s saw a large change in Daltons career and fame first he started in 1980s Flash Gordon although it was not a large hit and only did well in the UK. In 1986 when it become clear that Roger Moore was not coming back to play the role of James Bond 007 the producers Albert R. Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson started too look for the new bond there first choice for the role was Timothy Dalton but his work on the film Brenda Starr made him unenviable for the new bond film ‘The Living Daylights’ (1987) which was at first written in the hope of returning Roger moore to the role but when he turn the film down the writers rewrite the film and made it more middle of the line with the idea that many one could play the role.
When it was clear that Dalton would not be abele to the role the producers started a new search. writer and co producer (Michael G. Wilson) choice was New Zealand born actor Sam Neil the Director John Glen (who had directed the last three bond films) was all so wonted Sam Neil to play the role after seeing his screen test but the man who had the final say Albert R. Broccoli was not so taken by the actor and search went next was the actor Lewis Collins test for the role and was all so not so like for the role. Then Irish born actor Pierce Brosnan was thought of to play the role he screen test and was like and offered the role. Brosnan was all ways thought of as a man you could play bond and had always seemed to play a bond like roles such as television series Remington Steele. In 86 when he was ask to play the role his contract was coming to an end the producers on the TV show Remington Steele would not let Brosnan go. The film at his time was almost compete cast, sets and locations had all most all been picked but still no lead role then the production was stop for 2 weeks when at the end of the 2 weeks Dalton had finished his work on Brenda Starr and was offered the role he took the role and started work 2 days later. Dalton approached to the role was to go back to a harder bond such as the bond in the Ian Flaming books. Unlike Roger Moore he would not be a light hearted bond Daltons bond is less light haerted and more of an assassin. Dalton had this to say about the role
"I think Roger was fine as Bond, but the movies had become too much techno-pop and had lost track of their sense of story. I mean, every movie seemed to have a villain who had to rule or destroy the world. If you want to believe in the fantasy on screen, then you have to believe in the characters and use them as a stepping-stone to lead you into this fantasy world. That's a demand I made, and Albert Broccoli agreed with me.”
The film did very well making more than the last two bond films. Dalton got good reviews although some Criticizes thought him and the film to dark. The next bond film was much, much darker ‘Licence To Kill’ (1989) the story which is very different to all other bond films see bond as a rogue agent after a drug lord for the killing of his friend and attack on another. The film with its hard edge realism was not a hit in the US but did well worldwide it was all so to be the last Dalton bond film.
After ‘Licence To Kill’ legal disputes forced a six-year hiatus in the series, during which Timothy Dalton resigned from the role of James Bond and was replaced by Pierce Brosnan.
After his Bond films, Dalton divided his work between stage, television and films, and diversified the characters he played. This helped him eliminate the 007 typecasting that followed him during the previous period. Dalton over the 1990s and 2000s played many roles such as The Beautician and the Beast, American Outlaws, Tales from Earthsea ,Hot Fuzz and Doctor who he all so made a documentary about Arctic wolves called ‘In the Wild’.
He lives in London and has one son.






What members say | Filmography

Timothy Dalton - what members say

Timothy Dalton - filmography

5 most recent films

The Tourist - 3.0 stars
The Tourist - Blu-ray - 3.0 stars
Doctor Who - The Complete Specials - Blu-ray - 4.0 stars
Doctor Who Waters of Mars and Final Specials - 4.0 stars
Hot Fuzz - HD - 4.0 stars

5 highest-rated films

Doctor Who Waters of Mars and Final Specials - 4.0 stars
Doctor Who - The Complete Specials - Blu-ray - 4.0 stars
Hot Fuzz - Blu-ray - 4.0 stars
Hot Fuzz - HD - 4.0 stars
Hot Fuzz - 3.5 stars

5 lowest-rated films

Cleopatra - 2.5 stars
Passion's Way - 2.5 stars
Centennial - Series 1 - 3.0 stars
Scarlett - 3.0 stars
Agatha - 3.5 stars

Most frequent co-stars

John Simm - 13 times - show films
Bernard Cribbins - 13 times - show films
David Tennant - 13 times - show films
Catherine Tate - 13 times - show films
David Harewood - 13 times - show films

Most frequent directors

Euros Lyn - 13 times - show films
Graeme Harper - 7 times - show films
James Strong - 6 times - show films
Andy Goddard - 6 times - show films
John Glen - 4 times - show films