Who are the Shortest and the Tallest of Actors Who Played James Bond?

After having appeared in a television adaptation of novelist Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale novel in 1954, American actor Barry Nelson became the first person to portray the famous James Bond character on screen.

Since then, however, only the United Kingdom and Australia have produced the actors who played James Bond in films. Fleming, the creator of the fictional character, portrayed Bond in his books as a handsome, athletic, and tall secret agent in his thirties and forties. These traits were all said to have been put into consideration when producers of the film began casting for the perfect actor to play the role. As the story goes, refined English actors like Cary Grant and David Niven were first considered to play the role, however, a somewhat uncultured 31-year-old actor in the shape of former bodybuilder Sean Connery was selected to play Bond, a move that infuriated Fleming. The novelist was said to have been appalled by the decision as he considered the tall and very masculine Scotsman an antithesis of his character.

After taking on the role, Ian Fleming found himself becoming an admirer of Connery’s physicality and sexual appeal which closely identified with the character he created. He was then left with no choice but to change his view on Connery as he went further to incorporate aspects of the actor into the book. Read on to get a breakdown of Sean Connery’s height, as well as that of all the actors who played James Bond as we identify the shortest and tallest of them all.

How Tall are The Actors Who Played James Bond

1. Sean Connery (1962–67; 1971; 1983), Height – 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm)

shortest and tallest James Bond Actors
Sean Connery (Image Source)

As mentioned above, Sean Connery was the very first actor who played James Bond. The now-retired Scottish actor qualified for the role thanks to not just his acting skills, but the physical attributes he had acquired as a bodybuilder. Unfortunately, details of his body measurements are not available, however, it is recorded that he stood at a height of 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) when he was playing the role, from age 31 to 53. On this list of shortest and tallest James Bond actors, Seas is certainly not the shortest

2. David Niven (1967), Height – 5 feet 11 ¼ (155 cm)

shortest and tallest James Bond Actors
David Niven (Image Source)

David Niven was said to have been Fleming’s choice for the role of James Bond before Connery took up the mantle. The actor, who had attended Sandhurst Military Academy and served in the military, however, later got to appear as 007 in Casino Royale (1967). His appearance in the role was somewhat controversial as he was at the time 57 years of age and also considerably shorter than his predecessor as he stood at a height of 5 feet 11 ¼ (155 cm).

3. George Lazenby (1969), Height – 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm)

shortest and tallest James Bond Actors
George Lazenby (Image Source)

Australian actor George Lazenby is the only non-British person to play James Bond. Unlike Niven, Lazenby fit the mold of Bond actors that Fleming had envisioned as he stood at a height of 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) and had just turned 30 years of age when he appeared in the role. His time as a model also played a role since he had the sexual magnetism that was needed for the character.

4. Roger Moore (1973–85), Height – 6 feet 1½ inches (187 cm)

shortest and tallest James Bond Actors
Roger Moore (Image Source)

English actor Roger Moore will be remembered as the first actor after Sean Connery that adequately fitted the part and won the hearts of fans after producers of the film series had failed to secure the services of Lazenby for more than one film. Aged 46 when he began playing the role, Moore stood at a height of 6 feet 1½ inches (187 cm) as he went on to appear in seven Bond films before leaving the role at the age of 58.

5. Timothy Dalton (1987–89), Height – 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm)

shortest and tallest James Bond Actors
Timothy Dalton (Image Source)

Following Moore’s stint in the role, classically trained Shakespearean actor Timothy Dalton was cast for the role. Producers made sure to stick to Ian Fleming’s prescribed traits when picking a replacement as Dalton stood at a height of 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) and was aged 41. Known for playing a darker and more serious Bond, he played the role until he was 43, appearing in the fifteenth and sixteenth films in the franchise.

See Also: Who Is Chris Hemsworth, The Mighty Thor, How Tall Is He?

6. Pierce Brosnan (1995–2002), Height – 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm)

shortest and tallest James Bond Actors
Pierce Brosnan (Image Source)

Of all the actors who played James Bond, Pierce Brosnan is undoubtedly one of everybody’s favorites. The 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) tall Irish man became the fifth actor to play the secret agent in 1994 at the age of 42. He went on to appear in four films before retiring from the role at the age of 49.

7. Daniel Craig (2006–present), Height – 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm)

shortest and tallest James Bond Actors
Daniel Craig (Image Source)

After Brosnan left the role, producers of the film went back on Ian Fleming’s formula of the tall, dark-haired actor that was envisioned for the role as they selected the 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall and blond-haired 32-year-old English actor Daniel Craig. His selection was nothing short of controversial as fans threatened to boycott the upcoming film. This, however, ended up being very far from the case as Craig’s first film in the franchise went on to become the highest-grossing Bond film at the time. It is also worthy of note that on this list of the shortest and tallest James Bond actors, Craig stands out as the shortest.

Chizitere Onukogu
Chizitere Onukogu
When Chizitere is not breaking down the business and money behind the world's wealthiest entertainers, he spends his time watching sports or catching up on his favorite TV shows

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