20 Things You Didn’t Know About For Your Eyes Only (1981)

9. He’d Make A Great James Bond

James Bond For Your Eyes Only
MGM/UA

The seeds of Double-0 Seven’s future were unknowingly sewn in this adventure.

Australian actress, Cassandra Harris, who portrayed Columbo’s mistress, the faux but likeable and ultimately tragic Countess Lisl von Schlaf, who hails from Liverpool rather than from Austria, had married a jobbing Irish actor named Pierce Brosnan in 1980 prior to filming For Your Eyes Only. She introduced producer, Cubby Broccoli to him over lunch on-set and a moustached Brosnan later attended the film’s premiere with her.

Even after meeting Brosnan for the first time, Cubby felt certain that he would make a perfect James Bond when the role became available. Although he succeeded in casting him as Double-0 Seven in 1986, Brosnan’s contractual ties to Remington Steele (1982-1987) forced him to withdraw for one more season of the television series.

Fearful that the opportunity to play Ian Fleming’s gentleman agent had eluded him, Pierce tragically also had his world turned upside down when Cassandra succumbed to ovarian cancer in 1991; she did not live to see him finally win the role of James Bond again in June 1994.

Contributor

I started writing for WhatCulture in July 2020. I have always enjoyed reading and writing. I have contributed to several short story competitions and I have occasionally been fortunate enough to have my work published. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I also started reviewing films on my Facebook page. Numerous friends and contacts suggested that I should start my own website for reviewing films, but I wanted something a bit more diverse - and so here I am! My interests focus on film and television mainly, but I also occasionally produce articles that venture into other areas as well. In particular, I am a fan of the under appreciated sequel (of which there are many), but I also like the classics and the mainstream too.