9 Actors You Had No Idea Almost Played James Bond

James Mason is another actor who almost bagged the role of James Bond before Sean Connery. The man's list of iconic roles is incredibly extensive, ranging from everything from 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea to Prisoner Of Zeneda To Salem's Lot. Back in the mid-forties, Mason was the biggest box office attraction two years in a row, a sign of his sheer level of star power.

Mason got much closer to role of Bond than Cary Grant did. After lengthy negotiations Mason was offered a three picture contract, but he only wanted to commit to two, given the fact that he had successfully transitioned to making movies in America.

Though negotiations didn't work out, Mason was later cast as the villain in Moonraker, Hugo Drax. For a time it looked like Mason would actually be starring in a Bond movie until the role was recast as Michael Lonsdale due to contratual complications.