Dick Van Dyke has revealed that he was offered the role of James Bond in the 1960s, but turned it down because of his infamous attempts at a British accent. The actor, who turns 100 next month, said that Bond producer Albert Broccoli approached him after his performance in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 1968 to ask if he would like to succeed Sean Connery.
Speaking on the US Today programme, Van Dyke recalled Broccoli asking: “Would you like to be Bond?” to which he replied: “Have you heard my British accent?” The star has long been ridiculed for his cockney accent as chimney sweep Bert in Mary Poppins (1964), which he later described as “the most atrocious cockney accent in the history of cinema”.
Despite the setback, Van Dyke said he is still seeking acting work, insisting: “I don’t want to retire, I mean, it’s my life. I love it.” He is currently promoting a new book, 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life.
The actor, who won three Emmys for The Dick Van Dyke Show and a Tony for Bye Bye Birdie, has had several lucky escapes over the years. In 2010, aged 84, he recounted how he was rescued from drowning by porpoises after falling asleep on his surfboard. Three years later he was pulled from a burning car on a California freeway, and in 2023 he crashed his Lexus into a gate during rainy weather.
Meanwhile, the search for the next James Bond continues after Daniel Craig’s departure, with the franchise now under Amazon’s control. Although a few Americans have been considered since Van Dyke, including John Gavin and James Brolin, the current frontrunners are believed to be Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Theo James.
