1968- ONMSS- Timothy Dalton was interviewed but turned it down he was only 21.
1971 Diamonds are Forever- John Gavin was the favourite to replace Lazenby along with Adam West and Michael Gambon, before they got Connery back.
1973-Live and Let Die- Several actors where screen tested, Julian Glover would later play the baddie in For Your Eyes Only in 1981, John Gavin again, Jeremy Brett, Simon Oates, John Ronane, Michael Mcstay but the one man who CB wanted to offer to was Michael Billington, but United Artits wanted a big named american staff like Burt Reynols, paul Newman or Robert Redford, in then it was Roger Moore who got the job.
1981-For Your Eyes Only-It looked likely that Moore would not return, so Michael Billington was again tested 3 yaers after he had appeared in the pre-credits of the Spy who Loved Me as a Russian SA. Lewis Collins who would be tested again in 1986, and Ian Olgivy where also tested but in the end Moore returned.
1983-Octopussy- Again it looked like Moore would not return so American actor James Brolin was screen tested. Three scenes where included on the special edition DVD, and he is very good. See screen grab below....
1986- The Living Daylights- After Roger Moores retirement after View to a Kill in 1985, several actors where considered, Mel Gibson, Mark Greenstreet, Lambert Wilson, Anthony Hamilton, Findlay Leight, Chris Lambert, Andrew Clarke, and Sean Bean.
Timothy Dalton was CB first choice, but after a sucessfull screen test, he couldnt make it because it clashed with another film he was making. Three actors where then brought into screen test, Sam Neil, Lewis Collins for a second time and Pierce Brosnan. The Sam Neil screen test is included on the Living Daylights DVD. In the end Brosnan was offered the Part but the TV series he was doing in american Remington Steele at the last minute decided to shoot more shows, and so he could not do it. Instead Dalton could now do the film because of the delay and was cast.