THE COMPLETIST'S GUIDE - James Bond

EON - Phase 1

• Dr. No (1962) - Sean Connery
• From Russia with Love (1963) - Sean Connery
• Goldfinger (1964) - Sean Connery
• Thunderball (1965) - Sean Connery
• You Only Live Twice (1967) - Sean Connery
• On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) - George Lazenby
• Diamonds Are Forever (1971) - Sean Connery
• Live and Let Die (1973) - Roger Moore
• The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) - Roger Moore
• The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) - Roger Moore
• Moonraker (1979) - Roger Moore
• For Your Eyes Only (1981) - Roger Moore
• Octopussy (1983) - Roger Moore
• A View to a Kill (1985) - Roger Moore
• The Living Daylights (1987) - Timothy Dalton
• Licence to Kill (1989) - Timothy Dalton
• GoldenEye (1995) - Pierce Brosnan
• Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) - Pierce Brosnan
• The World Is Not Enough (1999) - Pierce Brosnan
• Die Another Day (2002) - Pierce Brosnan

EON - Phase 2

• Casino Royale (2006) - Daniel Craig
• Quantum of Solace (2008) - Daniel Craig
• Skyfall (2012) - Daniel Craig

Other:

• Climax (1954): "Casino Royale" - Barry Nelson (as American Agent James "Jimmy" Bond): Episode of the anthology series.
• Casino Royale (1967) - David Niven:  Comedy/Parody.
• Never Say Never Again (1983) - Sean Connery: Thunderball remake.

The Code Name Theory

To deal with the different faces (not sure why it is necessary) and the extended period of Bond's activity (get over it) some people have adopted the theory that James Bond isn't a single characters, but rather each actor plays a different man using the code name James Bond.

The theory goes:  Sean Connery played James Bond (whether it was a real or cover name is unknown), quit for whatever reason, was replaced by the character who George Lazenby played who quit after the death of his wife Tracy (this character was so in character that he used the name even when on holiday and at his wedding).  The character Sean Connery played returned to the position, avenged Lazenby's character's wife's death and went on at least one more mission.  He was then replaced by another (older) man who also had a dead wife and leaves flowers at the grave of Tracy Bond (who died the same year as Lazenby's character's wife Tracy).  This "Bond" is eventually replaced by a Bond played by Pierce Brosnan who goes on a mission to Russia during which 006 is seemingly killed.  He is replaced by a new character played by Timothy Dalton who uses the name even when he no longer works for MI6.  Dalton's character returns to work for MI6 but is later replaced by the man he replaced, played by Brosnan.

Some adherents to this theory claim that the reboot, is actually a continuation, and that Daniel Craig plays a new person using the James Bond cover name.  This, of course, means that Judy Dench's M somehow went from being recruited from outside the service to being a veteran of the Cold War.

Some also include the non-EON Casino Royale comedy/parody, in which David Niven's James Bond comes out of retirement can complains about the man that is now using his name.  He arranges for many agents to use the name at the same time and the world ends up being destroyed.

~ DUG.