'Do you expect me to talk?': Dick Van Dyke says he turned down playing James Bond

Dick Van Dyke reveals he was considered for James Bond role after dismissing Albert Broccoli's offer.

In a recent appearance on the Today TV programme, legendary actor Dick Van Dyke shared that he was approached by Bond producer Albert Broccoli in 1968 to take on the iconic role of James Bond. The offer came shortly after Van Dyke's performance as Bert in Mary Poppins (1964), where his accent received widespread criticism.

When asked if he would be interested in playing Bond, Van Dyke recalled responding with a humorous quip: "Have you heard my British accent?" This anecdote is a nod to the infamous cockney accent Van Dyke attempted in Mary Poppins, which has since been described as one of the most atrocious in cinematic history.

Van Dyke credits his inaccurate accent in Mary Poppins to an Irish dialect coach and also suggests that he should have received more feedback from his co-stars and crew. Despite this setback, the actor remains committed to his craft and continues to seek acting work, stating: "I don't want to [retire], I mean, it's my life. I love it."

Van Dyke, who won numerous awards for his work on The Dick Van Dyke Show and Bye Bye Birdie, is currently promoting a new book, 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life.

Interestingly, the role of James Bond has been handed over to Amazon, marking a significant shift in the franchise's ownership. Although no American actor has played Bond since Van Dyke, Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Theo James are reportedly among the top contenders for the next installment.
 
omg, can u believe dick van dyke was offered james bond role back in 1968?! 🀯 i mean, his accent from mary poppins is still cringeworthy lol πŸ˜‚ that Irish dialect coach must've had some serious work to do. anyway, it's wild that he passed on the chance and went on to have an amazing career. i'm so here for him promoting a new book, 100 Rules for Living to 100... sounds like something right up my alley πŸ“šπŸ‘
 
omg can u believe dick van dyke was considered for james bond lol he had that accent from mary pops which was straight up cringeworthy 🀣 anyway i feel bad for him cuz his accent kinda ruined a good thing but at least he moved on and is still killing the game πŸ’ͺ what's crazy tho is amazon taking over bond now who's gonna play bond next ?? callum turner or theo james are my bets btw
 
I'm low-key impressed that Dick Van Dyke was even considered for Bond, I mean it's a massive franchise! But come on, he basically threw himself out of the running with that "have you heard my British accent?" joke . Can't say I'd want to take on a role that iconic after being roasted by the critics for his accent in Mary Poppins.

It's wild that Amazon is taking over Bond now tho. I guess it's an interesting twist. Those actors they're talking about, Callum Turner, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Theo James, are all solid choices. Not sure who'd be best fit though...
 
πŸ€” I mean, can you even imagine Dick Van Dyke as Bond? He would've been hilarious! But I guess it's a bit of a bummer that he turned down the role back in the day. It's crazy to think about how different the franchise might be now if he had taken on the part.

I'm curious, though - do you think someone like Dick Van Dyke could still pull off Bond today? He's got more experience under his belt than some of the actors they're considering for the next film πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ. And speaking of which, I've heard good things about Callum Turner and Aaron Taylor-Johnson - but we'll just have to wait and see who ends up playing the role!

Anyway, it's always fun to think about "what ifs" in movies. What if a different actor had taken on Bond back in 1968? 🎬
 
I'm so down on this news about Dick Van Dyke being considered for James Bond πŸŽ‰πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ! Can you even imagine him playing Bond with that iconic accent πŸ˜‚? I think it would've been hilarious to see him trying to channel his inner 007. But, on a more serious note, I'm loving the new direction Amazon is taking the franchise - it'll be interesting to see who they choose next πŸ€”! And, let's be real, Dick Van Dyke still slays in Mary Poppins πŸ’ƒπŸ»πŸŽΆ #DickVanDyeke #JamesBond #AmazonTakesOver
 
What's up with all these reboots and franchises getting sold to big companies?! I mean, Amazon owns James Bond now? It's like they're trying to turn everything into some sort of streaming show πŸ“Ί. I don't know if I'm down with that vibe... Don't get me wrong, Callum Turner and the others sound cool, but can we not mess up the whole Bond legacy in the process?!
 
I'm low-key surprised that Dick Van Dyke was considered for James Bond after his accent mess in Mary Poppins 🀣 I mean, it's funny he poked fun at it himself, but still, who would've thought the guy would be taken seriously for Bond? It just goes to show you never know what might happen in Tinseltown 🎬. He seems like a great sport about it too, and I'm glad he's not letting that one mishap define his career. Still, can't help but think Callum Turner or Aaron Taylor-Johnson would be way better fits for the role πŸ˜‚
 
I just saw this thread from like 2 days ago πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ I'm kinda surprised Dick Van Dyke got turned down for Bond after Mary Poppins 🎢 He was supposed to be so British at that point, lol! Can you even imagine him as Bond? It's crazy that the role got passed to someone else. I feel bad for him though, that accent mishap might've cost him a iconic role πŸ˜‚
 
I'm low-key surprised that Dick Van Dyke actually had the chance to play James Bond! I mean, he's been in some iconic roles already, so it's kinda cool that he was even considered for the gig πŸ€”. But you know what's wild? If he did end up taking the role, I'm pretty sure his British accent would've still been super awkward πŸ˜‚. Like, who needs a convincing villain when they're gonna sound like they just stepped out of an Irish pub? πŸ€ But for real tho, it's dope to see how much Van Dyke's still grinding, promoting books and all that πŸ’Ό.
 
πŸ€” I mean, can you even imagine Dick Van Dyke as James Bond? Like, his accent would've been a whole different vibe, right? πŸ˜‚ And honestly, who needs a cockney accent when you're trying to play suave and sophisticated spy? πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ But for real though, it's cool that he got to be part of the Bond franchise even if it was just as an offer. And I love how he just shrugs it off and keeps on acting, you know? πŸ’ͺ He's still out there making stuff happen and inspiring people, which is really admirable πŸ™Œ.
 
what a legend! dick van dyke was literally considered to play james bond lol 🀣 imagine him with all that gadgetry and spy stuff, but instead he sticks out like a sore thumb every time he tries to sound british πŸ˜‚ his accent in mary poppins is still cringe-worthy to this day. but honestly who would've thought dick van dyke would become an optimist and write a book about living to 100? i guess you never know what's gonna happen in life, right? πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ
 
lol @ Dick Van Dyke saying he'd poke fun at his own accent πŸ˜‚πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ can't blame him after that Mary Poppins debacle! But seriously, ouch to be considered for Bond and then get shot down over a bad accent πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ. It's wild how much of an impact it would've had back in the day. Glad he's still kicking and promoting new stuff tho πŸ“šπŸŽ‰
 
So Dick Van Dyke was almost Bond? πŸ€” That's wild! I gotta ask though, why didn't they go with him? Like, what happened to his accent that made them change their minds? Was it really as bad as everyone says it was in Mary Poppins? 🎬 And now Amazon owns the franchise... what's up with that? Is this just a cash grab or are they gonna bring something new to the table? I need some sources on this, btw.
 
I can imagine how funny it must've been to be offered the role of Bond after that accent debacle πŸ˜‚. Dick Van Dyke's still got a great sense of humor about it too! I mean, who wouldn't want to poke fun at themselves? The idea that he was told "Have you heard my British accent?" is just priceless 🀣. But seriously, what if he'd taken the role? Would Bond be more of a goofy spy or still the suave secret agent we know and love? πŸ€”
 
OMG I'm dying laughing about Dick Van Dyke's response to Albert Broccoli's offer πŸ€£πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ "Have you heard my British accent?"πŸ˜‚ that's hilarious! I can just imagine him trying to play it cool 😎 but honestly, his accent in Mary Poppins is kinda legendary lol. Anyway, I'm loving Dick Van Dyke's attitude towards life - he's still going strong and promoting a new book πŸ“šπŸ’« 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life sounds like just what we need more of positivity in our lives! πŸ’–
 
Bond was too sexy for Dick Van Dyke 🀣, but at least he's still got jokes about his accent πŸ˜‚. He should've taken the role, though – who needs a good accent when you can be Bond? πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ
 
I cant believe dick van dyke was even considered for james bond 🀣 his accent in mary poppins is still cringeworthy lol imagine him trying to be suave as bond πŸ˜‚ but you gotta respect his honesty about it and his love for acting, he's still out there grinding after all these years πŸ‘ 100 rules for living to 100 sounds like a cool book btw πŸ“š
 
can you believe dick van dyke was even offered the james bond role after that mary pops a mess 🀣 he's always been funny about his accent mishap and i love how humble he is about it - 50s and 60s tv really did bring out some iconic performances, btw. but what's crazy is amazon taking over the franchise now πŸ“Ί this changes things for sure, can't wait to see who'll be the next bond πŸ’₯
 
omg u can't even imagine how crazy it would be to have dick van dyke as james bond lol πŸ€£πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ i mean he's already shown off his acting chops in Mary Poppins but a secret agent? that'd be like a comedic genius taking over the franchise πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ and honestly if they ever make a movie with him, it'll def be a campy classic in the making 😎 meanwhile callum turner, aaron taylor-johnson, and theo james better step up their game lol πŸ‘Š
 
Back
Top