Top 10 Weirdest Roles by James Bond Actors

Remember “The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones”? It’s okay, most people don’t - but it did serve up one of Daniel Craig’s earliest performances as German baddy Schiller in “Daredevils of the Desert”. Together with his suspicious tache, knee-high boots and dodgy accent, he’s described as “a most unpleasant man”, but his character is more Dick Dastardly than devilish - making cheesy Bond baddies of the 60s and 70s look terrifying. You can’t help but feel Craig is massively underutilised in this one. I mean compare this, to this.

Some people say “James Bond’s really the only thing Timothy Dalton has ever done” - which is a bit harsh, however, his role as an actor turned secret agent in this Looney Tunes film, doesn't help his case. It’s weird, over the top and kind of takes the mick out of him. He’s had a successful stint as Mr Pricklepants in “Toy Story 3”, but this one’s a bit too silly and self-deprecating, and screams quick payout. At least he’s got Steve Martin to bounce off… er, yeah.

Connery’s portrayal of the clearly Scottish Egyptian in 1986’s “Highlander” received a fair bit of criticism, and his portrayal of the same character in the sequel is no different. He’s got long hair, a goatee, he gatecrashes Shakespearean plays and given the opportunity, overacts wherever possible. It’s like plonking a rubbish comic book character in a dark action movie. It’s not gracious, convincing or engaging. The role itself is a bit crazy - and we can’t imagine it working in any way, shape or form. Except if it were played by Johnny Depp, maybe.

His portrayal of Bond may not be very popular with fans, but did you know George Lazenby has a Kung Fu past? Starring in a few martial-arts-based films, including “Death Dimension”, Bruce Lee’s “The Game of Death” and today’s pick “The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss”, Lazenby is surprisingly well adept to the world of combat cinema. Even with a Tom Selleck-esque moustache. This film would have starred Bruce Lee if it not for his death a year before, but fair dos to Lazenby, he does a pretty good job.

Being cast in a Tim Burton film, you can expect your character development to be a little unusual - like, how about getting your head cut off and having it examined by aliens. Well, that's exactly what happens to Brosnan in this all-star science-fiction comedy. A pipe-smoking professor who aims to tap into the psyche of an alien race, he is captured and spends a good chunk of the film hanging out to dry - with canine Sarah Jessica Parker as company. It’s completely ridiculous, but brilliant nonetheless.

Looking for footage of Connery with a ponytail, wearing some freaky nappy-like lederhosen? You weren't? Well, here it is anyway, thanks to the 1974 film “Zardoz”. This film is nuts. It ultimately tells of a hero called Zed who liberates a brainwashed society, whilst sporting a revealing wardrobe. It’s like “The Wicker Man” meets “The Wizard of Oz”, and as great as that sounds, it just comes across as a film desperate to achieve shock factor at every turn. And to think, this was just three years after Connery’s Bond heyday.

Playing out like a textbook Saturday morning kids film, this medieval blunder sees a kid travel back through time to meet Arthur and Merlin - oh, and Daniel Craig. Craig plays the ever ambitious teacher of our young knight, equipped with a dictionary of ye olde english quotes and a mushroom top. The dialogue is wooden, the action sucks and overall it feels like you're watching a local amateur stage production of a satirical Shakespearean play. At least thou gets to see some cracking special effects.

Musicals, they suit some but not all actors. As for Pierce Brosnan, well. It’s not necessarily his singing that caught our eye here - although that is, er, interesting - it’s more the dramatic turns towards the camera, spreading himself across open doorways and belting lyrics whilst dramatically leaning against a wall. Brosnan has proved that he can do action and drama pretty well, which is what makes this musical endeavor rather hard to watch. They’re back when you played Bond, Pierce.

In a not-so-well received adaptation of the classic “Avengers” TV series, Connery plays a mad scientist hell bent on controlling the weather. Take your pick for this one. Overacted monologues, god-awful one liners and an army of teddy bear henchman, it’s a performance best described as colourful. Playing a villain doesn't seem to suit Connery, because somehow, even when he is threatening the film’s protagonist, it just comes off as laughable. Shame, with Uma Thurman and Ralph Fiennes, this should have been a decent film.

You didn’t think we were going to forget the late, great Roger Moore did you? Claiming our top spot today is a perfect example of a first-class actor not taking himself too seriously. As promiscuous Lloyd aboard a homosexual cruise, he stalks a couple of guys who end up there by mistake. From sexual innuendos to fellating sausages, Moore is absolutely hilarious in this role, and doesn’t pull any punches. If anything, his history of playing womaniser Bond is what makes this work so gloriously.