James Brolin was once cast as James Bond but was dropped due to Roger Moore

Throughout the past 60 years, countless Hollywood actors have tried out for the iconic role of James Bond.

Yet several who were actually cast had to abandon the part before production started on their debut 007 film.

Most notably, Pierce Brosnan secured the role for 1987's The Living Daylights but remained bound by his Remington Steele television contract.

Timothy Dalton stepped in as the new Bond, with Brosnan finally getting his opportunity nearly ten years later in 1995's Goldeneye.

Dalton had taken over from Roger Moore, who portrayed 007 for a seventh and final time in 1985's A View to Kill - but were you aware Moore was actually replaced after five films?

Moore contemplated departing the franchise in his 50s, prompting producer Cubby Broccoli to screen-test American actor James Brolin on two occasions.

One audition featured the Westworld star performing a fight sequence, while the other showed him seducing a woman while dressed in a towel.

The second scenario comes from Sean Connery's From Russia with Love and is still used for Bond auditions today.

Brolin received the official casting from the producer as the next Bond, but unfortunately for him, Roger Moore decided to return for 1983's Octopussy.

Admittedly, this decision was commercially logical since EON Productions faced competition from the unofficial Never Say Never Again featuring Connery that same year.

Speaking previously with Express.co.uk, Brolin recalled: "I literally left Cubby Broccoli in London, came home to get all my stuff to live in England for a year, when Roger Moore said, 'Oh I'll do one more!'" When asked if he felt genuinely let down after being cast as the first American Bond only to be replaced, he responded: "Yeah! I really was up for that."

The actor went on to reveal specifics about the significant lost chance.

Brolin explained: "When I heard I was going to go over and meet with [Cubby], I dressed to the hill. I spent more money on clothes than I ever thought I would, all at the wrong places. But I looked good! I showed up there and I did two screen tests, which I think are both available on YouTube now. Anyway, good or bad I got the job and Cubby took me to his clubs and I thought, 'This is the life here in London!' Just that was terrific whether I got it or not. This business is a crapshoot and a bit of luck anyway, so.."

Still, the actor harbors no resentment following a career spanning more than 50 years.

Brolin noted: "My kids have told me several years ago that I had been on a movie set at work, 9500 days. I think it's near 10,000 now and they've been great days. I've really enjoyed my time. I picked the right business for me anyway. The other thing would have been maybe an airline pilot or a building contractor, I don't know."

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