From Goulburn to Bond: The Life and Family of George Samuel Lazenby

Early life and the boy from Goulburn

George Samuel Lazenby was the unexpected face of 007 when I first got to know him, but his history predates the cameras. He was raised in a working household influenced by practical trades and simple pleasures after being born in Goulburn, New South Wales, on September 5, 1939. George Edward Lazenby, his father, was employed by the railroads. Sheila Joan Lazenby, his mother, maintained harmony in the home. Early family listings include a sibling named Barbara. A restless seed that would eventually blossom on a worldwide scale was sown in the small-town soil of 1939.

The comet of 1969 – becoming James Bond

A fresh James Bond with virtually little cinematic experience debuted in 1969. He was thirty years old. He had learnt how to move in front of a camera, done commercials, and modeled. Then, in December 1969, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was published. A single, dazzling flare that both defined and contained him was a meteor moment. He portrayed Bond with a combination of raw inexperience and muscular assurance. The courage of casting someone so green was praised by critics. Viewers may still recall the romance, the conflicts, and the skiing. The next year, he was recognized by the industry as a bright newbie. Here, numbers count: 1969, age 30, a movie that would reverberate for decades.

Family and personal relationships

I like to imagine family as the backstage of a public life – the unseen crew that moves the props. George Samuel Lazenby’s family has been both anchor and storm.

The family table reads like a ledger of love, loss, and ordinary life. There were public storms – a high profile marriage to Pam Shriver in 2002, followed by a divorce process initiated in 2008 and finalised in 2011. There was also private grief. Zachary, his son with Chrissie, died as a young man. I feel the ache when I write that; grief leaves a shadow on every public photograph.

Career arcs and work achievements

He earned global recognition for one role. Yet his career did not evaporate after Bond. He acted in films across the 1970s and onward: titles and years include Universal Soldier (1971), Who Saw Her Die? (1972), The Man from Hong Kong (1975), and other character parts. He returned to public notice in different ways, including a 2017 documentary that revisited his choices and the myth of James Bond. He also explored business and property ventures; acting became intermittent rather than the center of gravity.

Noteworthy numbers and milestones:

• 1939: birth year.
• 1969: Bond film released.
• 1970: industry recognition as a promising newcomer.
• 1971 to 1975: several post-Bond film projects.
• 2017: documentary revisiting his life.
• 2024: announced retirement from public appearances.

I see his career as a river that found a narrow canyon early, then spread into many smaller streams. The Bond film is the canyon; the streams are his other roles, his business efforts, and the small, human choices that do not make headlines.

Finance, contracts, and public perceptions

Money has shadowed his story in two ways. First, the persistent curiosity about what he was paid for Bond and whether he was offered more. Exact contract figures are foggy and often repeated in different forms. Second, there are estimates of his net worth in the public imagination that place him in a comfortable bracket thanks to investments and occasional appearances. I treat such numbers as estimates rather than ledgers; they are signposts, not certainties.

Recent years and public moments

In the 2010s and early 2020s his life oscillated between renewed public interest and private time. A documentary in 2017 offered a candid, reflective Lazenby. In 2022 there was a highly publicised on-stage incident that led to his removal from a tour, followed by an apology. In late 2023 he suffered a fall and a brief hospital stay. Then in July 2024 he announced a retirement from acting and signings. He chose silence in public life. He chose rest. He chose privacy.

Extended timeline table

FAQ

Who is George Samuel Lazenby

I describe him as the Australian actor and former model who became the one-time James Bond in 1969. He was born on 5 September 1939 in Goulburn, New South Wales. His performance in one film defined a public identity that has endured for decades.

How many children does he have

He has multiple children across different relationships. The commonly reported names are Melanie, Zachary, Jennifer, George Jr, Kaitlin, and Samuel. One child, Zachary, died young. Two children, George Jr and the twins Kaitlin and Samuel, were born in 2004 and 2005.

Was he married to Pam Shriver

Yes. He married Pam Shriver in 2002. The marriage ended after a high profile divorce process initiated in 2008 and finalised in 2011.

What is his most famous role

The role that keeps returning is James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, released in December 1969. It is the single film for which he is most widely known.

Is he still acting

As of July 2024 he announced retirement from acting and public signings. I interpret that as a closing of the public chapter; private creativity may continue.

Did he win awards for Bond

He gained industry notice as a promising newcomer after the Bond film in 1970. That recognition remains part of his early-career record.

What are the major tragedies in his family life

The most acute public tragedy is the death of his son Zachary, who died as a young man. His family life also included a public divorce and periods of personal struggle that have been referenced in interviews and retrospectives.

What is his current public status

He stepped back from the spotlight and, by his own announcement in 2024, retired from public appearances and signings. I view this as a deliberate retreat after a life lived on both center stage and behind the curtains.