With Theodore Bikel's look (hair, tan, suit, etc.) it seemed like they were trying to stay faithful to the book where Goldfinger alters his appearance to almost appear gold. They definitely toned that element down for Gert Frobe, but I do like Bikel's performance (especially the inclusion of that part of the book because it's such a great addition to the character).

Theodore Bikel in his round glasses looks like he’s playing Teddy Roosevelt. Well, not quite, he hasn’t got the stache - but stick a glue-on moustache on Bikel and he could easily play the part. “Speak softly, Mr. Bond, and carry a giant laser beam.”

I thought Bikel was fantastic in this. I'm definitely glad Frobe got the part in the end - he was the perfect Goldfinger, but it's almost a shame Bikel never got to portray another villain.

Vandis: can I keep my natural hair colour please? Director: No, time to dye ....I'll get my coat 😆

Bikel should have been cast as Blofeld in OHMSS. He would have been perfect.

Bikel with the thick, ladies glasses looked like Henry Kissinger

I too was impressed with Bikel.. I like everything about him his look with the glasses is spot on. The second guy just doesn’t even seem like goldfinger the way he looks and he’s dressed and he looks like he’s trying t hard

Titos Vandis has a godfather vibe here.

Tito wouldve been interesting to play Goldfinger in the movie of the same name but when it comes to the genuine acting, Gert Fröbe fires on all cylinders.

"Such a cold finger..." Bikel reminds me of Raymond Burr in Rear Window.

It might've been just me but when Theodore Bikel put on the second pair of glasses, I thought he looked a bit like Ronnie Barker during a Two Ronnies sketch.

It's a great pity that EON never offered Bikel another role as a Bond villain. I think he would have been superb as a more true-to-Fleming Blofeld than anyone who's played the character.

Tito Vandis looks like he could of played one of the gangsters from vegas in Diamonds Are Forever

The opening dialogue mentioning the house in Reculver, suggests they were sticking closer to the book earlier in the process.

They used early drafts of the script that followed scenes from the book more closely. Often that is the case with screen tests. Also, it very possible that dialog was changed during filming. Pink and blue pages are used for script changes during filming and sometimes dialog is changed during the filming of the scene where the actors themselves will alter dialog to gain more authenticity. Many times script dialog sounds good until the actor says it, then it can sound clunky or contrived, the director and the actors will come up with new dialog that will make scene flow and sound more realistic. I was in the film business for 25 years.

Bikel actually looks pretty good, and I quite like his serious take. He would have been a great Largo IMO. I quite like Vandis (without the wig obviously. My word, what were the filmmakers thinking?!?!) Problem is everytime I see him, all I could think of is his role as Stavros Milos in Woody Allen’s Everything You Wanted To Know About Sex... if you’ve seen that film, you’ll know why his character is unforgettable.

Calvin's reaction to Titos Vandis's hair is golden. (Pun intended)

I think Theodore Bikel would be a great villain in the bond series. Perhaps if he played either Largo or Blofeld

The transition to Titos new hair was fantastic

Bikel was awfully good, especially with his performance and remembering the longer dialogue; I have never seen his screen tests all the way through and the spectacles do make a difference. They definitely should have used him in the series. Thanks for this, Calvin, you really do make these videos so entertaining for me.

One thing different that I like is Goldfinger here is sitting down to watch Bond die but Gert Frobe wants to leave and get on with 'operation grandslam' a small detail but I like it. like here he's taking time out of his schedule to watch it.

Interesting screen tests! Naturally Frobe was best and I'm happy he was selected, but it would have been interesting if Bikel had got to play another role in the series, including a villain as you said. Tito meanwhile sounded a bit too Ricky Ricardo-ish to be taken seriously as Goldfinger, haha. Although not as bad as Goldfinger wearing Dame Edna specs. xD

These early versions of the script are always fascinating and educational. Maybe I'll transcribe these versions some day. (And in this kind of production, there'd probably be 2 or 3 scenes filmed for every major actor trying out the role, so these actors would have done both these scenes. They just didn't include them in this material.) Notice also that Red Grant says o-o-seven at the start of the train scene in From Russia With Love: "Take it easy, o-o-seven."

I've noticed in a few of the audio books Bond is referred to as O O 7 (oh-oh-seven) instead of the usual 007 (double-oh-seven). Whether it was the narrator's choice, or if they were directed that way? I'm not too sure, but it always throws me a little when they say it. Doesn't quite roll off the tongue as nicely as double-oh-seven does.

Theodore Bikel was a great actor. I will always remember him from that Columbo episode. Bikel would have been interesting to see. I doupt he would have been dubbed.

That wig! Good grief! There's a like fox on his head for goodness sake! Combine that with a very strange delivery, and I'm glad that that wasn't our Goldfinger! I quite like the round glasses on Bikel, and I'm fan of his tone! As for the other pair of glasses, I think that's just a particular fashion quirk? Both Leiter's sunglasses in DN and Bond's sunglasses in FRWL have the same butterfly-like shape.

Difficult to see anyone in the role other than Gert Frobe as Goldfinger, but a fascinating portrayal from both actors. It does hit home though, how we have missed out on some actors playing Bond villains, ranging from Noel Coward to David Bowie

Theodore Bikel originated the role of Captain Von Trapp in the Broadway production of Sound of Music.

This was awesome. Great job. I hope we get to see some other screen tests from you in the future.

I remember Theodore Bikel as Zoltan Karparthy (that hairy hound from Budapest) in My Fair Lady against Rex Harrison.

The performance of the second actor is somewhat affected by the very different dialogue from what ended up in the film. Any time I watch the laser scene on dvd/Blu-ray it occurs to me how technology has changed- lasers had to be explained to the audience in the initial release, but a laser ( admittedly smaller and less powerful) is being used to show this on my TV.

Titos would've been terribly miscast as Goldfinger, but think he would've made quite a nice Draco-esque character in a different film. His portrayal feels shady and not entirely trustworthy but in a nice, likeable way. What could have been...

Fascinating how much these screen tests suggest they were originally hewing closer to the Fleming novel...! Specifically the mention of Bond meeting Goldfinger at his house in Reculver in the first screentest and the later use of the “Bond as Goldfinger’s secretary” plot in the second.

Theodore Bikel was a fine actor and I seriously doubt that his voice would have been dubbed. He spoke perfect English. But Frobe was a blast as the man with the Midas touch and I’m glad that Cubby and Harry went with him.

Theodore Bikel...great actor and could have easily been a Bond villain in another movie. I think he was playing it more real in this screen test rather than with the bombast that Frobe gave the role. I've heard others mention he would have been good as Blofeld #2...possibly even #3. I'd say he would have made an excellent Stromberg or Drax. It's a shame he wasn't involved in another Bond movie given his very lengthy acting career. Titos Vandis I can see as Kristatos. Acting wise, I liked his screen test but he's more mobster than grandiose villain. I'm still awaiting the day when the 1968 Bond screen tests become available!

The only screen test I want to see, but isn't released the Lazenby fight scene test.

Bikel in his bespectabled Eric T. Cartman appearance would have been an excellent Sir Hugo Drax, while Tito is more of a henchman material .

Titos Vandis, I have a vibe of Mel Brooks trying his luck being a Bond villain. Quite sadly we don't have Gert Fröbe testing, hearing his deep voice would be a treat.

Its impossible to imagine this movie without Gert Frobe, but these actors came off well and look like they could have played villains in other Bonds. In particular Vardis might have been a great Largo and Bikel a cool Mr Drax.

I can imagine Titos Vardis as Largo

Couple of interesting details come out of the changed dialog: Goldfinger here has informants in British Intelligence, he knows what a Q car is, and he knows of M. All this, and he isn't even a member of SPECTRE. His line about "Dismembering" Bond is pretty on the nose for 1964, considering where the laser was going. Interesting that Bond wasn't really scared by the laser as he noticed a restraining point. Goldfinger confirms this, and states he was actually bluffing to slice open Bond.

I know the question is a bit random but: "Is there going to be a review of "Johnny English Strikes Again" at some point?"

This stuff is Gold (pun not intended). I think EoN were right to cast Gert Frobe. He was brilliant with all his mannerisms, inflections and gestures.

I may be wrong, but I think the original plan for Diamonds Are Forever was for the main villain to have been Goldfinger's brother, and Theodore Bikel would have been perfect for the part.

Theodore bickel was really good, he looked a bit like Raymond burr in rear window. As for the painted on hair.....I think someone was just having a laugh 😁

Bikel was interesting. He'd previously appeared as Dutch officer van den Heuvel in classic wartime drama The Colditz Story (1955) co-written and directed by Guy Hamilton.

I think why Goldfinger is remembered as the archetypal Bond-Film, is because it's the first movie to truly feature an over-the-top villain; Dr. No was memorable but very reserved, and From Russia had - to my opinion - more serious villains who were focused on the job. Goldfinger seems to be the first Bond Villain where he flaunts his personality and his habits. In a sense he comes off as a bit more human than Bond's other adversaries. I feel like his love of gold was played-up more with Frobe in order to make him more memorable. Yes, Frobe as Goldfinger is a very fun villain. He is probably Bond's most successful adversary; able to hold Bond captive most of the movie, and yet so secure of himself that he's willing to be cordial with him - discussing Grandslam over a Mint-Julip. The end of the movie however features Frobe really becoming _terrifying_ with how reserved he can be. 15 years of planning devoted to Grandslam, ruined all because of Bond...He doesn't waste words on him anymore and merely holds him at gunpoint. Had the film kept Goldfinger's end from the novel, which ended with a fist-fight between the two that results in Bond literally beating him to death, perhaps that could've showed off more of Frobe as being a more menacing Goldfinger.

I like that the screen tests are tinted gold, they really went all out for GOLDfinger lol

Lol, your reaction to titos vandis' wig was too good

Great video !

There was something more threatening about Gert Frobe than either of these. Both of them look like they’d have been more at home in a late 50s Cary Grant/Alfred Hitchcock production.

7:12 Ronnie Barker is Goldfinger!

Bikel brought a good menace and intelligence to the character.

THAT WAS AWESOME! :DD

His gold hair is amazing! 😂

Bikel is so awesome in this! What a massively pleasant surprise!

Interesting stuff.

Theodore Bikel… funnily enough, played an Aztec gold professor/thief in an episode of the original Knight Rider. “Chariot of Gold”.

Great laugh , Tito

I think Theodore Bikel would’ve played a good Largo in Thunderball. Nothing against Adolfo Celi who I think I did a good job as Largo but Theodore Bikel I think would’ve turned in a terrific performance if he had been cast as Largo.

Theodore Bikel's costume with the glasses has a sort of similar look to the villain in Hitchcock's 'Rear Window'. I don't know if that is coincidence or a homage.

I like the glasses on Bikel. He has a sort of "account villain" vibe going with them. Like he's an industrialist all about crunching the numbers. Vandis would be his goon who's trying to learn all of this, but he ain't so good with numbers.

I really liked Theodore's screen test. Titos doesn't ring as Goldfinger to me, but if they were able to do a Casino Royale adaptation back then, he would've made a pretty good book accurate Le Chiffre. EDIT: Poor Titos lol, but I could also see a book accurate Hugo if he had a mustache.

Guy Hamilton auditioned for Bond

Oh wow these are great! Are there similar things for other villains out there?

Met Theodore Bikel Had Guy Hamilton Test Him In Accent.Bikel Enjoyed Gert Frobe In Role.Frobe Learned English/German Voice Coach To Get Role.

I lost it at the second auditioners ginger wig :D. Just an Idea Calvin, would you be up for some of your viewers doing basically your selected Bond dialogue in an audition style and sending them to you, you can then critique us the viewers (on the video's you enjoy of course). Interactive Bond!

No one can say "I expect you to die" more intimidating than Gert Fröbe

Wow, those auditions are great. Are you going to do anymore Bond audition video reactions? Because this was really fun, thanks Calvin

Theodore, was an astounding actor of the absolute top tier of acting! He would have been brilliant in a Bond movie, and would have added an extra dimension to it. If you see him, when he appeared in Columbo, yet again his superb in that. Great awesome work, from you again Calvin.

I thought that I already had subscribed but either I never clicked the button OR KZfaq is up to shenanigans.

Interesting screen tests. I think Bickel is the best out of the 2 because he looks more like Goldfinger and how he was written in the books and he does bare a slight similarity to Greg Froebe but I’m glad that Froebe got the role because I think he’s a prefect Goldfinger but it would have been interesting to see Bickel as another villain in the Bond series. Sadly it wasn’t to be though.

:O amazing video dude

A very interesting looking find, Agent Dyson. Wonder if there's any screen tests for Dr No or Blofeld lying around on the web?

"Enough chitchat. Oh! Oh, Seven!"

I know this is just screen tests but its fairly interesting to hear the script had Goldfinger actually knowing about M. I've not seen Goldfinger the actual film in a while but I don't remember him having actual knowledge about the inner workings of British Intelligence. Would've been quite the compelling twist to be honest. ☺️

I hope in the future we can simply choose any Bond movie, and deep fake the actor playing it

7:11 Those glasses look kind of like the shades Jack Lord wore as Felix Leiter in Dr. No.

"Stick a wig on him, see if that makes a difference.."

Gert is the iconic Goldfinger but I wish Bikel was used in a Bond movie at some point. He really was a talented actor of both the stage and screen. He was the original Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music on Broadway, also he played a bit part in My Fair Lady (Zoltan Kaparthy)

12:33 its Klebb’s brother

Never seen these before, very interesting to see! Gert Fröbe will always be Goldfinger but Theodore Bikel maybe could of been a good Stromberg.

I would so love to hear Gert Fröbe saying his lines in the non-dubbed version.

My Favorite James Bond Movie ♥️

When I first saw these I thought TB looked just as I imagined Goldfinger in the book.

Very interesting and I am pretty sure those lines are from the book.

Laserbeams do widen and weaken, they are just very intense to begin with.

7:35 - 7:40, clearly had the wrong prescription. Didn't have a clue where he was.

I quite like Bikel's screentest. They appear to be going closer to what Fleming's Goldfinger was. Subtly menacing voice as well.

Theodore Bikel seemed to be blinking an awful lot. That detracted a bit from the otherwise solid work he was doing.

You said good evening, but I’m watching this in the morning ..🤔

Very intersting! IMHO both men are great actors with great presence. I like Theodore Bikel with the round glasses a lot, making him somehow very cold and unpredictale. Titos Vandis (no wig of course) is your typical old school Southern European "father figure". Even though he is (was) Greek, there is an Italian vibe to his performance, just a little more calm and collected than your typical movie mobster. Both are way more serious than Gerd Fröbe, who of course was fantastic.

Hey Calvin, are you going to continue your reviews for the mission impossible films?

i didnt know this do more of this, also Daniel Craig looks like goldfinger and red grant. I actually like this actor in an alternative universe of goldfinger, he should have came in view to a kill as goldfinger brother, i actually liked this actor as the role. Gurt Frobe was dubbed and he was a ex nazi so some realism with him, but this guy was great. the second guy was okay as well like the accent, but the hair looks like donald trump and his brother from another mother in london as well. They were both great, can you do more extras and screen tests like OHMSS

I've read the Goldfinger novel twice and Bikel is more like the Goldfinger in the novel. When the decision was made to make the film a big splashy affair I don't think he would have been bombastic enough. The second guy looked like he should have been in a Scorcese film.

Bikel could have been a brilliant Blofeld

Is that IAN FLEMING reading Bond's lines?! O_O

I love the squirrel line. Agree on all points.

Theodore Bikel was a great actor in comedies and straight thrillers .If they couldn,t have got Gert Frobe they could have used him definitly .

on a somewhat, similar note, guy hamilton has a good voice that would make for a nice radio bond