European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 15, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                And Garner is one of the most popular to stars around from the original to Maverick 1957-61 and the Rockford files 1974-80in the movie version of the to show Garner portrays the Lawman who is constantly at the Side of Gibson a Afave Ricer character. Still the record on other recent westerns remains spotty at Best. Columbian a Geronmo an american legend represented an expensive failure costing an estimated $40 million and grossing Only $18 million. Paul hogans lightning Lac also proved disappointing taking in Only $16 million for Savoy following a late March release. However Disney got a respectable performance from Tombstone a mid budget shoot Mem up that resurrected the gunfight at the . Corral and topped $55 million in grosses. But Tombstone had the Good Fortune to open on Christmas against relatively weak Competition and hit $33 million in its first 16 Days. Nonetheless a spate of westerns a one of Hollywood a earlier Staples a appears on track to continue for some time. For most of the 1970s and 1980s, the genre nearly disappeared. But two major hits a dances with wolves and unforgiven a changed that Kevin Costner a dances rolled up Domestic grosses Topping $170 million keeping struggling Orion pictures above water for several years. Warners unforgiven starring Clint Eastwood also topped $100 million in Domestic ticket sales. Both movies also won the. Academy award for Best picture. After the two films Success studio executives put a dozen westerns into development apparently deciding moviegoers were Iii to tired of the genre after All. If Warner does not succeed with Maverick the studio has another Western up its sleeve. The company a generally recognized As the most consistently savvy studio in terms of marketing and packaging a plans to open a second potential Stock uster on fourth of july weekend Kevin Costner starring As Wyatt Earp. Cafes says mave vhf will open june 3 on its circuit. A a a a a. A. A. A United artists Sean Connery Shirley Eaton and author Ian Fleming discuss a scene during aiming of 1964�?Ts Good Finger looking for the next James Bonsby Jack Mathews new Day Warner Bros. James Garner plays Zane Cooper in Maverick. A Hen producers cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman bought the rights to Ian Fleming s James Bond novels and were planning for the first in what was to become the most popu Jar film series in history their wish list of actors to play the British super agent 007 included the 58-year-old Cary Grant and the 52-year-old David Niven. The producers figured that whatever Grant and Niven gave up in physical Power and agility they More than made up for in wit and sophistication. If they  have it All dash would have to do. James Bond perhaps the most Sublime creation in cold War fiction was a matchless fantasy hero for Fleming s mostly male readers. He was intelligent Well educated and Well heeled conversant and in Possession of the finest cars clothes and electronic devices known to Man and when he was not saving the free world from Power hungry sadists he was successfully fetching after the world s most Beautiful women. Women for gods Sake with names like Honey Ryder and Pussy galore. After Grant and Niven rejected the offer to play Bond in the 1962 or. No in Veneater played him in John Huston a Clunky Send up of Casino Royalette producers took the advice offered in a London newspaper readers poll and hired 31-Ycur-old scotsman Sean Connery the Star of Walt Disney a popular Darby o Gill and the Little people. Now 32 years and 17 episodes later Broccoli is again being Given advice from fans on whom to cast As Bond onscreen. Timothy Dalton two Bond movie who succeeded Roger Moore 7who sue ceded George Lazenby 1who succeeded Connery 7has opted out of the role. Broccoli who dissolved his partnership with Saltzman in 1976, is looking for a new Bond for the three movies set to go into Back to Back to Back production this fall. Pierce Brosnan the Irish British actor tvs Remington steel was considered for the role when Moore relinquished it after the 1985 a View to a kill. In a recent Telephone poll taken by entertainment tonight three out of four people said Brosnan should get it now. The other votes were divided among Mel Gibson Liam no son Hugh Grant Ralph Fiennes Gabriel Byrne and from a few people who did no to understand the question Emma Thompson that Connery was born to play Bond was apparent from the outset. A a a a Sean Connery is so Good a wrote Bond scholar . Snelling in 1964, a that i begin to wonder whether i did t always see Bond in his  Roger Moore a appearance As Bond marked a huge departure from the characters origins but if Moore was too warm and fuzzy for some of us lie had enough wit and Charm for others to carry the series for More than a decade. Broccoli a Choice of Dalton was an attempt to return to Connery s Earthie More physical and More faithful version of Bond. Although Dalton was Fine in the action scenes he had none of the seductive Wiles Connery brought to the role. Brosnan would be in the Roger Moore Mold. He might look great in a Black tie and cummerbund playing Chwmin de Fer but i can to see him menacing anyone. And for those women who be fallen in love with Britain a Hugh Grant four weddings and a funeral sorry but the same goes for him. Of the names that showed up in the Ftp Oll Mel Gibson would Best strike the necessary balance. Head be a More compact version of Bond but he has the looks the athleticism the wit and the personality to fill 007�?Ts shoes. Men Admire him even while the women they re with lust after him and if he chose to do it he could give the world of cold War espionage a contemporary spin that would carry it right into the 21st Century. One thing for sure is that if Gibson did it he  be compared to either Connery or Moore. A he a pretty much of an original and the Bond series if it is to continue needs nothing More than a totally new engine. The Only question is can cubby Broccoli afford him May 15, 1994. Sunday Page 23