What is it about spies that sparks our imagination, whether male or female? Sexy ... Exciting ... Dangerous ... Desirable ... Mysterious. They appeal to us on many levels.
TV Guide recently compiled a list of the top fifty sexiest spies on television and in the movies. For the sake of brevity, I'll only list TV Guide's top ten.
10) Daniel Craig (James Bond--movie)
9) Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible--movie)
8) Diana Rigg (Mrs. Peel in The Avengers--television series)
7) Robert Redford (Joe Turner in Three Days of the Condor--movie)
6) Halle Barry (James Bond--movie)
5) Pierce Brosnon (James Bond--movie)
4) Jennifer Garner (Alias--television series)
3) Harrison Ford (Jack Ryan character--movie)
2) Brad Pitt/Angela Jolie (Mr. and Mrs. Smith--movie)
1) Sean Connery (James Bond--movie)
Relating to the entire list of fifty, there are several things I found interesting.
Three different actors made the top fifty list for portraying the same character. Ben Affleck, Alec Baldwin, and Harrison Ford all played Jack Ryan in various movies from Tom Clancy novels.
#28 on the list wasn't an individual, it included the entire cast of the television series Mission Impossible with special mention of Barbara Bain and Greg Morris.
All the James Bond actors made the list except George Lazenby. Timothy Dalton was #45, Roger Moore #27, Daniel Craig #10, Pierce Brosnon #5, and Sean Connery (not a surprise) at #1.
And other characters who were portrayed by different actors in the television series vs. the movie. At #38 we had Ann Hathaway as Agent 99 in the Get Smart movie and at #24 we had Barbara Felton as Agent 99 on the Get Smart television series. At #23 we had Uma Thurman as Emma Peel in The Avengers movie and at #8 we had Diana Rigg as Emma Peel on The Avengers television series. At #22 we had a tie of Robert Conrad and Will Smith portraying James West in the television series and movie of Wild Wild West.
Who are your favorite spies in movies and television? Is it because they're sexy? Because of their bravery? Their cleverness? Their abilities to do their jobs? Let me know.
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23 comments:
Hmm. Pierce Brosnan can be super smoldering hot and sexy. I haven't seen the Bond movies with Daniel Craig. Harrison Ford is my favorite Jack Ryan--I just love that quirky grin of his. Tom Cruise's intensity appeals to me.
Did Matt Damon make the list for the Bourne movies? Sexy, focused, yet boy next door.
Is 'The Saint' considered a spy movie? Loved Val Kilmer and his many personalities. Especially the sexy, artsy one. Yummm.
Are we just talking movies? Because I loved the 'La Femme Nikita' tv series! Nikita and Michael were just superb--intense yet vulnerable.
I have to agree on Matt Damon, I also think Mark Wahlberg is pretty exciting. As to TV, I love the guy on Burn Notice - at least in that series, never thought so before, but he's pretty hot now.
Patsy
P.L. Parker
Hi, Penny. Good to see you.
Matt Damon's Bourne movie series made the list at #13. Val Kilmer's Saint came in at #34.
Patsy: On Burn Notice, Jeffrey Donovan [I hope that's his name, I jotted it down very quickly as the list was airing and am having a little trouble writing my scribbling on names I'm not familiar with :) ] is #19.
It's an interesting list with things as old as Greta Garbo's Mata Hari and as new as now.
I wonder who made the picks? I'm not sure I agree with the order they are listed in. But not one who is too impressed with stars or their bravado, I wonder how these stars would function in regular jobs like the rest of us.
I almost mentioned Mark Wahlberg, too, but I couldn't decide if he fit in the spy category. (grin) Have you seen him in Shooter? I love him in that movie! I'm definitely basing a future hero on Mark. I also like his movie Four Brothers.
Mary: The list of 50 sexiest spies in movies and television was compiled by TV Guide and aired on the TV Guild cable channel on July 26. I don't know what the criteria was in making the selections or who made the decisions.
Several of those listed had regular jobs in the prior to achieving their success in the movies and tv so would most likely be able to function in the real world without much trouble.
Others ... well, probably not so lucky.
Penny: I've seen trailers on television for "Shooter" and they looked very interesting. I haven't seen it, though.
Shooter is fantastic. Great character. Mark Wahlberg is super hot, too. The DVD also has some really great extras.
I'm tickled that the Bourne movies and The Saint made the list.
Hi Samantha,
Interesting article. I just love Pierce Brosnan. The man is gorgeous, no matter what type of film he is in.
Cheers
Margaret.
Hi, Margaret. Yep, Pierce is definitely eye-catching. Dirty him up and make him scruffy and he looks sexy dangerous. Put him in a tux and he looks sexy elegant. Either way works for me.
I love Sean Connery as 007. That man is sexy. But I wanted to be Jennifer Garner as Alias.
Hi Samantha!
Great topic! You know, for years and years, Sean Connery was by far the sexiest man alive in my book no matter what he played. I never thought anyone could come close to doing "Bond" as well as he did. But enter Daniel Craig, and be still my heart. I have to say that Daniel has now edged out Sean as far as the Bond character for me. You know what I like about him, especially in Casino Royale, was the HUMAN quality he brought to the character--Connery was suave, dapper, and cold. A man to get the job done then on to the next one. But Daniel Craig had that hint of vulnerability in him that Connery didn't have. DC could get the job done, and was good at what he did, but there was just that bit of human uncertainty sometimes in his persona that I really felt made him more realistic and more "relate-able."
Cheryl
I'd have to say Danial Craig as James Bond. There was just something about him--rugged and yet looked mighty fine decked out in a suit, and his blue eyes are gorgeous. I also liked Pierce Brosnan as the savvy James Bond. Val Kilmer as the debonair agent in the Saint and I really like Jeffery Donovan as the kick-ass Michalel Westen in Burn Notice.
You gotta love the agent men. lol
Great Topic
Lynne: Sean Connery is like Cary Grant is that they just got better as they got older. When they were casting the Indiana Jones movie and deciding who would be Indy's father, the decision was obvious. The only person who could possibly be Indiana Jones' father was James Bond.
Cheryl: The James Bond movie franchise has been around for decades. I think it's about time that they gave the character a bit of a change, updated his persona a little. Giving the character a shade of vulnerability definitely humanizes him in a way that hasn't been there.
Karen: Speaking of intense gorgeous blue eyes, there was a British crima drama series a few years that PBS aired as part of Mystery where the lead actor had the most incredible blue eyes. I'm drawing a blank on the series title (Wire In The Blood? Blood Wire? Something like that) and also the actor's name (Robin something?).
I hate when that happens! I'm seeing his face (and those eyes), but can't come up with his name or the title of the series. I'll probably think of it somewhere in the middle of the night tonight. :)
Great look to your blog. Sexy spies - hummm - aren't they all!!!
Kathye: Thanks. I'm not sure, but I think being sexy is a prerequisite to being a spy. :)
What about Man From UNCLE? I loved that show. Personally my favorite was Illya Kuryakin. I'm so glad to see David McCallum on NCIS. Normally I don't go for blonds, but he was hot to a young girl who also thought he was so exotic with that sexy accent. Even today a Russian accent can do things to me. LOL.
P.A.: I just double checked the TV Guide list of 50 Sexiest Spies and Man From Uncle and neither Robert Vaughn nor David McCallum were on the list. Stephanie Powers as The Girl From Uncle was on the list at #42. I think The Man From Uncle should have been on the list.
I agree with you about David McCallum on NCIS. It's great to see him on a regular series again and he's so perfect in that role.
I read somewhere that he was so intent on perfecting his role as medical examiner that he attended several autopsies, studied, and is now actually qualified to perform one.
Roger Moore is my favorite pick for a spy movie. I liked him in Bond movies and just about anything he starred in. susan L.
Susan: Roger Moore as James Bond came in at #27 on the TV Guide list. I'm not sure, but didn't Roger play James Bond more times than any of the other James Bond actors?
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