@slimfern posted:Niven was a great actor but just not sexy enough for Bond
Didn't realise the original Casino Royale wasn't a bond film El..
The rights to film the book, which was the first to be published, were owned by a different company to Eon Productions who make the Bond films. The companies couldn't agree to make a film between them. Very troubled production (6 directors and 10 script writers involved, not all credited). Film resulted in a parody and a bit of a mess.
Eon Productions eventually got the rights so were able to make the Daniel Craig version.