In Back to the Batcave by Adam West with Jeff Rovin (Berkley Books, 1994) West had this to say: “Over a lovely dinner, Cubby asked me point-blank if I`d be interested in playing 007. Sean Connery had completed `You Only Live Twice` and said he wasn`t coming back, a talent search was proving unsuccessful, and it was getting close to the time when `On Her Majesty`s Secret Service` was due to begin production. Lew (Sherrell, West`s agent) nearly spit out his tea when a firm offer was made.

“I`ll have to admit I was tempted. There were three B`s that really made an impact on the 1960s: Bond, Batman and the Beatles. I had the chance to be two of them. The money would have been good, too. But the big problem, as I saw it, was that I wasn`t British. Of course I could have done the accent. But fans would have complained, and the British press would have been all over me. (As they were with Michael Keaton when `Batman` was shot in London. They`d decided he was all wrong for the part and hounded him mercilessly.)

“In this case, though, they would have been right. In my heart, I felt that Bond should definitely be played by an Englishman, and I said so. Cubby respected my stand, and I still think I did the right thing, especially when you consider how Australian George Lazenby got roasted for his one stab at the part.”