Mel Gibson missed Bond role because he was 'too short'

London, Nov 10 (ANI): Mel Gibson wanted to play the coveted role of James Bond but was turned down by legendary 007 producer Cubby Broccoli, scriptwriter Tom Mankiewicz has revealed.

Speaking at a Bond convention in Los Angeles, Mankiewicz, who scripted Live And Let Die and The Man With The Golden Gun, said Gibson's 5ft 9in frame took him out of the race for the spy's role.

"At one point Mel Gibson wanted to play Bond," the Daily Express quoted Mankiewicz, as saying.

He added: "And Cubby was against it. Cubby first of all had a thing about tall people. Bond had to be tall. And so Mel Gibson was too short. But he was a big star. Somebody at United Artists said to me, 'Call him and tell him Mel Gibson would be great.'

And Cubby said, 'I don't want to make a Mel Gibson movie, I want to make a James Bond movie.'" (ANI)