1. He was the first choice for the roles of Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy (which went to Ian McKellen) and Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films (which went to Richard Harris and later to Michael Gambon after Harris’ death) but turned them down.
2. He turned down the role of James Bond for ethical reasons. He believed, like Plato, that artists, like statesmen, ought to be philosophers. Children are indiscriminately mimetic, and when a person is shown, made a spectacle, dramatized, displayed as spectacle, an object of common interest—in a word, staged—the desire to emulate increases. Artists (often) make mythical persons that children will want to be. Moreover, if the character gets pleasure, gain, fame, or praise—in a word, wins—then her character and actions gain even more sticking power.
3. He turned down the role of James Bond for ethical reasons: “I thought there was too much emphasis on sex and violence. It has an insidious and powerful influence on children. Would you like your son to grow up like James Bond? Since I hold these views strongly as an individual and parent I didn’t see how I could contribute to the very things to which I objected.” Also: “Virility plus masculinity do not add up to promiscuity! In a fair fight Drake would beat Bond anytime.” And also: “I've married my first wife and my last wife!”

Someone else turned down the Bond role, also for sweet and tender reasons. And this actor was the other True Noble role model for American boys in the Monster Kids era. Yes, I am speaking of Obi Wan Kenobe, by which I mean to refer to whom you probably know as old Ben Kenobe. Kenobe the Younger, i.e., Liam Neeson, turned down the role because his wife-to-be (Mary Shelly) told him she’d refuse to marry him if’n he did.