Sir Sean Connery originally was meant to appear in this film but opted to drop out due to the Studio Refusing to pay his $1,250,000 fee as a result Connery would be replaced by George Lazenby. however Connery was able to renegotiate with the studio and return in the next Bond film (1971)
Blofeld's headquarters was a partially completed restaurant on top of Mount Schilthorn. The owners allowed filming on condition EON Productions paid $125,000 and made the interior sets as permanent fixtures and construct a helicopter pad. This involved 500 tons of concrete being taken up by helicopter at a cost of $125,000. When the restaurant opened, it was given the name Piz Gloria used in the movie. The only public access to the restaurant is by cable car (from Mürren or Stechelberg). The Piz Gloria was the first established revolving mountain restaurant in the world.
George Lazenby suggested a scene where Bond skis off a cliff and opens a parachute. This was scrapped, as the filmmakers lacked the resources to pull it off. It was used as the opening for The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).
During filming at Piz Gloria, the cast and crew received their per diems in cash. Upon seeing George Lazenby with a suitcase stuffed full of cash, Telly Savalas invited him to a late-night poker game that he regularly held with crew members, and promptly relieved Lazenby of having to carry so much extra weight. Upon hearing of this, producer Harry Saltzman visited the location, joined the game over Savalas' protests, and won back Lazenby's money. He then informed Savalas in no uncertain terms that he was not to victimize his "boy" (Lazenby) again.
Having secured a suit ordered but uncollected by Sir Sean Connery and getting a Rolex and haircut like him, George Lazenby talked his way into meeting producer Albert R. Broccoli, producer Harry Saltzman, and director Peter R. Hunt. After bluffing his way through the meeting and falsely claiming he had wide acting credits, he secured a screentest. Lazenby then confessed to Hunt that he had made it all up and that he wasn't an actor. Hunt laughed and told him, "You just strolled in here and managed to fool two of the most ruthless bastards in the business. You're an actor."
Peter R. Hunt: He is seen, although obscurely, directly following the opening credits. In the bottom left hand corner of the Universal Exports brass plaque, he is seen reflected while walking past the building.