JAMES BOND 007 MAGAZINE | Desmond Llewelyn Interview

Licence To Kill (1989)

“Never let them see you bleed...” Desmond's final scene with Pierce Brosnan in The World Is Not Enough (1999).

Octopussy (1983)

Desmond visited Germany to appear in the movie Error 2000.

Desmond and wife Pamela arrive at the Licence To Kill after-premiere party in 1989.

Desmond Llewelyn as Q with Pierce Brosnan as James Bond as they promote The World Is Not Enough (1999)

The media has reported that The World Is Not Enough will be your last Bond film, and the character of R is to replace you. What do you have to say in response to these rumours?
Well its absolute nonsense. I think it most probably started after GoldenEye, when I said you better find me an assistant as I can’t go on. I’m quite happy to go on, but I gave them an idea, and no one took any notice of it. This time a friend of mine, who runs the publicity, said there had been reports, that I was dead. Where they got it from I don’t know. In this film there may be an explosion, I’m not sure, I haven’t seen a script, but there might be a funeral. As everyone was there apart from me, they probably thought it was my funeral. Amanda Schofield from EON's publicity office rang up the Daily Express, and they wouldn’t believe her. I’m going to go on playing Q as long as the producers want me and the almighty doesn’t.

Are you flattered that a star of the magnitude of John Cleese is being groomed to replace you?
Yes I’m very flattered.

Do you share a scene with Cleese, or does his character meet up with Bond later in the story?
While I obviously do, we must have a scene together. I don’t know who’s written it, Feirstein I think.

I think Bruce Feirstein has written the latest draft, and the other writers Purvis and Wade wrote the first draft, and now Feirstein has been brought in to tidy it up.
Feirstein said he wasn’t, I know.

If you do decide to continue, would you ever like to see Q in a larger role similar to Licence To Kill?
Good God yes! I’ve been pestering them to do it, but they probably think I’m too old.

Can you recall any scenes which were filmed that you thought were excellent, but later discovered ended up on the cutting room floor?
Well in Thunderball there are scenes of me before and after the take edited in, I’m not acting at all. Lots of bits have been cut. There was a whole chunk cut out of The Living Daylights where I’m talking about getting something ready for Buckingham Palace. Something I did like, and it's a pity that it was cut, was when I sit on the sofa, that I think they cut too quickly. I originally sat down and folded my arms, with a great deal of satisfaction, then I leant back. What happened was I sat down and they cut, they didn’t show my satisfaction. Masses of bits were taken out of Licence To Kill, things are being re-written all the time right up to the end.

When do you see the final print of the film? A private screening with the producers? At the premiere?
It all depends. Sometimes I see the rough cut, if I happen to be around. I remember seeing one of them, I can’t remember which one, I thought what a boring film, it hadn’t got any music or anything. Of course when you see it with all the music and sound effects, it makes it so much different.

In recent years you have become very active in the worldwide promotion of the Bond films. Has this given you an insight into the politics involved in making the Bond films?
Not really. But I can’t understand why MGM don’t reissue the Bond films. I keep on at them.

You mean like the Star Wars films?
Yes. I keep plugging it, because I mean people of your age have never seen Sean Connery as James Bond on the big screen. It makes a terrific difference. I went up to a show in Bradford where they showed all of Sean’s pictures. Even I’d forgotten the difference. In Goldfinger when they have dinner at the bank of England, the set is unbelievable, you just can’t see it on TV.

What’s the daftest promotional stunt you've ever been asked to do?
Oh I turned down one. They wanted me to turn up at the premiere of For Your Eyes Only in that little Citroen. I said Q is not a comedy character. That is the only one I have turned down.

Do you enjoy the promotion of the films as much as you do making them?
Love it. Who wouldn’t? I’m treated like a star. I have such a small part. I’m not paid star salary or anything like that. I mix with people – I go on the trains and buses, and people talk to me about the Bond films. Abroad it's unbelievable. For the last one we were in Norway for the premiere. They showed it on an enormous screen in Oslo. All the guests were transported from the cinema to the main hotel for the party. They were transported by army trucks with the army running along by the side, with a helicopter overhead, and the Police as outriders. I thought this was fantastic and I asked why? All the streets were closed. They said the King is very keen on Bond, so he said you can use the army. All the premieres in Scandinavia were fantastic. I think the thing that struck me most about Bond was, before GoldenEye they had a pre-shoot party at Leavesden to introduce Pierce. It was six years after the last Bond, and I haven’t seen so many journalists before. It was quite amazing.

I was reading in the paper only the other day, they were asking the BBC if the removal of the News at Ten had made any difference. They said they can’t compete with the Bond films. I was talking to someone in the production office. They go to all the previews; God knows how many times they see it, but when the damn thing goes on TV – they still watch it!

What question do you get asked most frequently?
Who is the best Bond.

If the screenwriters ever kill off Q how would you like to see your demise written?
Oh I think he would have to be blown up!

How did it feel to have your career recognised on This Is Your Life?
It was a great thrill. I was at a press conference, we were all there and we were just finishing. One minute I was going out to dinner with Amanda Schofield, the next I was suddenly whisked off to the TV studios.

How has your family reacted to your fame, and what do they think of you still working at the age of 85?
84, I’ll be 85 this year. I think they quite enjoy it, I think my grandsons enjoy it. I think my sons find it quite nice to have me in the background.