JAMES BOND
NEWS

Sunday September 29, 2019 James Bond Day – BFI Southbank, Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8XT.

Be shaken and stirred as the BFI celebrates three James Bond anniversaries, ahead of global James Bond Day.

Join them for a day of 007 as they celebrate the work of producers Albert R. ‘Cubby’ Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, who brought Ian Fleming’s James Bond to the big screen. Aston Martin will be displaying their new On Her Majesty’s Secret Service Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Special Edition, and also a heritage Aston Martin DBS – the same model as seen in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) – outside the Light Box entrance in Theatre Avenue from 12noon until 6pm.

• Moonraker: 40th Anniversary Screening + discussion with Bond composer David Arnold, writer and comedian David Walliams and more guests TBA
• On Her Majesty’s Secret Service: 50th Anniversary Screening
• The World Is Not Enough: 20th Anniversary Screening + intro by composer David Arnold

Joint ticket offer: all three films for £24, concessions £18 (Members pay £3 less). Book in person or by phone from the BFI Box Office (020 7928 3232). Full details of the BFI James Bond Day.

18 July 2019
The American actor David Hedison who played Felix Leiter in Live And Let Die (1973) and Licence To Kill (1989), has died at the age of 92.

Born as Albert David Hedison to Armenian parents in 1927, he was billed as Al Hedison in his early film work. In 1959 he was cast as Victor Sebastian in the short-lived NBC US TV-series Five Fingers, and changed his name at the request of the network. His most famous TV role was as Captain Lee Crane in Irwin Allen's Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea (1964-68). In 1958 Hedison starred in the cult classic The Fly opposite horror legend Vincent Price. David Hedison later appeared in Luella, a 1964 episode of the British TV series The Saint starring Roger Moore. The pair maintained their friendship and were reunited when Hedison was cast as Felix Leiter in Roger Moore's debut film as James Bond. The pair would also work together again on North Sea Hijack [Ffolkes in the USA] in 1980, and The Naked Face in 1984. In 1989 David Hedison became the first actor to play CIA Agent Felix Leiter more than once, when he was invited to reprise the role in Licence to Kill opposite Timothy Dalton as James Bond. Much television and theatre work followed, and David Hedison continued to work well into his Eighties.

In 2018 Hedison provided an introduction for a new hardcover limited edition of The 007 Diaries as a tribute to his late friend. Published by The History Press, Roger Moore's account of the making of Live And Let Die was originally published in paperback by PAN Books in 1973.

1965 Aston Martin DB5 up for auction in California
RM Sotheby's - Monterey 15 - 17 August 2019
“The Most Famous Car in the World”

One of two examples directly purchased by Eon Productions for the launch of Thunderball (1965) this restored Aston Martin DB5 is to be auctioned by RM Sotheby's in Monterey, California.

Sold by RM Auctions in 2006 for £1.1m, the Aston Martin DB5 has now been fully restored, including refurbishment of all 13 original special-effects modifications designed by Goldfinger Production Designer Ken Adam. The working gadgets are a fabulous example of the special-effects wizardry of Thunderball Oscar winner John Stears.

FULL STORY AND MORE IMAGES

5 June 2019
Editor & Publisher Graham Rye was interviewed by BBC South East as part of the 40th Anniversary celebrations of 007 MAGAZINE.

WATCH THE INTERVIEW

007 MAGAZINE, the world’s number one publication dedicated to the world of James Bond celebrates its 40^th Anniversary in 2019.

Since April 1, 1979, 007 MAGAZINE has faithfully chronicled, debated and celebrated Ian Fleming's enduring hero. 007 MAGAZINE is renowned for the consistent excellence of its journalism, the unparalleled variety of its photographic content and the encyclopaedic depth of its research and information.

Publisher & Editor, Graham Rye said, “I’m very proud that we’ve reached this incredible milestone. 007 MAGAZINE has stayed the course and achieved a treasured status among Bond fans worldwide.”

007 MAGAZINE 40th Anniversary 1979-2019

3 June 2019
OHMSS50 the International fan event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service took place this week. Fans and guests started at the Hotel Palácio in Estoril, Portugal, and then made their way via Bern to Piz Gloria in Switzerland. James Bond star George Lazenby was reunited with Terence Mountain at Guincho Beach in Portugal, where they filmed the memorable opening fight for On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) 50 years ago.

A media reception took place at Piz Gloria on June 1st followed by an evening of entertainment from ‘Q The Music’. Among those attending the event at Piz Gloria with George Lazenby and Terence Mountain (Raphael), were four of Blofeld's ‘Angels of Death’ – Catherine Schell (Nancy), Sylvana Henriques (The Jamaican Girl), Jenny Hanley (The Irish Girl) and Helena Ronee (The Israeli Girl). Also appearing at Piz Gloria were Steven Saltzman (son of Producer Harry Saltzman), along with OHMSS editor John Glen and stuntman Vic Armstrong with his wife Wendy Leech.

REPORT AND MORE IMAGES FROM THE OHMSS50 CELEBRATIONS

23 May 2019
The distinctive ring, one of only two designed by the jeweller Charles de Temple for the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, is to be auctioned at Sotheby's in London on 5 June 2019. The present owner was a close family friend of Charles de Temple, and received this ring as a gift from one of de Temple's financial backers shortly after the film wrapped.

The romantic message ‘All the Time in the World’ spelled out by the ring's design is a recurring theme throughout the film, and also the title of the film's theme song, performed by Louis Armstrong. The ring's eye-catching bi-coloured design and its unusual prominence in the film brought de Temple considerable success, and to meet demand, he produced a limited edition of 50 copies, of a similar design to the original but reading ‘All the Love in the World’.  

FULL STORY AND IMAGES   **UPDATE 6 June 2019 - Sold for £52,500**

18 May 2019
The iconic Aston Martin DB5 is back, thanks to a unique collaboration between Aston Martin and EON Productions, the company that produces the James Bond films with Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios.

Following the successful DB4 G.T. continuation project, a series of 25 Goldfinger DB5 continuation editions, will be created for customers by Aston Martin Works and EON Productions. The Goldfinger DB5 continuation will be based on James Bond’s legendary car from 1964 and built by Aston Martin Works at Newport Pagnell – the original home of the DB5. They will be authentic reproductions of the DB5 seen on screen, with some sympathetic modifications to ensure the highest levels of build quality and reliability.

This authenticity will extend to include functioning gadgets such as revolving number plates and more, which were made famous in Goldfinger. The gadgets will be co-developed with Oscar^®-winner Chris Corbould, special effects supervisor from the James Bond films. Officially sanctioned by Aston Martin and EON Productions, all the Goldfinger edition cars will be produced to one specification - Silver Birch paint - just like the original.

FULL STORY AND IMAGES

17 May 2019
George Lazenby, the most enigmatic and complex actor to play 007 launches his signature website today: georgelazenbyofficial.com

In 1969, George Lazenby starred as Ian Fleming’s James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – his groundbreaking single shot 007 revered by fans around the world and by film directors such as Steven Soderbergh and Christopher Nolan.

The GL site will complement his official pages on both Facebook & Instagram. The official George Lazenby pages will give fans exclusive access to news, information, and behind-the-scenes secrets from George’s future endeavours, storied career, and remarkable life, including the upcoming celebration of his 007 adventure, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, in Portugal and Switzerland.

To kick it all off, George has left the following message:
“Dear Friends & Fans,
I’m happy to welcome you to my website. It’ll be a journey through my life and times. Becoming Bond and beyond – from my life as the second James Bond through my films in Hong Kong to portraying Superman’s father – with kids, golf, tennis and motorcycles in between. I look forward to celebrating the 50th Anniversary of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service with you all. Just can’t believe 1969 was so long ago. Sometimes it really does feel like we have all the time in the world.
Love & best wishes to all. And thanks for your continued support. Much appreciated.
George”

Stay tuned as https://georgelazenbyofficial.com and its social media channels will be continuously updated including the many 50th anniversary screenings of OHMSS around the world and personal appearances of George Lazenby himself.

4 May 2019
James Bond sets out on his most exotic adventure yet as he travels through New York, Florida and Jamaica on the hunt for notorious criminal Mr Big. LIVE AND LET DIE marks the eighth Bond classic Martin Jarvis has directed for radio.

Bond successfully tracks down the monstrous Mr Big in Harlem, New York. Big is importing priceless gold coins to finance Russian spy operations and captures Bond. As Bond tries to unravel the mastermind’s plan, he meets the enchanting tarot-card reader Solitaire who has also been taken hostage.

The pair escape in order to pursue the source of the gold, heading first to Florida where Solitaire is captured by Mr Big's minions. 007 then continues to Jamaica in order to rescue Solitaire, recover the treasure and bring Mr Big to justice.

4 May 2019 BBC Radio 4. Listen online after broadcast

20 April 2019
David Picker, who was part of the United Artists executive team that struck the deal with Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli to launch the James film series, has died aged 87.

Picker was among the United Artists executives who, in 1961, held a meeting in New York with Saltzman and Broccoli to finalise the deal to produce Dr. No for a budget of $1-million. He was then head of production for the studio, which was led by Arthur Krim (1910-1994). In 1969, Picker became president and chief operating officer at United Artists. Following George Lazenby's departure from the series, Saltzman and Broccoli signed American actor John Gavin to star as the new James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever (1971). Nervous about the introduction of yet another new Bond after the less than stunning box-office returns for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, United Artists were convinced there was still only one actor who could guarantee a smash – Sean Connery. In February 1971 Picker informed the producers that he would authorise the payment of a huge salary to hook Connery. Picker flew to London with an unprecedented offer; a staggering basic fee of $1.25 million and a 10% cut of the gross profits. Furthermore, Picker promised Sean Connery that United Artists would financially back any two films of his choosing; to either star in or direct. One of those films turned out to be the gritty police drama The Offence (1972), for which Connery gave one of his best performances; the other project never materialised. With Connery signed for one more film John Gavin's contract was paid in full, and Diamonds Are Forever was a huge international hit at the box-office.

Picker left United Artists in the 1970's and for a time became a producer himself, later holding executive jobs at Paramount and Columbia Pictures.

8 April 2019
The Serbian born actress Nadja Regin who appeared in two James Bond films, has died at the age of 87.

Nadja played the mistress of Kerim Bey (Pedro Armendariz) in From Russia With Love (1963), and a year later appeared in the pre-credit sequence of Goldfinger as nightclub dancer Bonita, opposite Sean Connery as James Bond.

Her TV roles included The Avengers, Danger Man, The Saint and Dixon of Dock Green.

In the 1970's she moved away from acting and became a script reader most notably for Hammer Films.

More recently she devoted her time to writing and her novel The Victims and the Fools was published as an ebook under her full name Nadja Poderegin. She has also written a children's story The Puppet Planet and was working on her memoirs at the time of her death.

Read 007 MAGAZINE's exclusive in-depth interview with the two-time Bond Girl: “The biggest strength you can have is love!”

31 March 2019
British model and actress Tania Mallet, best known for her role as Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger (1964), has died at the age of 77.

Tania Mallet began her modelling career as a teenager, becoming one of the most famous faces of the 1950's and 1960's via her frequent appearances in Vogue and other high-profile fashion magazines.

James Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli saw a picture of her in a bikini and she was screen tested for the role of Tatiana Romanova in From Russia With Love (1963). The role ultimately went to Italian actress Daniela Bianchi, but the producers remembered Mallet and cast her as Tilly Masterson in the third James Bond film in 1964. Although Goldfinger was Mallet's only film appearance she remained popular on the fan circuit in recent years, and appeared at The James Bond 007 International Fan Club 4th Annual Christmas Lunch at Pinewood Studios in 1996, where she was re-united with director Guy Hamilton, and co-stars Shirley Eaton and Desmond Llewelyn.

29 March 2019
Canadian actor Shane Rimmer who played a NASA technician in You Only Live Twice (1967), Tom (uncredited) in Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and USS Wayne Captain Carter in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) has died at the age of 89.

Rimmer emigrated to England in the late-1950's and most memorably provided the voice of Scott Tracy in the classic Gerry Anderson TV series Thunderbirds (1965-66), and also in the two spin-off feature films Thunderbird Are Go (1966) and Thunderbird 6 (1968). Rimmer had a long association with producer Gerry Anderson and also wrote scripts and provided uncredited voices for Anderson's subsequent Supermarionation productions Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons (1967–68), Joe 90 (1968–69) and The Secret Service (1969), he also appeared in episodes of the live-action series UFO (1970) and The Protectors (1972–74). Rimmer also provided voices for Space: 1999 (1975–77), and guest-starred in the episode “Space Brain” (1976). Rimmer was one of a handful of American and Canadian actors based in the UK who were the ‘go-to’ performers when a US character was needed in a British based film or TV series. This led to roles in many films including Dr. Strangelove (1964) as Captain “Ace” Owens, and small parts in Superman: The Movie (1977), Superman II (1980) and Superman III (1983). Rarely out of work during his 50-year career, Shane Rimmer also had a small uncredited role in Star Wars (1977), which was also filmed in England. In addition to his three on-screen performances in James Bond films, Shane Rimmer also provided the voice of Hamilton (played by Richard Dix) which amounted to just one line of dialogue in the pre-credit sequence of Live And Let Die (1973).

18 March 2019
A memorial for Eunice Gayson, who played Sylvia Trench in Dr. No and From Russia With Love, was held yesterday at BAFTA in London on what would have been her 91st birthday. Attending were James Bond Producer Michael. G. Wilson, and 007 actresses Caroline Munro [‘Naomi’ in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)], Jenny Hanley [‘Irish Girl’ in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)], Carole Ashby [‘Octopussy girl’ in Octopussy (1983) & ‘Whistling girl’ in A View To A Kill (1985)], Caron Gardner [‘Pussy Galore's Flying Circus pilot’ in Goldfinger (1964)], Caroline Bliss [‘Miss Moneypenny’ in The Living Daylights (1987) & Licence To Kill (1989)] and Madeline Smith [‘Miss Caruso’ in Live And Let Die (1973)].

FULL STORY AND IMAGES

Read 007 MAGAZINE's exclusive review of Q The Music's concert held at the Adelphi Theatre, London on March 17, 2019.

REVIEW AND IMAGES

7 February 2019
Albert Finney, who memorably played James Bond's faithful Scottish gamekeeper Kincade in Skyfall (2012) has died at the age of 82.

Born in Salford in 1936, Albert Finney trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he was in the same class as Alan Bates and Peter O'Toole. Starting his acting career in the theatre in the late 1950's, he originated the role of Billy Liar on stage in 1960. Finney then capitalised on the growing interest in working-class dramas, and was cast in a small role opposite Laurence Olivier in John Osborne's The Entertainer (1960), directed by Tony Richardson. This then led to him being cast as the lead in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960), where he played factory worker and ‘angry young man’ Arthur Seaton. Finney then screen-tested but later turned down the role of T.E. Lawrence in David Lean's epic Lawrence of Arabia (1962). The part ultimately went to his RADA classmate Peter O'Toole. Director Tony Richardson then cast him as the lead in the bawdy period-comedy Tom Jones (1963) which was a massive world-wide hit, winning four Oscars including Best Film.

In 1968 Finney returned to Manchester to star in and direct Charlie Bubbles. Written by Shelagh Delaney, another key figure in the 1960's ‘kitchen sink’ movement, Charlie Bubbles was a comedy-drama about a successful writer returning to his home town after achieving success in London. In the 1970's Finney appeared in a variety of different roles including the musical Scrooge (1970), Gumshoe (1971), and memorably as Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie's Murder On The Orient Express (1974), where he played opposite Sean Connery. Later screen roles included ‘Sir’ in The Dresser (1983), for which Finney was nominated for an Academy Award; and as Winston Churchill in The Gathering Storm (2002), which earned him a BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Emmy award as best actor. Finney twice turned down official honours in the UK, declining to accept a C.B.E. in 1980, and later a knighthood in 2000. His final film role was as Kincade in Skyfall (2012).

Your 24 hour presale window for tickets to the first ever official James Bond exhibition in New York, DRIVEN: 007 x SPYSCAPE is now open. You can buy tickets here by applying your exclusive code DRIVEN at checkout. Capacity is limited so we recommend you and your friends purchase tickets today to avoid disappointment.

Discover 007 from a different perspective in this brand new exhibition. The multi-sensory experience explores the creative process behind the 007 movies while revealing the secrets of James Bond’s iconic Aston Martin DB5. Investigate gadgets in Q’s lab, examine original concept art in Oscar^®-winning Production Designer Sir Ken Adam’s studio and peek behind the scenes of Skyfall’s explosive finale.

Tickets for March 8th onwards are now available - surprise your family and friends with the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

Nick Finlayson, who was affectionately known by many as ‘The real Q’, has passed away.

Nick, like many SFX technicians before him, perfected his craft working for puppetry/miniatures pioneer Gerry Anderson on the television show Terrahawks before moving on to 10 Bond productions; Aliens; Christian Bale's Batman and the Tomb Raider movies, to name only a few. Nick worked on Bond from 1985 on A View To A Kill as part of the Special Effects team followed by The Living Daylights and Licence To Kill; however, it was not until Pierce Brosnan's tenure as 007 on GoldenEye that Nick fell under the spotlight as the creator of Bond's life saving gadgets, including the Piton Gun used in the pre-titles sequence, customising a Ranger paintball gun as the donor weapon. Nick crafted two practical/hero functional weapons and a rubber and resin solid stunt version cast from the hero prop for Wayne Michaels to use when doubling as Bond in the death-defying world record bungee jump in the pre-credit sequence for GoldenEye.

FULL OBITUARY

26 January 2019
Michel Legrand, the Oscar-winning composer of "The Windmills of Your Mind" from The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) has died at the age of 86. To James Bond fans he is best known as the composer of the instrumental score for Never Say Never Again, Sean Connery's 1983 comeback film as 007.

In a long and distinguished career spanning more than 50 years, Legrand wrote over 200 film and TV scores. Also an accomplished jazz pianist, Legrand was known for his often jazz-tinged music and has collaborated with such stars as Miles Davies, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and Edith Piaf among others.

See also:
Never Say Never Again (1983) FACT FILE