DECEMBER 2007 - James Bond co-producers honoured by The Queen |
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29 December
2007
James Bond
co-producers Barbara Broccoli & Michael G. Wilson have both been
awarded OBEs (Order of the British Empire) by Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II in her traditional New Year Honours list.
The awards were given for services to the film industry. |
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DECEMBER 2007 -
Unique James Bond memorabilia auctioned at CHRISTIE'S |
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19 December 2007 -
A selection
of unique James Bond memorabilia was auctioned at
CHRISTIE'S, Kensington, South London on 19th December.
Items included in the sale were a number of contact sheets
featuring unpublished photos from Dr. No (1962), From
Russia With Love (1963) and Thunderball (1965); and a collection
of typescript pages from various drafts of the Thunderball
shooting scripts.
Several items of clothing worn by Pierce
Brosnan, including a BRIONI 3-piece wool suit (which sold for
£19,200), and a selection of Syd Cain's production illustrations
and storyboards from GoldenEye were some of the
highlights of this sale of
Film & Entertainment Memorabilia. |
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OCTOBER 2007 -
New James
Bond licence agreement for CORGI
and BONHAM'S auction |
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3 October
2007
The future of the 40-year long
association between CORGI and
James Bond is assured until at
least 2010 following the signing
of a new licence with EON
Productions recently.
The worldwide agreement allows the
release of both mass-market
product ranges as well as core
collectables over a variety of
innovative products within the
CORGI International sphere. These
include action figures, vehicles,
electronic role-play, die-cast
models, high specification remote
control released under the Popco
brand and high end replicas
released under the world renowned
Mater Replicas branding.
The licence commences prior to the
release of BOND 22 in 2008
with new classic movie product and
replicas. So 2008 sounds like an
exciting time for CORGI James Bond
fans.
CORGI are also selling off a vast
number of their archive on 3rd
October at Bonham's Knowle
salesrooms in Solihull, West Midlands.
007 MAGAZINE COLLECTORS’ GUIDE TO
UK James Bond CORGI Toys
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SEPTEMBER 2007 - Lois Maxwell (1927-2007) |
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30
September 2007
Actress Lois Maxwell who
starred as Miss Moneypenny in 14 James Bond
(1962-1985) films has died aged 80.
After a number of small roles in British
films and Television series, Lois Maxwell appeared in Stanley Kubrick's Lolita (1962) before being
cast as Miss Moneypenny, the secretary to M,
in the first James Bond film Dr. No.
Director Terence Young offered Lois the role
of Miss Moneypenny or Bond's love interest
Sylvia Trench, Maxwell wisely chose the
former and played the part continuously for
the next 23 years, appearing alongside three
James Bond's - Sean Connery, George Lazenby
and Roger Moore. Both Roger Moore and Lois
Maxwell made their final appearance in the
series in A View To A Kill (1985).
Lois Maxwell also appeared in character as
Moneypenny in the 1967 TV special Welcome
To Japan Mr. Bond with co-star Desmond
Llewelyn as Q.
FULL OBITUARY |
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SEPTEMBER 2007 - EON Productions honoured at the National Movie
Awards |
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28 September 2007
Casino Royale (2006) loses out to
Harry Potter and the Order of the
Phoenix in the major categories,
but wins for best action and adventure
movie at the National Movie Awards
held at the Royal Festival Hall in
central London.
The
James Bond franchise also won the
special recognition award at the
event.
James Bond co-producers Barbara Broccoli
& Michael
G Wilson accepted the honour.
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SEPTEMBER 2007 - Such devoted sisters! |
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8 September 2007
With the current interest in
Goldfinger at a new high after the successful digital
screening on July 31st 2007 at many cinemas around the UK
courtesy of Park Circus, The Vintage Magazine Shop in London’s
Soho jumped on the Bondwagon with a signing on September 8th
featuring screen sisters Jill and Tilly Masterson – aka Golden
Girl actress Shirley Eaton and Sixties’ top model Tania
Mallet. As you’ll remember, both fell victim to Goldfinger’s
lethal manservant Oddjob in the film, but luckily for everyone
attending the gathering they were very much alive as, looking
elegant as ever, they signed autographs for adoring fans. |
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SEPTEMBER 2007 - Which Bond Next? You Decide! |
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Park Circus have revealed the
results of a recent poll to find out
which James Bond film UK cinemagoers
would like to see on the big screen
next. The UK film distributor
successfully
re-released the 1964
classic James Bond film
Goldfinger in cinemas on 31st
July and said the poll had had greatly
helped their decision making process.
Based on the poll of 3595 votes the
results are:
GoldenEye - 112 (3%)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
- 1735 (48%)
The Spy Who Loved Me - 1415
(39%)
Thunderball - 205 (6%)
You Only Live Twice - 128 (4%)
Park
Circus hope to announce more details
of their final choice in the near
future. |
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AUGUST 2007 - John Gardner (1926–2007) |
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James
Bond author
John Gardner has died at
the age of 80 after collapsing at his
home on 3rd August. John had bravely
battled cancer for many years and will
be best remembered as the author of
LICENCE RENEWED, and a further 15 James
Bond novels written between 1981 and
1996.
John
Gardner began his writing career in
1964 with The Liquidator,
featuring the character of Boysie
Oakes, who is mistaken as man of
action and recruited into a British
spy agency. The novel was filmed in
1965 starring Rod Taylor as Boysie
Oakes. Seven further novels and four
short stories with the cowardly Oakes
followed over the next decade. In 1974
Gardner also wrote the first of three
novels using the character of
Professor Moriarty created by Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle.
In 1979
Glidrose Publications approached John
Gardner asking him to revive Ian
Fleming's James Bond series of novels.
LICENCE RENEWED was the first new
James Bond novel since
COLONEL SUN in 1968.
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JULY 2007 - James Bond Back In Action! - Goldfinger back on
the big screen! |
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31 July 2007
If you’ve only ever seen Goldfinger on a TV screen
you’ve never seen it all!
GRAHAM RYE
reports on the UK nationwide digital screening of
Goldfinger which was shown as part of the Summer of British
Film Celebration in selected cinemas on July 31, 2007.
FULL STORY AND IMAGES FROM THE
SCREENING AT VUE STAINES |
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JULY 2007 - From Russia With Love (1963) premieres on
BBC Television |
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29 July 2007
To celebrate
the BBC2 screening of From Russia With Love, 007 MAGAZINE
presents an exclusive portfolio of rare behind-the-scenes images
from the shooting of the film in Istanbul and at Pinewood
Studios in 1963. Featuring dozens of unpublished photographs of
the filming and recently discovered images from the deleted
scene!
FULL STORY |
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JULY 2007 - Sebastian Faulks is named as the new James Bond author |
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11 July 2007
- Sebastian
Faulks writes the new James Bond novel, to be published by
Penguin in May 2008
"In his house in Jamaica, Ian Fleming used to write a thousand words in
the morning, then go snorkelling, have
a cocktail, lunch on the terrace,
more diving, another thousand words in late afternoon, then more Martinis
and glamorous women. In my house in London, I followed this routine
exactly, apart from the cocktails, the lunch and
the snorkelling."
Sebastian Faulks, one of Britain’s most admired novelists, is announced
today as the author of a brand new James Bond novel, to be published next
year by Penguin Books in the UK and Doubleday in the US.
The book, entitled DEVIL MAY CARE, will be published
to mark the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth 28th May 2008.
Ian Fleming Publications Ltd announced in July 2006 that a new Bond book
had been commissioned and now, after a year of speculation, the author and
title are revealed.
FULL
STORY |
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JUNE 2007 - A tonic for the heart - ‘The Music of John Barry’
concert at The Royal Festival Hall |
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21 June 2007
An exclusive report from GRAHAM RYE
about a very special Thursday afternoon.
When I look back over my 25-year professional career in the world of
James Bond it is with great fondness, and during that time it has
been my privilege to have had some of the artists who have worked on
the Bond films become friends. Yesterday, the summer solstice, a day
that seemed an apt reminder of new beginnings and celebration, I
found myself in a privileged position once more, due to the kindness
of a friend, when I was invited to sit in on the rehearsal for ‘The
Music of John Barry’ concert at the Royal Festival Hall on June 21st.
FULL STORY AND EXCLUSIVE IMAGES
FROM THE REHEARSAL |
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JULY 2007 - Marc Forster announced as the director of BOND
22 |
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20 June
2007 - Marc Forster to Direct BOND 22
Marc Forster will direct the 22nd James Bond adventure, it was
announced today by Michael G. Wilson & Barbara Broccoli,
producers of the James Bond films, Sony Pictures
Entertainment, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.
Forster is the acclaimed director of the highly anticipated
motion picture The Kite Runner, adapted from Khaled Hosseini’s
best-selling novel. He also recently directed the comic hit
Stranger Than Fiction for Sony Pictures. Previously,
Forster directed the award-winning and critically acclaimed
films Finding Neverland, which was nominated for seven
Academy Awards including Best Picture, and Monster’s Ball,
for which Halle Berry won a Best Actress Oscar.
Forster will commence work shortly with screenwriter Paul
Haggis on a draft of the screenplay by Neil Purvis and Robert
Wade.
FULL PRESS RELEASE |
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MAY 2007 - Barry Nelson (1917-2007) |
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7 April 2007
The original
James Bond Actor Barry Nelson dies aged 89
Undoubtedly actor Barry
Nelson’s major claim to world fame was that he was the first actor to
bring Ian Fleming’s James Bond character to life on screen in the 1954
American TV production of Casino Royale. While his portrayal as
‘card-sense Jimmy Bond’ (Yes, honest!) was likeable and efficient, this
original TV production hardly set the world on fire, but luckily did no
harm to Nelson’s long and continuing workmanlike career in theatre, TV and
cinema.
FULL OBITUARY |
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APRIL 2007 - Pinewood launches official website to announce the
reopening of the ‘007 Stage’ |
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4 April 2007
The Pinewood Studios Group launch the official website for the
revitalized ‘007 Stage’ to mark the practical reopening of
Europe’s largest sound stage, it was announced by Nick Smith,
Sales and Marketing Director:
“It’s fantastic
news that our largest stage is back up and running. The ‘007
Stage’ and Pinewood are such an integral part of the British
film industry. This official website gives both professionals
and the public alike a chance to discover for themselves the
rebuilt stage and its new features. The website not only covers
the practical information about the stage but also the rich
filmmaking history associated with it.”
FULL STORY |
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MARCH 2007 - Sebastien Foucan signing at HMV Oxford Street,
London |
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Sebastien
Foucan signs copies of the new Casino Royale DVD at HMV Oxford
Street, London.
WHAT: Signing session
WHERE: HMV London, Oxford Street W1
WHEN: Monday 19th March at 1.30pm
Fans of James
Bond’s latest film Casino Royale had the a chance to
meet Sebastian Foucan, who plays Mollaka in the hit film as he
helped celebrate its release on DVD at HMV’s flagship store on
Oxford Street, in London’s West End, on Monday 19th March 2007.
EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS FROM THE
EVENT
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MARCH 2007 - Three James Bond watches to go under the hammer at
‘Omegamania’ |
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Antiquorum, the world's premier watch auctioneer has announced
the subject of its next annual sale theme — the watch making of
OMEGA. The ‘Omegamania’ auction will take place on 14 and 15
April 2007 in Geneva, during the two major Swiss watch fairs.
"OMEGA's immense variety of
models represents the development of 20th century watch making
perhaps better than any other manufacturer," stated Mr Osvaldo
Patrizzi, Antiquorum's Chairman and CEO.
Two private OMEGA
collections feature in the 300-lot catalogue, which includes
such milestone OMEGA
products as prize-winning chronometers,
military watches from both world wars, the earliest diving
watches together with the more recent Co-Axial escapement
housed in a Limited Edition split-seconds chronograph.
The
auction includes three James Bond watches: A Seamaster
Professional worn by Pierce Brosnan during the filming of
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and a Seamaster Professional & Planet
Ocean worn by Daniel Craig during the filming of Casino
Royale (2006).
Since it was founded in
1848, OMEGA
has always sought to represent the achievements of
its era, not least as Official Timekeeper of the Olympic
Games. However, the company will be forever associated with
the greatest achievement in recent history, as the producer of
the first ever watch worn outside a spacecraft on the moon –
the legendary OMEGA Speedmaster, affectionately known as the
‘Moon’ watch.
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MARCH 2007 - A Colt Python .357 Magnum revolver presented to
Ian Fleming up for auction |
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28 March
2007
A Colt Python .357
Magnum revolver presented to James Bond author Ian Fleming in 1964
is to be auctioned by Bonhams on 28th March 2007 as part of their
‘Modern Sporting Guns, Rifles and Vintage Firearms’ sale.
Accompanied by a
letter of authentication from Colt and a copy of Fleming's 1959
James Bond novel GOLDFINGER, the revolver is estimate to sell for
£10,000 - £15,000. [UPDATE: SOLD FOR £12,000!] |
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MARCH 2007 - David Arnold to introduce a screening of Casino
Royale in Bradford |
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15 March 2007
Composer David Arnold is to
give a talk about his work before a special screening of
Casino
Royale at the Bradford Film Festival on March 15th at 7.30pm.
While on Saturday March 10th at 6.00pm, a new digital print of
From Russia With Love will receive its UK Premiere, and the
special guest introducing it is rumoured to be none other than James
Bond Producer Michael G Wilson. Both events will be held at the National Media
Museum. |
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MARCH 2007 - James Bond costumes auctioned at Bonhams |
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The Angels Star
Collection of Film & TV Costumes - Knightsbridge, 6th March 2007.
A large number of
James Bond costumes came up for auction at Bonhams on 6th March
including Sean Connery's Dinner Jacket from Thunderball
(1965) which
sold for £33,600,
Diana Rigg's Fur Coat & hat from On Her Majesty's Secret Service
(1969)
fetched £12,960
and Roger Moore's Naval Uniform worn in The Spy Who Loved Me
(1977)
went for
£11,760.
Other costumes sold included a cream jacket worn by Christopher
Lee in The Man With The Golden Gun (1974) which sold
for £4,600, and a number of
items from the Pierce Brosnan films including a grey Brioni three-piece suit
from GoldenEye (1995) which sold for £8,640.
VIEW ALL JAMES BOND LOTS [#157-#198]
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FEBRUARY 2007 - Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman and Eva Green at
the 79th Academy Awards |
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25 February 2007
Daniel Craig and Eva Green
attended the 79th Annual Academy Awards Ceremony, held on on
25th February 2007 at the KODAK Theatre at Hollywood and
Highland Centre. Both Daniel (with Nicole Kidman) and Eva were
asked to present the awards for Best Art Direction and Best
Documentary Short Subject respectively.
FULL STORY AND
IMAGES
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FEBRUARY 2007 - Daniel Craig and Eva Green win awards for
Casino Royale |
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5 February
2007
Daniel
Craig has been named best actor by the London Evening
Standard for his role as James Bond in
Casino Royale.
At the awards
ceremony held at The Ivy Restaurant in London last night
Daniel Craig said “I don't know if I'm ever entirely
happy with my performances but I'm happy with the way this
turned out.” Dame Judi Dench also won the Best Actress award
for her role in Notes On A Scandal.
A week later
Eva Green wins the
Orange Rising Star award at the 2007 BAFTA awards ceremony. |
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