_james_bond_007_painting_art

Amazon.co.uk Widgets

James Bond 007 is a fictional British agent created in 1952 by writer Ian Fleming, featured in twelve novels, two anthologies, and a film series. After Fleming's death in 1964, subsequent James Bond novels were written by Kingsley Amis (as Robert Markham), John Pearson, John Gardner and Raymond Benson. In addition Charlie Higson has begun to write a series of books detailing the "Young James Bond". In July 2007, it was announced that Sebastian Faulks has been commissioned to write a Bond novel for publication in 2008. Moreover, Christopher Wood novelised two screenplays, while other writers have authored unofficial versions of the secret-agent character.

Initially famed through the best-selling novels, James Bond is best known from the EON Productions film series, twenty-one of which have been made as of 2007. The 22nd EON-produced Bond adventure is currently in production. In addition there have been two independent feature productions (a 1967 spoof and 1983's Never Say Never Again) and one Fleming-licenced American television adaptation of the first novel, aired in 1954. The EON Productions films are generally described as the "official" films originating with the purchase of the James Bond film rights by eventual producer Harry Saltzman in the late 1950s when Bond was a popular novel series; this term is used throughout this article

Ian Fleming's creation and inspiration

Commander James Bond, CMG, RNVR is an agent of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) (more commonly, MI6). He was created in January 1952 by British journalist Ian Fleming while on holiday at his Jamaican estate, Goldeneye. The hero, James Bond, was named after an American ornithologist, a Caribbean bird expert and author of the definitive field guide book Birds of the West Indies. Fleming, a keen birdwatcher, had a copy of Bond's field guide at Goldeneye. Of the name, Fleming once said in a Reader's Digest interview, "I wanted the simplest, dullest, plainest-sounding name I could find, 'James Bond' was much better than something more interesting, like 'Peregrine Carruthers.' Exotic things would happen to and around him, but he would be a neutral figure—an anonymous, blunt instrument wielded by a government department."

Nevertheless, news sources speculated about real spies or other covert agents after whom James Bond might have been named. Although they are similar to Bond, Fleming confirmed none as the source figure, nor did Ian Fleming Publications nor any of Fleming's biographers, such as John Pearson or Andrew Lycett.

James Bond's parents are Andrew Bond, a Scotsman, and Monique Delacroix, from Canton de Vaud, Switzerland. Their nationalities were established in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Fleming emphasized Bond's Scottish heritage in admiration of Sean Connery's cinematic portrayal, whereas Bond's mother is named after a Swiss fiancée of Fleming's. A planned, but unwritten, novel would have portrayed Bond's mother as a Scot. Ian Fleming was a member of a prominent Scottish banking family. In his fictional biography of secret agent 007, John Pearson gave Bond's birth date as 11 November (Armistice Day) 1920; however, there is no evidence of it in Fleming's novels. In the novel On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Bond's family motto is found to be "Orbis non sufficit" ("The world is not enough"). The novel also states that the family that used this motto may not necessarily be the same Bond family James Bond came from

After completing the manuscript for Casino Royale, Fleming allowed his friend, later his editor, poet William Plomer to read it. Plomer liked it and submitted it to Jonathan Cape, who did not like it as much. Cape finally published it in 1953 on the recommendation of Fleming's older brother Peter, an established travel writer.

Most researchers agree that James Bond is a romanticized version of Ian Fleming, himself a jet-setting womanizer. Both Fleming and Bond attended the same schools, preferred the same foods (scrambled eggs, coffee), maintained the same habits (drinking, smoking, wearing short-sleeve shirts), shared the same notions of the perfect woman in looks and style, and had similar naval career paths (both rising to the rank of naval Commander). They also shared similar height, hairstyle, and eye colour. Some suggest that Bond's suave and sophisticated persona is based on that of a young Hoagy Carmichael. In Casino Royale, the anti-heroine Vesper Lynd remarks, "[Bond] reminds me rather of Hoagy Carmichael, but there is something cold and ruthless." Likewise, in Moonraker, Special Branch Officer Gala Brand thinks that Bond is "certainly good-looking . . . Rather like Hoagy Carmichael in a way. That black hair falling down over the right eyebrow. Much the same bones. But there was something a bit cruel in the mouth, and the eyes were cold."

Fleming did admit to being partly inspired by his service in the Naval Intelligence Division of the Admiralty, most notably an incident depicted in Casino Royale, when Fleming and Naval Intelligence Director Admiral Godfrey went on a mission to Lisbon en route to the United States during World War II. At the Estoril Casino, which harboured spies of warring regimes due to Portugal's neutrality, Fleming was 'cleaned out' by a "chief German agent" in a game of Chemin de Fer. Admiral Godfrey's account differs in that Fleming played Portuguese businessmen, whom Fleming fantasized as German agents he defeated at cards. Moreover, references to "Red Indians" in Casino Royale (four times; twice in the final page) are to his own 30 Assault Unit.

In February 1952, Ian Fleming began writing his first James Bond novel. At the time, Fleming was the foreign manager for Kemsley Newspapers, owners of The Daily Express in London. Upon accepting the job, Fleming asked for two months yearly vacation in his contract—time spent writing in Jamaica. Between 1953 and his death in 1964, Fleming published twelve novels and one short-story collection (a second collection was published posthumously). Later, continuation novels were written by Kingsley Amis (as Robert Markham), John Gardner, Charlie Higson and Raymond Benson, who was the first American author of James Bond, last published in 2002. The Young Bond series of novels was begun in 2005, by Charlie Higson

From 1962 through 2006, six actors have portrayed James Bond in "official" films:

Sean Connery (1962–1967; 1971)

George Lazenby (1969)

Roger Moore (1973–1985)

Timothy Dalton (1987–1989)

Pierce Brosnan (1995–2002)

Daniel Craig (2006–present)

While according to James Bond: The Secret World of 007 Bond is 6' 1" (1.85 m) , only two of the actors who have played him are that height. The others range from 5' 11" (1.80 m)(Daniel Craig) to 6' 2 1/2" (1.89 m)(George Lazenby).

In the late 1950s, EON Productions guaranteed the film adaptation rights for every 007 novel except for Casino Royale (those rights were recovered in 1999). In 1962, the first adaptation was made with Dr. No, which starred Sean Connery as 007. Connery starred in 4 more films after his initial portrayal, and was followed by George Lazenby (for 1 film). Connery then returned to the role for one more film, after which he was succeeded by Roger Moore (for 7 films), Timothy Dalton (for 2 films), Pierce Brosnan (for 4 films) and Daniel Craig (currently 1 film). As of 2007, there have been 21 films. The twenty-first official film, Casino Royale, with Daniel Craig as James Bond, premiered on 14 November 2006, with the film going on general release in Asia and the Middle East the following day. Notably, it is the first Bond film to be released in China. The sequel to Casino Royale is currently in production. Quantum of solace. Monster's Ball and Finding Neverland director Marc Forster is set to start filming in January 2008. The film is scheduled for a November 2008 release.

The twenty-one Bond films have grossed over $4 billion (nearly $11 billion when adjusted for inflation) worldwide, making it the second highest grossing film series ever after Harry Potter

Franchise Count Title Year James Bond Total Box Office Budget Inflation Adjusted

Total Box Office**

1 Dr. No 1962 Sean Connery

2 From Russia with Love 1963

3 Goldfinger 1964

4 Thunderball 1965

5 You Only Live Twice 1967

6 On Her Majesty's Secret Service 1969 George Lazenby

7 Diamonds Are Forever 1971 Sean Connery

8 Live and Let Die 1973 Roger Moore

9 The Man with the Golden Gun 1974

10 The Spy Who Loved Me 1977

11 Moonraker 1979

12 For Your Eyes Only 1981

13 Octopussy 1983

14 A View to a Kill 1985

15 The Living Daylights 1987 Timothy Dalton

16 Licence to Kill 1989

17 GoldenEye 1995 Pierce Brosnan

18 Tomorrow Never Dies 1997

19 The World Is Not Enough 1999

20 Die Another Day 2002

21 Casino Royale* 2006 Daniel Craig

22. Quantum of Solace 2008 Daniel Craig.

In 1967, Casino Royale was made as a Bond film starring David Niven as Sir James Bond 007. David Niven, had, in fact, been Ian Fleming's preference for the part of James Bond.. EON Productions, however, chose Sean Connery. But in 1967, he starred with Deborah Kerr and Barbara Bouchet in the James Bond satire, Casino Royale. David Niven is the only James Bond actor who is mentioned by name in the text of one of Fleming's James Bond novels. In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Bond visits an exclusive ski resort and is told that David Niven is a frequent visitor.

A legal loophole allowed Kevin McClory to remake Thunderball in 1983. Sean Connery returned as 007 in Never Say Never Again. The film is not considered an "official" James Bond film because it is not part of the Bond film franchise from EON Productions and United Artists, even though it is currently owned by United Artists parent MGM, and its original theatrical run in Fall of 1983 actually created a situation in which two Bond movies were playing in theaters at the same time, as "official" EON Bond film Octopussy was still in playing theaters. Since then, MGM has bought the name "James Bond" so future non-Eon productions are very unlikely.

James Bond has long been a household name and remains a huge influence within the spy genre. The Austin Powers series by writer, producer and comedian Mike Myers, and other parodies such as Johnny English (2003), OK Connery, the "Flint" series starring James Coburn as Derek Flint, the "Matt Helm" movies starring Dean Martin, and Casino Royale (1967) are testaments to Bond's prominence in popular culture.

1960s TV imitations of James Bond such as I Spy, Get Smart, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. went on to become popular successes in their own right, the latter having enjoyed contributions by Fleming towards its creation: the show's lead character, "Napoleon Solo," was named after a character in Fleming's novel Goldfinger; Fleming also suggested the character name April Dancer, which was later used in the spin-off series The Girl from U.N.C.L.E..[19] A reunion television movie, The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1983), is notable for featuring a cameo by George Lazenby as James Bond in tribute to Fleming (for legal reasons, the character was credited as "JB").

Japanese manga and anime super-thief Arsène Lupin III from the series Lupin III by Monkey Punch also has several Bond-inspired traits, including use of a Walther hand gun, his desire for women, use of gadgets, as well as his cool under fire demeanor. Lupin is also shown to be an excellent driver of nearly any vehicle, much as Bond is shown in several of the films.

The Nickelodeon animated series Doug had a secret agent character named Smash Adams, who was clearly inspired by Bond. The character's theme music even resembled Monty Norman's classic theme for the character. Nickelodeon's sketch comedy series All That once did a James Bond parody called Jimmy Bond.

In The Avengers, some time after the departure of the character Cathy Gale (played by actress Honor Blackman), the character of John Steed (played by Patrick Macnee) receives a Christmas card from her. He comments, "It's from Mrs Gale! I wonder what she's doing in Fort Knox?" – the intended destination for Honor Blackman's Pussy Galore in Goldfinger. In further coincidence, this comment is made to Emma Peel – played by Diana Rigg who would later appear as Tracy Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Macnee himself, a friend of Roger Moore, would later appear as Sir Godfrey Tibbett in A View to a Kill. Joanna Lumley (Purdey in the late Avengers series) can also be seen in On Her Majesty's Secret Service in a little role with only one or two words.

Similarly, four episodes of the TV series Arrested Development (For British Eyes Only, Forget-Me-Now, Notapusy and Mr. F) referenced the Bond films. The spoofing of the Bond films is evident in the episode titles, vocal and instrumental music cues, and the gun barrel shot at the end of the episode accompanied by the subtitle "Michael Bluth will return in..."

George Lucas has said on various occasions that Sean Connery's portrayal of Bond was one of the primary inspirations for the Indiana Jones character, a reason Connery was chosen for the role of Indiana's father in the third film of that series.

One issue of the Sonic the Hedgehog Archie comics featured several references to James Bond in a story entitled "The Man from H.E.D.G.E.H.O.G." Among these were: a screen that depicted several of Dr. Robotnik's failed operations, all of which had been thwarted by Sonic the Hedgehog, all named after James Bond movie titles: Moonraker, Dr. No, Thunderball, and Goldfinger; the head of a secret intelligence group known by the alias "Who"; a crate labeled "For Your Eyes Only"; and Sonic making use of one of James Bond's humorous quips "Shocking...positively shocking"

In the Firewall episode of ReBoot (the first totally computer generated television series) the introduction theme song and video is a homage to James Bond.