There’s A New Bond in Town…..Day 238 of Bond 365

I’m sorry, but I have to interrupt Bond 365...

Do I have your attention?

If you are not into comics, then maybe this will entice you to head down to your local comic book shop and pick up a Previews catalogue. Flip right to page 308. Drool. Turn page. Drool some more. Then, immediately sign up to start a subscription (pull list) and put the new James Bond series from Dynamite at the top of your list!

Finally! 

The first story arc of this ongoing series is titled “Vargr” and is written by award winning writer Warren Ellis (Hellblazer, Red, Fell, Transmetropolitan, Judge Dredd) with interiors by artist Jason Masters (Wolverines, Legends of the Dark Knight, The Vampire Diaries). 

Here’s the description of the series from the September 2015 issue of Previews:

James Bond returns to London after a mission of vengeance in Helsinki to take up the workload of a fallen 00 Section agent. But something evil is moving through the back streets of the city, and sinister plans are being laid for Bond in Berlin… (p. 309)

Here is the main cover by Dom Reardon, who has worked on Tharg’s Terror Tales, Caballistics, Inc. and Raven’s Gate (adapted by Tony Lee from Bond author Anthony Horowitz’s novel):

Oh yeah! Fantastic cover!

But, if that cover isn’t quite to your liking, there are several incentive covers by fantastic artists in the industry today to choose from:

Some tough decisions ahead, or just buy one of each! 

Cover artists include: Francesco Francavilla (Fear Agent, The Black Beetle, Marvel’s Captain America), Stephen Mooney (Grayson, Secret Origins), Dan Panosian (Wolverine, Incredible Hulk, WitchBlade), Gabriel Hardman (Invisible Republic, Kinski), Glenn Fabry (Judge Dredd, Preacher, Hellblazer), Jock (Judge Dredd, The Losers, Detective Comics), and Jason Masters. Or, if you are an artist or have an artist in mind to do a cover for you, then pick up a couple of blank covers. I know I want one of each!

Blam is right -- British powerhouse artist Jock!!

And.....to help push you toward the world of comics, a page of interiors were included in the catalogue's coverage. The final art will be in color, but it looks pretty good in black and white.

Looks like Bond will be knee deep in life or death situations! 

The series drops on November 4 (Happy birthday to me!), so you can get some reading done before SPECTRE opens in US cinemas on November 6!

The name's Bond. James Bond.

Please note that the cover art shown in Previews is pending licensing approval, so the final covers could change. 

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.

Remembering James Bond Creator, Ian Fleming…Day 224 of Bond 365

Ian Fleming

Passed away this day in 1964

Creator/Writer of James Bond

It was 51 years ago today that James Bond creator Ian Fleming passed way. The Cold War era spy was shaped in no small part by Fleming’s books about the agent with a license to kill. Few franchises have had the enduring longevity that James Bond has had, especially in the world of cinema. Thinking to all of the men that could have stepped into the role, I believe that it was fortuitous that Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman brought together Sean Connery, Terence Young and many other bright talents to film Dr. No (1962). Seeing Bond smolder on the silver screen must have been quite satisfying for Fleming, who had been trying for several years to realize that dream of a filmic James Bond.

Rather than write about Fleming (there are many splendid tributes out there!), I thought I would share some early photos that I think are cool and honor Fleming’s vision.

Fleming at his writing desk at his Jamaican home, GoldenEye

Fleming with his first James Bond novel, Casino Royale

Getting inspiration for his role as James Bond, Sean Connery

Ursula Andress (Honey Ryder) with Fleming listening intently on set of Dr. No

The name's Bond. James Bond.

Fleming at GoldenEye

Note: All images found through Google Images.

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.

Remembering Writer John Gardner…Day 215 of Bond 365

John Gardner

Passed away this day in 2007

Writer, Official James Bond Novels, 1981 - 1996

John Edmund Gardner’s story began in the small seaside village of Seaton Delaval in the northeastern county of Northumberland on 20 November 1926. His father was an Anglican priest and his mother a local girl and in 1933, the family moved to Wantage where his father took up the Chaplain position at St. Mary’s.

The young Gardner joined the Home Guard in 1939 when the Second World War came to England’s doorstep. He was only 13 at the time, but it was the start of his military service that sent him to the Middle and Far East with the Royal Marines. In Gardner’s obituary written by Martin Weil for The Washington Post, Gardner apparently assessed himself to be “the worst commando in the world” in spite his knowledge of small-arms and explosives. The knowledge may not have helped him at the time, but coupled with his service experience, would later become significant when he turned to writing.

Writing was apparently not Gardner’s first career choice, although at the age of eight, he announced his intention to become a writer (see John Gardner’s biography at his website). After the war, he attended St. John’s College, Cambridge and became an ordained Anglican priest in 1953, following in his father’s footsteps. However, five years later, he realized he no longer believed in the church, so he was released from his commitment.

As an ex-Anglican priest, Gardner was hired at the Stratford-upon-Avon Herald as a drama critic. The catalyst of Gardner’s life came a year later; he realized he was an alcoholic and as therapy, he wrote an autobiographical book, Spin the Bottle (1964, Frederick Muller Ltd). Thereafter, he figured he just needed to write the great British novel.

Gardner started out writing as he calls “a pretentious piece of rubbish about how governments went around legally killing people.” It was meant as serious fiction, but his agent suggested that perhaps Gardner was better suited with comedy instead. Gardner’s series about secret agent Boysie Oakes resulted: eight novels spanning from 1964 through 1975 plus four short stories.

In 1979-1980, Gardner was approached by Glidrose Publications (Ian Fleming Publications) to write an official James Bond novel. After meeting with Glidrose executives, a one-book deal led to a potential three-book deal, and when all was said and done, Gardner wrote fourteen Bond novels and two novelizations from screenplays. “I have never been really fond of J Bond who is to my mind a fantasy character,” Gardner said. “The directors of Glidrose asked me to update Bond and bring him into the last decade of the 20^th century. I did this with tremendous support and encouragement from the Glidrose Board of Directors and I remain proud that my contribution to the Bond saga played a great part in its development” (John Gardner Biography). Unfortunately, an illness required Gardner to retire from writing the Bond novels and Raymond Benson took over as the official Bond novel writer.

In 2000, Gardner returned to writing with Day of Absolution. He introduced a new leading character, Detective Sergeant Suzie Mountford and Gardner completed five novels for this series before his death in 2007. In 2011, Ian Fleming Publications announced plans to release Gardner’s Bond novels in hardback with their original covers, featuring Richard Chopping’s illustrations (superior covers to the US releases by Pegasus, in paperback no less!).

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.

Two Writers: Higson and Whittingham…Day 184 of Bond 365

Charles Higson

Born this day in 1958

Author, Young Bond series

Charles ‘Charlie’ Higson was born in Frome, England. He has written, starred, produced, directed and sang at some point for television. In 2004, Higson was tapped to write about a young James Bond while attending Eton. He penned five: SilverFin (2005), Blood Fever (2006), Double or Die (2007), Hurricane Gold (2007), and By Royal Command (2008). Also in 2008, along with Kev Walker, the graphic novel of SilverFin was released (pretty good too!). And in 2009, Higson wrote a short story that was included in Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier.

Learn more about Higson at his website. 

Jack Whittingham

Passed away this day in 1972

Original story/screenplay for Thunderball

Jack Whittingham was born in Scarborough, a village in North Yorkshire, England on August 2, 1910. He was educated at Lincoln College, Oxford and worked as an editor/writer for the Morning Post. Whittingham wrote plays prior to serving for England.

After the war, he wrote or co-wrote stories and screenplays for war and period films. By 1950, he was working with Ealing Studios. Most of his screenplays were for films, however he did work on a few television series that included: Danger Man, Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color and Gideon C.I.D.

Whittingham’s life takes a turn when he became acquainted with and collaborated with Kevin McClory and Ian Fleming to write a screenplay for a James Bond film. The project did not come to fruition, and Fleming used the screenplay for the basis of his novel Thunderball. McClory and Whittingham sued, but during the case, Whittingham shifted from co-plaintiff to a lead witness for the suit. Whittingham probably executed this maneuver because he had signed away his rights after he believed the screenplay was completed. The suit was settled in 1963 with the stipulation that credit for the story/screenplay would included credit to all three men. Thunderball was made the first time in 1965 by Eon Productions and then again in Never Say Never Again in 1983. The story credits did not follow the settlement order. In both versions, Sean Connery played James Bond.

Whittingham died of a heart attack at the age of 61 while in Valletta, Malta.

Here is an in depth timeline and insight into Whittingham’s life.

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.

The Living Daylights Premiere and Henchman Janni…Day 180 of Bond 365

The Living Daylights premiere

This day in 1987, the fifteenth Eon Productions’ James Bond film The Living Daylights had its London premiere with a new actor filling the tuxedo. Welsh stage actor Timothy Dalton became the fourth actor to portray the British spy, taking over for Roger Moore. The opening follows Ian Fleming’s “The Living Daylights” story with Bond on a stake out waiting to snipe a beautiful woman assigned to kill a KGB defector. Bond disobeys orders and shoots the assassin’s rifle from her hands instead.

The film starred Maryam d’Abo as the assassin with a cello; Jeroen Krabbe as the defecting officer and Joe Don Baker, the villains; as well as John Rhys-Davis, Art Malik and Virginia Hey. Desmond Llewelyn was back as Q and Robert Brown as M. Caroline Bliss took over as Miss Moneypenny, replacing Lois Maxwell. The film’s budget was $40 Million and box office receipts reached $191.2 Million.  

It has been too long since I watched this Bond film because I do not remember much of it. I definitely need to rectify that. 

Michael Brennan (Aveleyman.com)

Michael Brennan

Passed away this day in 1982

Janni in Thunderball

Michael Brennan was born in London with the birth name of Bernard O’Leary in 1912. According to IMDB, he began acting with a part as ‘John Kidd, Survivor’ in a television movie titled The Fame of Grace Darling (1939). In 1965, he was Janni, a henchman for Largo in the James Bond film Thunderball. Janni is one of the bad guys that presumably gets away after witnessing Volpe receiving a fatal guy shot wound in the back, which was intended for Bond. 

Brennan had a prolific acting career on television and film, which spanned 40 years and over 160 credits. His last role was in the tv series Cowboys (1980) as ‘Picket leader’ in the episode “C.L.O.D.” He passed away at the age of 69 in Chichester, West Sussex. 

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.

Birthdays Times Four: Young, Jenkins, Culver, and Cartlidge…Day 167 of Bond 365

Raymond Young

Born this day in 1918

Sierra in Goldfinger

I wasn’t able to find much on English actor Raymond Young when I was researching details about him. He started acting after World War II in a television movie titled She Stoops to Conquer (1949) in which he played ‘Young Marlow’ in the film. Young made a lot of guest appearances on television shows throughout his career of almost 80 credits. His last role as Porter was in the 1991 Jeeves and Wooster series. He passed away in 2011 at the age of 93.

Geoffrey Jenkins

Born this day in 1920

Author of Per Fine Ounce

Originally from South Africa, Geoffrey Jenkins was a journalist and novelist who wrote several stories about his country. He became a news correspondent during World War II and spent the war years in London working for Sunday Times. He met and became friends with Ian Fleming while at the newspaper.

 In 1959, Jenkins wrote A Twist of Sand, his first novel, which later was turned into a movie by the same name. Released in 1968, it starred Richard Johnson and Honor Blackman and was directed by Terence Young.

Jenkins did some research for Fleming for one of his Bond novels, but unfortunately Fleming died before writing the intended novel. After some back and forth negotiation, Gildrose Productions, which later became Ian Fleming Publications, offered Jenkins the job to write the first continuation novel. Jenkins submitted a manuscript titled Per Fine Ounce, but it was rejected. Sadly, only 18 pages of the story survives.

MI6-HQ has a nice biography on Jenkins here. 

Michael Culver

Born this day in 1938

Man in a Punt in From Russia With Love

Vulcan Bomber Crewman in Thunderball

Michael Culver first casting role was as Det. Con. Haywick in the tv series You Can’t Win (1961). While you may not remember him in his two guest appearances in From Russia With Love and Thunderball, if you are a Star Wars fan, then perhaps you remember him as Captain Needa in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. 

Culver has over 100 acting credits to his name, having appeared on the small screen and the silver screen in the intervening years of his career. In addition, he has been active in the theatre scene that rivals his broadcast projects. When he isn’t acting, he engages in activism to promote peace.

William P Cartlidge

Born this day in 1942

Producer for The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker

Assistant Director of You Only Live Twice

Englishman William “Bill” P. Cartlidge has been a writer, producer and director since he got his start in the business as a Third Assistant Director (uncredited) for Follow That Horse! in 1960. He has worked with two James Bond actors: Sean Connery and Roger Moore. In 2002, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Dinotopia (2002) as an Outstanding Miniseries.

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.

Finding Bond at the Pasadena Flea Market….Day 165 of Bond 365

Although I’ve lived in SoCal for almost five years, it was only today that I ventured into the world of the flea market a la the Pasadena Rose Bowl. Meeting up with a friend who arrived a few minutes earlier, he had an opportunity to scope out a few of the vendors. He found an issue of Life dated October 7, 1966 with Ian Fleming on the cover. At the incredibly low price of six dollars, it was quickly added to my growing collection of Bond and spy-related memorabilia.

The article was part one and was several pages long. I'm looking forward to sitting down and reading the article. However, in the meantime, below are images of either the pages in their entirety or specifically the photos, since in this case, the visual is more important:

At another booth later in the day, I came across this original poster of The 2^nd Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World (1965, UK) for five dollars. The poster is in decent shape, so I picked it up. I haven’t seen the film but hopefully I can find a copy of this James Bond spoof that was shot around London and included a theme song from Sammy Davis Jr and I found it on YouTube:

Those were my finds today. I got a bit too much sun and heat today, but it was a lot of fun. I’m already thinking about trying to find the follow up Life issue, so I can read the entire article.

Have a good week and please stop by again!

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.

Love or Hate, Kevin McClory Has a Place in Bond History…Day 159 of Bond 365

Whittingham, Peter O'Toole, Bobo Sigrist, McClory in 1963 (from 007 Magazine)

Kevin McClory

Born this day in 1926

Original Story, Producer and ‘Man Smoking at Nassau Casino’ in Thunderball

Original Story and Producer for Never Say Never Again

Kevin McClory has an interesting, albeit controversial position within the Bond alums. It’s a long and twisted story in which McClory and screenwriter Jack Whittingham worked with Ian Fleming to develop an adaptation for the screen. Fleming, who had been looking to elevate James Bond to the small or big screen was probably initially ecstatic to have a producer and screenwriter taking interest in his dream. I imagine that Fleming may have thought that he and Bond were finally going to make it big. However, on the way to market, perhaps Fleming realized he gave away the farm so to speak and had seller’s remorse. Whatever the case, a legal battle ensued and McClory won the film rights to Thunderball, as per Fleming and McClory’s agreement.

Because of the court case, the franchise was unable to incorporate Spectre into their storylines until recently. The franchise now has the rights to the use of the secret villainous organization and it should be fascinating to see how it is thread back into the Bond story with Spectre later this year.

If you want to read more about the controversy, there is a copyright section of Thunderball here and Robert Sellers wrote about the case in The Battle for Bond (2007, Tomahawk Press Publishers).  I am fascinated by the case and have yet to really study all of the intricacies of the events that unfolded, as well as how they impacted the franchise. While it is impossible to say how events could have turned out otherwise, McClory's and Whittingham do have a place in Bond history as they were part of the creative force for bringing to life Thunderball and Never Say Never Again. 

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.

Happy Birthday Ian Fleming!...Day 148 of Bond 365

Ian Lancaster Fleming

Born this day in 1908

Creator of James Bond

In honor of Mr. Fleming’s birthday, here’s a BBC documentary about The Real Casino Royale (2006), in which Andrew Graham-Dixon explores the origins and inspiration for Fleming’s first novel that introduced the world to Bond. James Bond.

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.

Happy Birthday to the Legendary Mr. Christopher Lee…Day 147 of Bond 365

Christopher Lee

Born this day in 1922

Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun

Count Dracula. Saruman. Francisco Scaramanga. Count Dooku. Lord Summerisle. The list of memorable characters that leave an indelible mark on popular culture by Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ cannot be overstated. At 93, Lee is an actor, singer, author, and truly a living legend.

His background is fascinating. Born in the Westminster district of London, his parents separated when he was four years old and divorced not long after. His mother moved him and his sister, Xandra, to Switzerland and then back to London, where she married Harcourt George St-Croix Rose, uncle of Ian Fleming and consequently, Lee’s step-cousin. He was a passable student and went to Wellington College. While he had engaged in acting prior to going to college, apparently, he did little to no acting during that time.

In 1939, his mother and stepfather separated so Lee was required to go to work to help support the family. Since the summer months were upon him and that’s when employers went on holiday, there were no immediate positions for Lee. He and his sister went to France that summer. He stayed with the Russian Mazirov family and rubbed elbows with exiled royal families for a time until he returned to London, prior to war breaking out.

Scars of Dracula (1970)

Lee volunteered for military service. First with the Finnish forces in 1939 then for the Royal Air Force, because he did not want to follow his father’s footsteps by serving in the Army. Training to pilot did not work out for Lee; he was diagnosed with optic nerve failure (he suffered headaches and blurred vision symptoms). Since he couldn’t fly but wanted to “do something constructive for my keep” he applied with the RAF Intelligence. He was almost killed in the line of duty several times. Being fluent in many languages (9 actually!), Lee was assigned to the Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects. Lee has mentioned that he was attached to the Special Operations Executive and the Long Range Desert Patrol, precursor to the SAS, but he has declined to go into any details of that part of his service.

Dynamic duo - Peter Cushing and Lee

With the war over, Lee returned to London and to a job with more money, but he was restless and wanted to do something else. A relative suggested he become an actor. It seems absurd, but one person in the industry claimed Lee was too tall to be an actor (he’s 6’5”), but Rank Organisation signed him to a seven-year contract. And in 1947, Lee made his film debut in Corridor of Mirrors directed by Terence Young. Thus began a 10-year apprenticeship in which Lee learned the trade, worked with stellar talent – Laurence Olivier, Peter Cushing, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., John Huston, and Buster Keaton – and proved he could act, in spite of his height!

Trio of Horror: Lee, Cushing and Vincent Price

From the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s, Lee worked in the horror genre via the Hammer films. During that time, he re-teamed with Peter Cushing, but he also worked with horror greats Boris Karloff and Vincent Price, among others. Lee became synonymous with the character Dracula and eventually, Lee was ready to break from that character and pursue other roles.

To me, two films stand out from the others of that time when he was seeking to redefine his filmography away from horror. Lee as Scaramanaga in The Man with the Golden Gun was his second shot at starring in a James Bond film. The first was actually Dr. No. Fleming offered the villainous role to Lee, who accepted, however the producers had already chosen Joseph Wiseman. I think either role would have fit Lee. I’m glad he got a second opportunity. My favorite Lee film of this period however is his portrayal of Lord Summerisle from The Wicker Man (1973). Where else will you get to see a charming (and smiling) Lee singing and wearing a kilt? Joking aside, this is a fascinating film with an amazing soundtrack.

Lee moved to America to continue his shift away from being typecast in the horror genre. He did several American films from the late 1970s and on. And, now into the 21^st century, Lee has continued to work in some of the biggest franchises – Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings – and on a number of Tim Burton films.  He has lent his voice to video games and in the music industry, he has contributed from opera to folk to metal to musicals. His single from Charlemagne: The Omens on Death makes him the oldest performer in the history of heavy metal! Rock on and happy birthday Mr. Lee!

Lee as Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man

As Count Dooku

As Saruman

Note: All images found via Google. 

© Copyright. Michele Brittany. 2011 - 2015. All rights reserved. All text, graphics, and photos are protected by US and International Copyright Laws, and may not be copied, reprinted, published, translated, hosted, or otherwise distributed by any means without written permission.