Birthday Wishes to Sir Sean Connery…Day 237 of Bond 365

Sean Connery

Born this day in 1930

Bond. James Bond.

Connery as an infant

Thomas Sean Connery was born to blue-collar parents in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh and is of Irish and Scottish descent. He has a younger brother named Neil, who followed in his older brother’s footsteps by becoming an actor.

Connery as a child - such a cutie! 

Connery held a number labor jobs before going into acting. One of the most unusual jobs, and perhaps a bit macabre, was coffin polisher. For a time, he was a body builder and served in the Royal Navy. IMDB states that he received a medical discharge (stomach ulcers). At the age of 23, he decided to pursue acting.

In the Royal Navy

In 1954, IMDB has Connery’s first role (uncredited) in Let’s Make Up a romantic comedy starring Errol Flynn and Anna Neagle. However, 1957 was Connery’s first good year in acting in which he had his first major role in the film No Road Back and then in the television film Anna Christie the same year.

Connery when he was a bodybuilder

The biggest break came in 1962 of course when, in a smoke filled London club, audience-goers were introduced to Connery as he suavely stated “Bond. James Bond” in Dr. No. He would go on to star as Bond in seven films and voice Bond in the video game James Bond 007: From Russia with Love (2005).

A reflecting Connery

Cemented as a star with the James Bond franchise, Connery has had a successful acting career. I picked out stills from some of the films I have seen him in and enjoyed:

Michael Caine and Connery, The Man Who Would Be King (1975)

Connery, Highlander (1986)

Christian Slater and Connery, The Name of the Rose (1986)

Connery, The Hunt for the Red October (1990)

Connery, A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

Connery has been married twice. His first marriage to Diane Cilento resulted in a son Jason Connery, who became an actor and married actress Mia Sara. They had a son, Dashiell Quinn Connery in 1997. During his career, Connery has been nominated and won many acting awards including multiple lifetime awards. He officially retired from acting in 2006.

Connery in Maclean hunting tartan kilt

On a personal note, I do get to say that I am related (distantly) to Connery as we are both from the clan Maclean.

Connery, in reflection

© 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 Stuntman Eddie Powell….Day 223 of Bond 365

Eddie Powell

Passed away this day in 2000

Stunts in From Russia with Love, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, Never Say Never Again, A View to a Kill, The Living Daylights

Stunt Double for Christopher Lee in The Man with the Golden Gun

Thanks to having a tall, lanky frame, Eddie Powell found himself a regular stunt double for legendary actor Christopher Lee when the actor worked with Hammer Studios during the 1960s. He was also Lee’s stunt double in The Man with a Golden Gun and worked as a stuntman on several James Bond films spanning three decades!

Powell in xenomorph suit on the set of Alien (Gavin J. Rothery photo)

Powell also worked on several other well-known franchises throughout his career. For example, it comes as no surprise that Powell was cast as an xenomorph in Alien (1979) and its sequel, Aliens (1986). He also worked on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Howling II: … Your Sister is a Werewolf (1985), Batman (1989), and two films about Nottingham personality, Robin Hood (1991) directed by John Irvin and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) directed by Kevin Reynolds.

Although the majority of Powells’ credits were for his stunt work, he also did a little bit of acting. As an actor, Powell made guest appearances on the The Avengers television series, as Thompson in Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (1966), and as the third guardian in The Prisoner (1967).

Over at the Gavin J. Rothery - Director - Artist website, for the entry titled Eddie Powell – Alien Stunt Performer there were some lovely behind-the-scenes shots of Powell on the set of Alien.

© 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.

Renaissance Man, Robert Shaw….Day 221 of Bond 365

Robert Shaw

Born this day in 1927

Donald ‘Red’ Grant in From Russia with Love

Robert Archibald Shaw was from Lancashire, England and was one of five children to parents who had careers in medicine – his father was a doctor and his mother a nurse. As a child, his family moved to Orkney, Scotland, in the far north, then southwest to Cornwall. In his early teens, Shaw was inspired by one of his schoolmasters, who encouraged him to read. The teacher would take a few of his students to see plays in London, so on one of those outings, Shaw saw Sir John Gielgud in “Hamlet” (1944) and was later to cross paths with Gielgud at Stratford-on-Avon, where Gielgud told Shaw he admired his acting ability but the young man made him nervous. Shaw went on to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Shaw joined the Old Vic (London) and began stage acting, mostly Shakespearean roles. He also got a start in film and television around the same time. Alec Guinness suggested Shaw for a small role in The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) and then Shaw was cast in a small role in the war drama The Dam Busters (1955). The following year, Shaw was cast as the lead in the television series The Buccaneers as the swashbuckler/ex-pirate Capt. Dan Tempest. From then on, Shaw found steady work, however he kept exploring ways to challenge and express himself through other creative outlets.

I did not know until researching for this spotlight that Shaw had been a writer. He wrote a novel titled The Hiding Place and then wrote the dramatization that was aired in England and in the US. Not satisfied, he became a reporter and covered the Olympics in Rome. In all, Shaw wrote five novels, two adaptations, and a play.

In the early 1970s, American audiences were re-introduced to Shaw in The Sting (1973) where he played crime boss Doyle Lonnegan and was famously stung by Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) and Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford). Shaw was then cast as Quint in Jaws (1975), and he was re-paired with Sean Connery in Robin and Marian (1976). I also remember him as Ned Lynch in Swashbuckler (1976) and as Romer Treece in The Deep (1977).

Shaw was one of the most memorable henchmen of the Bond films, in part because he had such delicious lines! However, I’ll always remember Shaw as Quint and my favorite scene is when Quint recounts the sinking of the Indianapolis and his encounter with sharks. Shaw’s delivery is intense and absorbing and unforgettable. 

Take a look at Shaw's speech in Jaws: 

Shaw passed away at the young age of 51 of a heart attack in August, 1978.

© 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 Graphic Designer That Changed the Face of Bond Credits…Day 220 of Bond 365

Today's spotlight of Robert Brownjohn is particularly interesting to me personally because I am uttering fascinated by typography. Brownjohn's vision and approach to blending fonts and the colorful, crazy and liberating nature of popular culture during the 1960s are probably best represented by his title designs for From Russia with Love and Goldfinger. The power of his modernist vision had a long term impact on the Bond films and became an enduring facet of the franchise. 

Robert Brownjohn

Born this day in 1925

Titles Design for From Russia with Love, Goldfinger

American graphic designer Robert Brownjohn was originally from Newark, New Jersey at the height of the roaring 20s, a time of great artistic experimentation in which new concepts and styles emerged. That, coupled with being a protégé of avant garde artist Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, led Brownjohn’s style to marry a rigid illustrative aesthetic with popular culture during the 1960s.

A page from Watching Words Move

After graduating from the Institute of Design in Chicago, Brownjohn became a freelance graphic design artist. He moved to New York, making a name for himself and fostering friendships within the social scene. While positive for his rising career; there was a darker side – he developed an addiction for heroin. He formed Brownjohn, Chermayeff & Geismar and together they experimented with typographical design with such projects as Watching Words Move. One of their high profile clients was Pepsi-Cola Company. Within a handful of years after starting the company, Brownjohn moved his family to London and a country that was more tolerant of drug use. The company he founded still exists today as Chermayeff & Geismar.

Taking inspiration from Moholy-Nagy's 1920s projects

Settling into English city living, Brownjohn worked with a couple of advertising agencies in London and in 1963, he was approached to replace Maurice Binder, title designer for Dr. No and originally hired to title From Russia with Love. 

Brownjohn looked to his past studies with his mentor Moholy-Nagy, finding inspiration in his mentor’s 1920s constructivist projects experimenting with and projecting light. He took the clean font type and projected the credits against the shimmying hips, seductive rolling bare midriffs and shaking beaded breasts of belly dancers. Depending on one’s point of view, either Brownjohn should be eternally thanked or cursed because his artistic vision led to the franchise’s tradition to have sensual dancing women, wearing little or nothing at all, to be featured in the title sequences of the Eon Productions’ Bond films for many years thereafter.

The progressive graphic artist returned and completed the title design for Goldfinger. However, Brownjohn and Harry Saltzman apparently had a falling out, ending Brownjohn’s associating with the franchise. He did go on to complete the title sequence of two other films: comedy adventure Where the Spies Are (1965) starring David Niven and war mystery The Night of the Generals (1967), which featured a couple of Bond alum villains, Donald Pleasence and Charles Gray.

Sadly, this immense talent was gone at the age of 44 in 1970 when he died from a heart attack. It would have been fascinating to see how his art would have evolved from the influences of disco, punk and new wave sounds of the 1970s and 1980s.

© 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.

Commemorating Cinematographer Ted Moore….Day 219 of Bond 365

Ted Moore

Born this day in 1914

Director of Photography in Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun

Ted Moore was originally from Benoni, Western Cape, South Africa. He moved to the United Kingdom in 1930 and served in the RAF during World War II. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) as well as a French Croix De Geurre. For part of his service, Moore worked with the film unit since by wartime, Moore had already been working as a cameraman in the film industry.

Moore got his professional start as a camera operator for the war drama Sons of the Sea (1939) and get this, an actor by the name of Ian Fleming was cast as a Naval Intelligence Officer – if that isn’t foreshadowing, I don’t know what is?! Some years later, Moore met up with what would become part of the core crew for the Bond franchise in the film Paratrooper (1953). For that film, Terence Young directed, Richard Maibaum was the screenwriter and it co-produced by Albert Broccoli. Further down into the credits, I found stuntman Bob Simmons as well. And, in 1956, Moore, Young and Broccoli joined forces again for Safari. This time, Moore led the Director of Photography for the second unit.

Moore did incredible work on seven Bond films as the cinematographer, creating numerous memorable scenes. Some of the other films that stand out in his filmography that I have seen: The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973), Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977), the disturbing Orca (1977), television mini-series The Martian Chronicles (1980), and the epic Clash of the Titans (1981), which was one of his very last projects.

Throughout Moore’s career, that spanned over four decades, he earned four accolades: for A Man for All Seasons (1966) he won an Academy Award and a BAFTA and for From Russia with Love (1963) he won a BAFTA and recognition from the British Society of Cinematographers.

In 1987, Moore passed away at the age of 72 in Surrey, England.

Interesting fact: Moore and actress Charlize Theron were both from Benoni and each earned the first Oscar for their respective fields (cinematography and acting) as representatives from South Africa. Moore was actually the very first South African to receive an Oscar.

© 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 Director/Producer David C Anderson….Day 216 of Bond 365

David C. Anderson

Passed away this day in 2013

Second Assistant Director for Dr. No

Assistant Director for From Russia with Love

David C Anderson passed away at the age of 72 after a brief illness two years ago. He came from a family of directors and actors. His father is film director Michael Anderson who is probably best known for work on Around the World in 80 Days (1956), The Dam Busters (1955), The Quiller Memorandum (1966), and the television miniseries The Martian Chronicles (1980). His brother is actor Michael Anderson Jr. (Logan’s Run, The Sundowners), and step-brother to The Walking Dead actress Laurie Holden and actor/director Christopher Holden (Silent Hill, Felicity).

Anderson got his start with Dr. No (1962) as an uncredited second assistant director. I wonder how exciting that must have been to work alongside Terence Young, Sean Connery and Ursula Andress and perhaps a chat or two with Mr. Ian Fleming at afternoon tea? Anderson returned to the franchise for a second time as an assistant director in From Russia with Love (1963), which paired him with Young and Connery again.

From that start with the Bond films, Anderson continued to direct, but he branched out into producing. He also dabbled directing and producing shows for television. In fact, he worked with Sir Roger Moore on the television series The Saint for five episodes in 1964. Some other memorable work Anderson was associated with include: The Man Who Would Be King (1975) starring Sean Connery and Michael Caine; The Deer Hunter (1978); and The Eagle Has Landed (1976) which included Donald Pleasence. He also had a few surprises: Tales from the Crypt (1996), Invasion U.S.A. (1985) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986).

Note: The obituary written by Kimberly Nordyke for The Hollywood Reporter (dated August 16, 2013) mentioned that Anderson had worked on Thunderball (1965), but I did not find a credit for Anderson in his IMDB profile.

© 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 ‘The Real Q’ and a Thunderball Actor…Day 179 of Bond 365

John Stears with his land speeder from Star Wars (Wiki)

John Stears

Passed away this day in 1999

Special Effects in From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, The Man with the Golden Gun

Englishman John Stears was nicknamed ‘The Dean of F/X’ or ‘The Real Q’ because of his extensive special effects and innovations portfolio. According to his IMDB profile, Stears created the gadgets on the Aston Martin DB 5 that included the bullet-proof windows, rotating license plates and the machine-guns installed in the front bummers. His contributions do not stop there. He was also involved in the Star Wars franchise and his creativity spawned the lightsaber, the land speeder, the Death Star and robots C3PO and R2-D2.

Stears was nominated for four awards and won three: a Saturn Award for Best Special Effects for Star Wars (1977) shared with John Dykstra, an Oscar for Best Effects, Special Visual Effects for Thunderball (1965) and an Oscar for Best Effects, Visual Effects for Star Wars (1977) shared with John Dykstra, Richard Edlund, Grant McCune, and Robert Blalack.

Paul Stassino

Passed away this day in 2012

Angelo Palazzi and Major Francois Derval in Thunderball

Paul Stassino was born Phaedros Stassinos on the isle of Cyprus. At 17, he traveled to the UK and studied at the RADA in London. He was cast as Chalik in the British tv series Aggie in 1956 and his first filmic appearance was in the Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger Night Ambush the following year. Stassino did quite a few guest appearances on the small screen including working with Roger Moore on The Saint in three different roles in five episodes spanning 1962 through 1969.

Eventually Stassino moved to Greece, then back to Limassol on Cyprus where he was born. He passed away at the age of 82.

© 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.

Actors, a Film Release and a Producer….Day 178 of Bond 365

Happy Saturday one and all! Today started out with yours truly participating in a monthly podcast with three other independent scholars called H.P. Lovecast and as you can probably easily deduce, we chat about horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. This morning, we discussed the short story, Herbert West – Re-Animator, which was serialized in 1922 in the publication Home Brew. We had much to discuss and an hour went quickly. Next month, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, July 18, we will discuss The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath (1926). If you have an opportunity, I hope you’ll check out the first three episodes over at our YouTube station. Now, for some highlights from the world of Bond.

Peter Bayliss from The Suits of James Bond website

 This day in 1922, English actor Peter Bayliss was born in Kingston upon Thames. Bayliss had 80 acting credits to his name according to his IMDB profile that spanned almost 60 year. His first role was an Aide to Mithridates in the film Caesar and Cleopatra (1945). He worked on the small and large screens as well as the theatre. For this blog, Bayliss was cast in the role of Benz in From Russia With Love (1963).

Debbie Letteau (IMDB)

This day in 1956, American blond beauty Debbie Letteau was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her very first role was ‘Girl on the Corner’ in Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and she subsequently had 8 other credits that included television, film and a short film. Her other standout role was the ‘Professor’s Daughter’ in Nicolas Roeg’s The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976).  Letteau’s most recent appearance was in North Country (2005) as a ‘Hockey Game Guest’.

This day in 1973, the theatrical release of Live & Let Die opened in the United States and in the UK in early July. It was the eighth James Bond film and marked the debut of Sir Roger Moore. Guy Hamilton was back behind the camera lens and Bernard Lee as M and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny back again. Desmond Llewelyn was appearing in a television series at the time and although the tv producers wrote him out of three episodes so he could film his parts as Q, Bond producers Harry Saltzman and Albert Broccoli decided to downplay the gadgets angle. Another person unavailable for this film was composer John Barry. Paul McCartney and George Martin were asked to write the theme song and it was performed by McCartney, his wife Linda and his group Wings. It marked the first time the theme was a rock and roll song.

Live & Let Die cast (Wiki)

This day in 1996, long time producer Albert R. Broccoli passed away at his home in Beverly Hills. The cause was heart failure and he was 87. A number of cast members attended the funeral to pay their respects and Broccoli is interred at the Hollywood Hills Cemetery. See this link to his birthday on April 5.

© 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.

Commemorating 100th Year of Young’s Birth…Day 171 of Bond 365

Today was spent at the Richard Nixon Library. It’s not located far from home, but it took having a German friend visit as the impetus for finally going. It was definitely worth the trip and the several hours going through the various wings of the library as well as Nixon’s birth house. I took a lot of photos and notes so I can do a write up very soon that I’ll post here.

On Set (Google Images)

Shaun Terrence Young

Born this day in 1915

Director for Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Thunderball

Writer (Uncredited) for Dr. No

Body Double: Pedro Armendariz in From Russia With Love

Director: Pre-Production for Goldfinger

Shaun Terrence Young was born in Shanghai, China where his father was a Police Commissioner. He attended public school and at some point, moved to England to attend St. Catharine’s College at the University of Cambridge. Young got his start as a writer for The Fugitive (1939), a London Film Studios project about a man who becomes embroiled in blackmail and murder. War interrupted Young’s career as he was commissioned into the Irish Guards.

During the war, he was a paratrooper and was in the battle of Arnhem. He was wounded and convalesced in a Dutch hospital where he met a 16 year-old future starlet, who he directed in Wait Until Dark (1967). That young girl matured into Audrey Hepburn.

Dr. No Set (Google Images)

After the war, Young completed his first directorial debut was on Corridor of Mirrors (1948), a mystery starring Eric Portman, as well as a couple of Bond alums: Christopher Lee (it was his film debut as well) and Lois Maxwell. He also ran into Sean Connery when he directed Action of the Tiger (1957) and that association would become forever immortalized within the franchise. Maxwell recalled “Terrence took Sean under his wing. He took him to dinner, showed him how to walk, how to talk, even how to eat” (Wiki, ‘Terrence Young’). Taking Connery under his wing was not an isolated instance. When I met Luciana Paluzzi at one of the Hollywood Collector’s Show, she talked fondly of Young’s interest in and fatherly guidance he provided her.

Young worked on handful of Warwick films, which were produced by Albert Broccoli and led to Young being hired to direct the first Bond film, Dr. No. It was successful and well received, that Young was brought back for From Russia With Love and again for Thunderball. Although he filled other roles as well on the early films of the franchise, he did move on to direct several more films – 41 credits in all. His last film was Run For Your Life (1988). He suffered a fatal heart attack in 1994 in Cannes at the age of 79.

Bond Trivia: Young’s favorite Bond film is From Russia With Love and he liked to cast Desmond Llewelyn and Anthony Dawson.

© 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.

Happy Birthday Luciana Paluzzi & Hugo De Vernier…Day 161 of Bond 365

Luciana Paluzzi

Born this day in 1937

Fiona Volpe in Thunderball

I have had the pleasure of meeting Luciana Paluzzi a couple of times in Los Angeles for Bond Reunions hosted by the Hollywood Collector’s Show. Each time, she has been exceeding friendly, engaging, and an absolute darling of a lady to meet. She is still gorgeous with her firecracker signature hair and mischievous smile.

Paluzzi was born in Rome at a tumultuous time for Italy and for Europe. Her first role was either in 1953 (according to IMDB), or in the 1954 Three Coins in the Fountain (per Wikipedia), which I just re-watched recently and I think I remember seeing her in her “walk on” role. She had a prosperous acting career in Italy and by the 1960s, she was working abroad as well as in her native country.

She auditioned for the role of Domino in Thunderball, who was originally Italian in the story, but was changed to a Frenchwoman to accommodate the casing of Claudine Auger. However, Paluzzi was offered the role of Fiona Volpe, a SPECTRE agent, and she said that the henchwoman was “more fun to play.” Although Paluzzi is best known for the role, sadly she said that after the publicity and fame died down, she felt she wasn’t taken as seriously as an actress, especially after she returned to Italian parts in Italy.

Hugo De Vernier

Born this day in 1912

Hotel Porter in From Russia With Love

Hugo De Vernier worked 30+ years in the industry as an actor. He got his start with a role in the UK television show The Scarlet Pimpernel in 1956, being cast as a prison guard. De Vernier made guest appearances in several television shows, most notably The Avengers, The Saint, and Secret Agent. Besides From Russia With Love, he was cast in Kelly’s Heroes (1970) as the French Mayor and The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) as a doctor. In all, De Vernier had 41 acting credits to his name before his death in 1993.

© 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.

Showing a Little Knee – Elizabeth Counsell…Day 158 of Bond 365

I have started working on my second book, another anthology, however this one will focus on space horror in film. I have the contract in my hand and an end date as my goal. I’m not sure if any of you here may be interested, but if you are, you can read the call for papers at Space Horror Films. Now onto today’s Bond 365…

Elizabeth Counsell

Born this day in 1942

“Woman in a Punt” in From Russia With Love

Englishwoman Elizabeth Counsell probably had one of the briefest appearances in a Bond film. She said, “I was in a punt going by with an actor called Michael Culver” and hence, her knee appeared in the second film starring Sean Connery.

Counsell got her start in acting back in 1962 when she was case as Thora in Call Oxbridge 2000, a television series. She has starred and made guest appearances in several tv shows and movies over the years in a career that is still going strong. Counsell can be seen in recent projects such as Doctors and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.

In addition to her work on television, Counsell has been active in the theatre where she has performed with Michael Gambon, Michael Redgrave and Vanessa Redgrave.

© 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.

Are You Being Served? Andre Charisse….Day 157 of Bond 365

Happy Saturday! It’s a sunny afternoon in SoCal as I prepare to attend a book launch party this evening. I decided to write this entry with a bit of a creative flair – enjoy!

Andre Charisse

Andre Charisse

Born this day in 1910

Hotel Concierge in From Russia With Love

French Customs Official in Casino Royale (1967)

It was a new decade in Paris, known as the City of Lights, and truly a new era filled with the wonders of modern invention. Andre Charisse (aka Charissi) was born amongst this wonderment and witnessed the growth of a young cinema that was filled with magic. But soon war broke out; it was a brutal war that left nations with shell-shock and broken men to wander the urban landscape that was perpetually in flux.

One lesson of war: life was short and in the interwar years of the 1920s was punctuated with excess and abandonment of the social mores that had governed the generation before. It was a pause, all to brief really, before the darkness came once again and any innocence was lost.

There was little to be found about Charisse. One can only speculate that he must have been impacted by the two wars he experienced during his youth. As such, he did not arrive on celluloid until 1949. He was cast as a “Young Man” (uncredited at that) in Vincente Minnelli’s Madame Bovary, which starred Jennifer Jones and James Mason. I have to wonder how Charisse ended up in American films – was he an expatriate? Why did he start acting? And rather late, at the age of 39? There are many questions and no immediate answers.

Charisse had 57 credits to his name, however he may be missing at least one. While he is listed in From Russia With Love, his part as a customs official in the 1967 version of Casino Royale is not. In any case, it seems as though he was often case as a server/servant role throughout his acting career that spanned the silver screen and the small screen. His last role was in 1975 when he made a guest appearance as M. Fleuriau in the very popular British television series Upstairs, Downstairs. Charisse seemed to have retired from the public, and in 2004, at the age of 94, he passed away in London.

© 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.