Bondomania!
32 facts, gaffes, double agents and almost bonds!
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1. FACT!
The Japanese title of Dr No was almost We Don’t Want A Doctor – because the title was misinterpreted as “Dr? No!”
2. BAD GUY BLAB
“The satellite is now over Kansas. Well, if we blow up Kansas the world may not hear about it for years...” (Blofeld, Diamonds Are Forever).
3. ALMOST BONDS
The following were considered for Dr No: Cary Grant, Rex Harrison, Trevor Howard, Patrick McGoohan and David Niven. Roger Moore was Fleming’s choice, but was contracted to The Saint.
4. FACT!
In Licence To Kill’s knife-mêlée, Benicio Del Toro accidentally slashed Tim Dalton’s hand for real.
5. DOUBLE AGENT
Joe Don Baker starred in The Living Daylights as evil arms dealer Brad Whitaker. He then went on to play Bond’s CIA pal Jack Wade in GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies.
6. OH, JAMES!
Bond to Christmas Jones: “I thought Christmas only comes once a year!” (The World Is Not Enough)
7. FACT!
The first draft for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service gave plastic surgery as the reason for 007’s transformation.
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8. 00-GAFFE
In Goldfinger, Bond stops the bomb with seven seconds left, yet says, “Three more clicks and Mr Goldfinger would have hit the jackpot!” (The “007” gag was added late, and the line never re-dubbed.)
9. BAD GUY BLAB
“Look after Mr Bond. See that some harm comes to him.” (Hugo Drax, Moonraker)
10. FACT!
SPECTRE was the evil-doing organisation of seven Bond movies. It stands for: Special Executive for Counter Intelligence, Terrorism , Revenge, Extortion.
11. 00-GAFFE
In Tomorrow Never Dies, observe the remote-controlled BMW – in one scene its rear window is smashed, in the next it magically reappears.
12. DOUBLE AGENT
Charles Gray plays Bond’s ally Dikko Henderson in You Only Live Twice – and is killed by one of Blofeld’s henchmen. He then returns as Blofeld himself in Diamonds Are Forever.
13. ALMOST BONDS
Batman Adam West was in the running for the role of 007 for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
14. FACT!
Following The Spy Who Loved Me, demand for white Lotus Esprits shot so high that there was a three-year waiting list.
15. OH, JAMES!
Plenty O’Toole: “Hi, I’m Plenty O’Toole.” Bond: “Named after your father, perhaps?” (Diamonds Are Forever)
16. FACT!
Ian Fleming’s Jamaica neighbour Noel Coward was considered for the part of Dr No. Fleming sent him a telegram offering the role; Coward reportedly sent a three-word response: “No, no, no.”
17. OH, JAMES!
Bond: “You’re one of the most beautiful girls that I have ever seen!” Tatiana Romanova: “Thank you, but I think my mouth is too big!”
Bond: “No, it’s just the right size – for me, that is!”
18. FACT!
Remember the double-taking guy who wonders what’s in his drink when Bond’s Lotus emerges from the sea in The Spy Who Loved Me? He’s Victor Tourjansky, who did the same gag in Moonraker and For Your Eyes Only.
19. ALMOST BONDS
United Artists put forward Burt Reynolds, Paul Newman and Robert Redford for Live And Let Die, because they wanted an American 007.
20. FACT!
Aerial photographer John Jordan had his foot cut off shooting the gyrocopter battle in You Only Live Twice.
21. DOUBLE AGENT
Walter Gotell plays a SPECTRE agent in From Russia With Love. He returns to play KGB chief General Gogol in several more Bonds.
22. 00-GAFFE
When Bond encounters Andrea Anders in the bathroom in The Man With The Golden Gun, a crew member is reflected in one of the mirrors.
23. BAD GUY BLAB
“The distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success.” (Elliot Carver, Tomorrow Never Dies)
24. FACT!
In the first three movies’ gun-barrel opening, 007 is actually played by stuntman Bob Simmons, not Sean Connery.
25. FACT!
During the shoot of From Russia With Love, a helicopter crashed into the sea with director Terence Young on board. He went back to work immediately with his arm in a sling.
26. ALMOST BONDS
Mel Gibson was offered the role in 1981, but turned it down because he “never dug” Bond after Connery quit.
27. FACT!
Eunice Gayson is the only Bond girl to appear in more than one film as the same person – Dr No and From Russia With Love.
28. 00-GAFFE
In A View To A Kill, when Bond and Sir Godfrey are shoved into a lake inside a Rolls-Royce, you can clearly see a wire pulling their car into the water.
29. DOUBLE AGENT
Shane Rimmer is a mission control announcer in You Only Live Twice, Willard Whyte’s assistant in Diamonds Are Foreverand – scoring the Bond bit-part hat-trick – a US sub captain in The Spy Who Loved Me.
30. BAD GUY BLAB
“Choose your next witticism carefully, Mr Bond. It may be your last” (Auric Goldfinger, Goldfinger)
31. OH, JAMES!
M: “My God, what’s Bond doing!?” Q: “I think he’s attempting re-entry, sir.” (Moonraker)
32. FACT!
One plot considered for Diamonds Are Forever had Gert Fröbe returning as Goldfinger’s vengeance-fuelled twin brother.
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