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A guide to the references and trivia of the James Bond films
20 pieces of Goldfinger Trivia, part 1
1) Gert Fröbe, although a brilliant choice for the title role, had such a heavy German accent, his lines were dubbed by Michael Collins. 2) The golfball of Bond’s choice is a Penfold Hearts. 3) Nadia Regin who plays Bonita in the Pre-Title Sequence also starred as Kerim Bey’s mistress in From Russia with Love. […]
Posted in: Goldfinger
The Downton Abbey connections
November 15, 2014
I take it that you all are watching Downton Abbey. What are the apparent connections between Bond and Downton? Julian Fellowes, the creator and screenplay writer of Downton, is also an actor and played the Defence Minister in Tomorrow Never Dies. Hugh Bonneville, playing the patriarch of Downton, is one of the crew members of […]
Dick Tracy
September 29, 2014
It was a tough situation for James Bond (Roger Moore) in San Francisco, back in 1985 and “A View to a Kill“, having survived a burning lift shaft and after carrying a weakend geologist down a fire ladder being faced with a murder charge. Bond has to drop his alias of James Stock of the […]
Posted in: A View to a Kill
Bond/Ladies age difference
July 27, 2014
This is a list of the age difference beteende Bond and the Bond girl, approx. It has been calculated like this: Formula: X (Bond girl actress birth year) – Y (Bond actor birth year) Roger Moore might have youthful looks but is often old enough to be the father of his leading lady. The only […]
Posted in: A View to a Kill, Casino Royale, Diamonds are Forever, Die Another Day, Dr No, For your Eyes only, From Russia with Love, GoldenEye, Goldfinger, Licence to Kill, Live and let Die, Moonraker, Never Say Never Again, Octopussy, On her Majesty's Secret Service, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, The Living Daylights, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy who loved me, The World is not enough, Thunderball, Tomorrow Never Dies, You only live twice
Who’s Who of Knives in Backs
January 22, 2014
When Silva dropped dead after getting an old-fashioned knife in his back in “Skyfall“, it wasn’t the first time someone expired like that. I hope this is a full list. Let me know if anyone is missing. Victim first, perpetrator second Ali Kerim Bey – Donald Grant “From Russia with Love” Dikko Henderson – Random […]
20 pieces of GoldenEye Trivia, part 1
December 31, 2013
1) “GoldenEye” is the name of Ian Fleming’s Jamaica house. 2) There is another film called “Goldeneye“. It was a 1989 TV movie about the secret life of Ian Fleming. Charles Dance, also known as a “For your eyes only” henchman, starred as Ian Fleming. 3) When released in 1995 it was the first Bond […]
Posted in: GoldenEye
“Another Time, Another Place”
December 30, 2013
James Bond (Sean Connery) Bond is leaving Shrublands in “Thunderball“. Ms Fearing (Mollie Peters) follows him to the parked Aston Martin and she appears to be quite keen to continue their romance. “Any time, James. Any place”, she says. Bond replies: “Another time, another place”. And drives off. Not only an eloquent yet harsch reply […]
Posted in: Thunderball
For your eyes only: Rare Sheena Easton Demo
December 29, 2013
Youtube is a great resource. In January 2010 a video was uploaded of a rare demo version of Sheena Easton’s Bond theme “For your eyes only“. It has a typical demo sound to it but what’s interesting is the alternate lyrics. Here they are in full. Enjoy! Music: Bill Conti. Lyrics: Michael Leeson. Recorded Demo […]
Posted in: For your Eyes only
When Bond yelled like Tarzan
December 27, 2013
Surely one of the worst gags of the series: James Bond being chased by Kamal Kahn’s posse swings himself along the vines and yells like Tarzan. Come on! Comic relief yes, but if “Octopussy” would be anymore relieved the film would let loose from the reel. The Tarzan yell has a great page on Wikipedia, actually so there’s […]
Posted in: Octopussy
The Bill Tanners
December 22, 2013
This is the full list of actors who have portrayed one of Bond’s best friends, Secret Service Chief of Staff Bill Tanner. Michael Goodliffe as the Chief of staff in “The Man with the Golden Gun” James Villiers as Tanner, M’s replacement in “For your eyes only” Michael Kitchen as Bill Tanner in “GoldenEye” and […]
Milos Colombo
December 20, 2013
Milos Colombo is one of the more memorable Bond allies. His entrance in “For your eyes only” gives its second half extra energy. Much thanks to actor Chaim Topol. As for the name Colombo it is a Fleming original. Enrico Colombo features in the short story “Risico” that was adapted into the “For your eyes […]
Posted in: For your Eyes only
Black Velvet
August 29, 2013
In the very first scene of “The Man with the Golden Gun” Scaramanga gets out of the sea and sits by the water with his lady Ms Anders. Nick Nack serves him Guinness and Moet Chandon to make a “Black Velvet“. “Black Velvet”, Francisco Scaramanga’s choice of drink is simply a mixed drink stout beer […]
Posted in: The Man with the Golden Gun
Novelizations
August 22, 2013
Seven James Bond films have been published as novelizations. They differ from the Ian Fleming novels as they are based on the movie scripts rather than Fleming’s original Bond stories. Starting in 1977 with script writer Christopher Wood’s novelization of “The Spy who loved me” and ending with the 2002 Raymond Benson’s novelization of “Die […]
The Guns of Navarone Connections
August 16, 2013
It is impossible not to be keen on the various connections the James Bond films hold to other films and film series. One such film is “The Guns of Navarone” (1961). As mentioned in the post about Melina Havelock “For yor eyes only” screenplay writers Dick Maibaum and Michael Wilson set a large portion of the film in Greece as they […]
Middle names
August 3, 2013
Precisely, what are the James Bond actors’ middle names? In fact sometimes their first names are their middle names. So be it. Here’s the list: Thomas Sean Connery George Robert Lazenby Roger George Moore Timothy Peter Dalton Pierce Brendan Brosnan Daniel Wroughton Craig and of course… James David Graham Niven Robert Haakon Nielsen (Barry Nelson)
Posted in: A View to a Kill, Casino Royale, Casino Royale 1967, Diamonds are Forever, Die Another Day, Dr No, For your Eyes only, From Russia with Love, GoldenEye, Goldfinger, Licence to Kill, Live and let Die, Moonraker, Never Say Never Again, Octopussy, On her Majesty's Secret Service, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, The Living Daylights, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy who loved me, The World is not enough, Thunderball, Tomorrow Never Dies, You only live twice
Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka
July 29, 2013
You know the “Moonraker” scene: Bond is being attacked while riding a gondola in Venice. His gondoleer is killed by the knife-throwing coffin bloke who soon enough gets it as Bond simply throws back one of mister-coffin-who-really-belongs-in-a-60’s-batman-episode. Then a chase commences, as it turns out Bond’s gondola is probably slightly modified by Q branch.As Bond […]
Posted in: Moonraker
Chrome the parrot
July 22, 2013
If you haven’t got “The Making of the The Living Daylights” by Charles Helfenstein, you simply must get a hold of a copy. Words cannot describe its brilliance. It’ll surely be a source reference of future posts here on “007 Under the Mango Tree“. For instance, in this fine book we can read about Chrome […]
20 pieces of OHMSS Trivia, part 1
July 9, 2013
1) It is the second and so far the last time, that the producers’ names are included in text in the Gunbarrel sequence: Albert R. Broccoli & Harry Saltzman. The first film being “Dr No“. 2) “You only live twice” (1967) and “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” (1969) were filmed in the wrong order if […]
Posted in: On her Majesty's Secret Service
Chimera
June 27, 2013
In “Skyfall” the name of Severine’s yacht is “Chimera“. The yacht used in the film is called “Regina” and was built in Bodrum, Turkey by Medyat Yacht Building, for company Pruva Yachting in 2011. In november 2012 it was reported that the yacht was up for sale for approx. 11 million Euros. As for the […]
Posted in: Skyfall
First lines of the James Bond actors
June 20, 2013
“I admire your courage, Miss…” Sean Connery, “Dr No” (1962) “Good morning! My name´s Bond. James Bond. Miss erm… ?” George Lazenby, “On her Majesty’s Secret Service” (1969) “Not married, by any chance, are you?” Roger Moore, “Live and let die” (1973) “I need to use your phone. She’ll call you back. Exercise control, 007 here. I’ll […]
The Moneypenny actresses
June 11, 2013
This is a full list of the actors who have portrayed Miss Moneypenny Lois Maxwell 1962-1985 Dr No From Russia with Love Goldfinger Thunderball You only live twice On Her Majesty’s Secret Service Diamonds are Forever Live and let Die The Man with the Golden Gun The Spy who loved me Moonraker For your eyes only […]
Posted in: A View to a Kill, Casino Royale 1967, Diamonds are Forever, Die Another Day, Dr No, For your Eyes only, From Russia with Love, GoldenEye, Goldfinger, Licence to Kill, Live and let Die, Moonraker, Never Say Never Again, Octopussy, On her Majesty's Secret Service, Skyfall, Spectre, The Living Daylights, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy who loved me, The World is not enough, Thunderball, Tomorrow Never Dies, You only live twice
Manticore
June 5, 2013
The yacht in “GoldenEye” (1995) where vicious femme fatale Onatopp and her Canadian Admiral Ferrell reside is called “Manticore“. The ship’s real name is Northern Cross, at the time a $15 million yacht, then owned by Finnish business man Jorma Lillbacka of company Finn-Power. It has a crew of eight. Top speed is 28 knots. Range: […]
Posted in: GoldenEye
Red Stripe
May 22, 2013
Red Stripe is one of Jamaica’s strongest brands. It is intimately associated with reggae and dancehall music and the company has also been a sponsor of Jamaican athletes and sport teams. Although Bond never drinks Red Stripe on screen in “Dr No”, there is a classic publicity shot of a resting Sean Connery next to […]
Posted in: Dr No
Angel cake
May 15, 2013
There are numerous enjoyable scenes of Bond and Moneypenny flirting. In “Goldfinger“, Moneypenny tries the “I’ll-make-you-a-nice-dessert-trick”. “What about tonight? Come round for dinner and I’ll cook you a beautiful angel cake,” she says. As it turns out Bond is actually having dinner with M and Colonel Smithers from The Bank of England. It is a […]
Posted in: Goldfinger
Nymphalis polychloris
May 9, 2013
The former M, Sir Miles Messervy, is a keen amateur lepidopterist. This we learn in “On her Majesty’s Secret Service” (OHMSS) when Bond visits him in his home. Bond watches M who handles a butterfly in his collection and Bond says: “Unusually small for a Nymphalis polychloris.” The butterfly Nymphalis polychloros (Latin name given by […]
Posted in: On her Majesty's Secret Service
James Bond Release dates: UK, USA and Sweden
April 29, 2013
When realising that my wife’s birthday is on the same date of the Swedish premiere of “Dr No”: 29 April, I just had to put together a list like this. So, here we go. All Bond release dates in United Kingdom, United States of America and my native Sweden. Mind you that the American ones […]
Posted in: A View to a Kill, Casino Royale, Casino Royale 1967, Diamonds are Forever, Die Another Day, Dr No, For your Eyes only, From Russia with Love, GoldenEye, Goldfinger, Licence to Kill, Live and let Die, Moonraker, Never Say Never Again, Octopussy, On her Majesty's Secret Service, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, The Living Daylights, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy who loved me, The World is not enough, Thunderball, Tomorrow Never Dies, You only live twice
Skyfall Trivia Tweets
April 20, 2013
The official James Bond Twitter account has posted some Skyfall Trivia. Here is a summary of their tweets. Some of the content has already been addressed here on “007 Under the Mango Tree” #SKYFALL trivia: #SKYFALL is only the second film in which James Bond suffers a gunshot wound. The other time is in THUNDERBALL. […]
Posted in: Skyfall
See you later, alligator
April 13, 2013
James Bond leaves the room in Shrublands after snogging Ms Pat Fearing, in “Thunderball“. “See you later”, he says and after shutting the the door he finishes the catchphrase with “alligator.” So it seems. Thanks to one of our readers (see commen section below) we rather think that Connery says “Irrigator” as he is looking […]
Posted in: Thunderball
The M actors
April 2, 2013
So, which actors have portrayed M? Here is the full list. Bernard Lee 1962-1979 Dr No From Russia with Love Goldfinger Thunderball You only live twice On her Majesty’s Secret Service Diamonds are Forever Live and let die The Man with the Golden Gun The Spy who loved me Moonraker Robert Brown 1983-1989 Octopussy A […]
Posted in: A View to a Kill, Casino Royale, Casino Royale 1967, Diamonds are Forever, Die Another Day, Dr No, For your Eyes only, From Russia with Love, GoldenEye, Goldfinger, Licence to Kill, Live and let Die, Moonraker, Never Say Never Again, Octopussy, On her Majesty's Secret Service, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, The Living Daylights, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy who loved me, The World is not enough, Thunderball, Tomorrow Never Dies, You only live twice
Kronsteen’s Chess
March 17, 2013
“I believe that the most unforgettable game was the one that I played vs Bronstein in 1960. The balance between the strategy and the tactics was excellent. The idea was so good that it was used in a James Bond’s film”. – Boris Spassky, chess.com SPECTRE No.5, Mr Kronsteen is iconic. With sparse screen time, […]
Posted in: From Russia with Love
Melina Havelock
March 8, 2013
One of the best female leads in the Bond film series is without a doubt Carole Bouquet’s Melina Havelock of ”For your eyes only”. The character kept her surname from the Fleming short story, also titled ”For your eyes only”, but had her first name changed from Judy to Melina. Screenplay writers Dick Maibaum and […]
Posted in: For your Eyes only
Barcelona chairs in M’s flat
February 27, 2013
In ”Casino Royale” James Bond breaks in to M’s home to use her computer. She walks in on him, annoyed with his arrogant cheek and a great scripted as well as directed scene follows. Both Bond and M sit in her Barcelona chairs. M’s got three (perhaps a fourth for the balance but it’s not visible on-screen) […]
Posted in: Casino Royale, Thunderball
The Felix Leiter actors
February 19, 2013
This is a full list of the actos who have portrayed James Bond’s C.I.A ally and friend Felix Leiter. Jack Lord in “Dr No” (1962) Cec Linder in “Goldfinger” (1964) Rik van Nutter in “Thunderball” (1965) Norman Burton in “Diamonds are Forever” (1971) David Hedison in “Live and let Die” (1973) & “Licence to Kill” (1989) […]
Chemnitz, better known as Karl-Marx-Stadt
February 16, 2013
”Well, l have to go to a circus in Karl-Marx-Stadt”, says Roger Moore’s James Bond in ”Octopussy.” Now, did you ever look at a map of Germany and thought ”I wonder where that Karl Marx Stadt is?” Well, if you had a map printed later that 1990 or just finger-scrolling your smartphone you simply wouldn’t […]
Posted in: Octopussy
No such thing as a Dom Perignon ’57
February 9, 2013
In “On her Majesty’s Secret Service” James Bond happens to order a Dom Perignon that does not exist. Bond saves Tracy at the baccarat table in the Hotel Estoril Palacio, Portugal. She goes to a dining table, Bond follows her and orders a Dom Perignon ’57, but before the order arrives Tracy hands Bond her […]
Posted in: On her Majesty's Secret Service
Jaws’ mother calls him Zbigniew
February 2, 2013
The steel-teethed Jaws of “The Spy who loved me” and “Moonraker” is undeniably the most popular and widely known henchman of the James Bond films. His popularity was correctly predicted so that he survived his first 007 outing and went on turn good in his second. Actor Richard Kiel will always be best remembered for his portrayal […]
Posted in: Moonraker, The Spy who loved me
Rum Collins
January 30, 2013
In “Thunderball”, Emilio Largo and James Bond enjoy a Rum Collins when Bond visits Palmyra, home of the SPECTRE no. 2 They are served drinks by Largo’s waiter and when Largo turns to his other employees Yanni and Vargas, he offers one to the latter but… Largo: “Of course! Vargas does not drink. Does not […]
Posted in: Thunderball
A Bloody Big Ship
January 26, 2013
James Bond is to meet his new Quartermaster in the National Gallery, located at Trafalgar Square , London. The theme of old versus new is always present in ”Skyfall” as well as in this scene. Bond sits, awaiting Q in Room 34 of the National Gallery, looking at the 1838 painting by J.M.W. Turner ”The […]
Posted in: Skyfall
The Oscar winning cast
January 22, 2013
The Oscars are coming up and I thought you’d like to know which James Bond actors who have been awarded Oscars and those who were nominated. I think this is a full list. Let me know if anyone’s missing. (For James Bond films Oscar wins and nominations, click here) During Bond tenure Judi Dench “Shakespeare […]
Woman with Fan
January 18, 2013
Among the references of older Bond films and the 50th anniversary in “Skyfall“, one of my favourites is the painting shown by Severeine in the Shanghai skyscraper offering the ill-fated Asian businessman “Woman with fan” seconds before he gets a Patrice bullet in the head. The Shanghai Art Collector was played by Dave Wong. “Woman with […]
Posted in: Skyfall
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Not Bond, James Bond – your daily 007 quote
- "When you got a job to do
You gotta do it well
You gotta give the other fellow hell" March 4, 2014““When you got a job to do You gotta do it well You gotta give the other fellow hell”” - Now, Sir Paul this “other fellow” you’re talking about, who might that be? In Bond the “other fellow” is Sean Connery
- "Elektra is wealthy, she is an aristocratic woman. The you find out she is a villainess, And so her..." March 3, 2014““Elektra is wealthy, she is an aristocratic woman. The you find out she is a villainess, And so her costumes had to keep growing because he character was slowly revealed.”” - Costume Designer Lindy Hemming about Elektra King, in “The World is not enough.”
- "Relax Felix" March 2, 2014““Relax Felix”” - Bond got the ring, in “Licence to Kill.”
- "Whose funeral is it?" March 1, 2014““Whose funeral is it?”” - famous last words from agent Hamilton, in “Live and let die.”
- "Nick Nack. Tabasco!" February 28, 2014““Nick Nack. Tabasco!”” - Francisco Scaramanga (Christopher Lee) likes his oysters spicy, in “The Man with the Golden Gun.”
- "Excuse me" February 27, 2014““Excuse me”” - a rather polite thing to say before knocking someone out cold as Bond does in “From Russia with Love”
- "What about tonight? Come round for dinner and I’ll cook you a beautiful angel cake" February 26, 2014““What about tonight? Come round for dinner and I’ll cook you a beautiful angel cake”” - Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell) tries the old “’ll-make-you-a-nice-dessert-trick in “Goldfinger.”
- "Being part of the most successful series of films in history and playing the main villain was –..." February 25, 2014““Being part of the most successful series of films in history and playing the main villain was – let’s face it – pretty remarkable. As a kid, you either wanted to play Bond or a Bond villain. Ask any of my friends in entertainment, whether they are actors or writers or producers or directors, and they will tell you that they’d love to play a Bond baddie. I […]
- "Just Fields!" February 24, 2014““Just Fields!”” - but the credits say Strawberry Fields although the name never revealed in dialogue. Gemma Atherton in “Quantum of Solace.”
- "You’re going after Sanchez, aren’t you?" February 23, 2014““You’re going after Sanchez, aren’t you?”” - well Ms Bouvier you obviously didn’t read the back of the DVD, “Licence to Kill” that is.
007 Under the Mango Tree 
November 16, 2014
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