Hey there! I’m Elliott Morgan, and welcome to The Salon! Today, we’re diving into some cool facts about James Bond. Did you know that in the 1990s, when Pierce Brosnan was James Bond, his contract said he couldn’t wear a tuxedo in any other movie? That’s why he wore a different kind of suit in The Thomas Crown Affair. Let’s explore more interesting tidbits about the world’s most famous spy!
James Bond started as a character in novels by Ian Fleming. The first book, Casino Royale, came out in 1953. Fleming named Bond after a bird expert, thinking it was the most boring name ever. But Bond turned out to be anything but boring!
Geoffrey Boothroyd, a firearms expert, helped Fleming with weapon details for the books. In the movie Dr. No, a character named Major Boothroyd, or “Q,” was introduced. The famous Bond theme music also debuted in Dr. No, but it was originally composed for a different project that never happened.
Some Bond films aren’t considered official by fans. The first-ever Bond film was a 1954 TV movie of Casino Royale, starring Barry Nelson. Another is Never Say Never Again from 1983 with Sean Connery, made by a different company. Fun fact: Ian Fleming only got $1,000 for the TV adaptation!
After Barry Nelson, Sean Connery became Bond, though Fleming wasn’t a fan at first. He later changed his mind and even made Bond’s dad Scottish in the books as a nod to Connery. Roald Dahl, famous for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, wrote the screenplay for You Only Live Twice in 1967.
Did you know Steven Seagal was a martial arts instructor for Connery on Never Say Never Again? He accidentally broke Connery’s wrist! Connery’s brother, Neil, starred in a Bond parody called Operation Kid Brother.
Gert Frobe played Goldfinger, but his English wasn’t great, so his lines were dubbed. Goldfinger was banned in Israel for a while due to Frobe’s past. At the premiere, actress Honor Blackman wore a real gold finger worth £10,000!
We know Bond is 007, but what about the others? Movies mention that 002, 003, 004, and 009 were killed. 006 is a villain in GoldenEye, and 008 is mentioned, but 001 and 005 remain a mystery. In Thunderball, you can see all nine 00 agents from behind.
The song “GoldenEye” was performed by Tina Turner and written by Bono and The Edge. Johnny Cash wrote a song for Thunderball, but Tom Jones got the gig. Other artists like Alice Cooper and Blondie also wrote Bond songs that weren’t used.
In Thunderball, a stuntman asked for extra pay to be dropped into a pool of sharks. Steven Spielberg once wanted to direct a Bond movie but was turned down. Instead, he made Raiders of the Lost Ark with George Lucas.
President John F. Kennedy loved Bond and even had dinner with Ian Fleming. From Russia With Love was the last film JFK saw before he was assassinated.
In Dr. No, Ursula Andress wore a famous white bikini, which she helped design. It sold for £35,000 in 2001! There’s a rumor that Sean Connery filmed a cameo for Die Another Day, but it’s never been confirmed.
In 2010, Aston Martin offered Daniel Craig any of their cars for life. Roger Moore said Craig became his favorite Bond after Skyfall. In 2009, Del Monte released Bond popsicles in the UK shaped like Craig, called “Licensed to Chill.”
Many actors were considered for Bond, like Michael Caine and Mel Gibson. Some, like Cary Grant and Clint Eastwood, turned it down. Thanks for joining me on this Bond adventure! Share your favorite Bond in the comments, and remember to stay awesome!
Research the history of James Bond, starting from Ian Fleming’s first novel to the latest movie. Create a timeline that includes key events, such as the release of significant films, introduction of iconic characters, and interesting behind-the-scenes facts. Use images and brief descriptions to make your timeline visually appealing and informative.
Imagine you are “Q” and tasked with designing a new gadget for James Bond. Think about the challenges Bond might face and create a gadget that could help him. Draw your design and write a short description of how it works and why it would be useful for a spy mission.
Use your creativity to write a short story featuring a new adventure for James Bond. Incorporate some of the fun facts you learned, such as a cameo by a famous person or an unusual gadget. Share your story with the class and discuss how you incorporated elements from the Bond universe.
Choose a James Bond film poster and analyze its design elements. Consider the use of color, imagery, and typography. Discuss how these elements convey the film’s themes and attract audiences. Present your analysis to the class and compare it with other Bond film posters.
Listen to different James Bond theme songs and analyze their musical elements. Discuss how the music sets the tone for the films and reflects the era in which they were made. Create a presentation comparing the themes and share your favorite with the class, explaining why it stands out to you.
Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Hi, I’m Elliott Morgan. Welcome to The Salon! This is Mental Floss on video, and did you know that in the 1990s, when Pierce Brosnan played James Bond, it was in his contract that he couldn’t wear a tuxedo in any other movie? That’s why he’s wearing a unique suit in *The Thomas Crown Affair*. This is just the first of many facts about James Bond that I’m going to share with you today.
As you probably know, James Bond was originally a character in a series of novels written by Ian Fleming. The first one was *Casino Royale*, published in 1953. Fleming named Bond after an ornithologist, or bird expert. According to Fleming, “When I was casting around for a name for my protagonist, I thought my God, James Bond is the dullest name I’ve ever heard.”
A man named Geoffrey Boothroyd, a firearms expert, was in touch with Ian Fleming over the years and provided information about weapons for the novels. In the film *Dr. No*, Major Boothroyd became a character in the series, known as “Q.”
The famous James Bond theme music first appeared in *Dr. No*, but it was actually composed earlier for a musical adaptation of a novel called *A House for Mr. Biswas*. The musical never made it to the stage, and Norman later arranged the song for *Dr. No*.
There are a couple of Bond films that are considered unofficial by fans. The first is a 1954 TV movie adaptation of *Casino Royale*, starring Barry Nelson, who you might know as the manager of the Overlook Hotel in *The Shining*. This CBS movie was the first-ever Bond film, but many fans prefer to forget it. There’s also *Never Say Never Again* from 1983, which starred Sean Connery. It’s not considered official canon because it was made by a different production company than most other Bond films. By the way, Ian Fleming only received $1,000 for that CBS adaptation of *Casino Royale*.
After Barry Nelson, Sean Connery got the role of James Bond, but Fleming didn’t approve of that choice at first. He initially disliked *Dr. No*, but eventually grew to love Connery. In future novels, he even made Bond’s dad Scottish as a nod to the actor.
A screenplay for the 1967 Bond film *You Only Live Twice* was written by Roald Dahl, the author of *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory* and *Matilda*. Steven Seagal was a martial arts instructor for Sean Connery on the set of *Never Say Never Again*, and at one point, Seagal accidentally broke Connery’s wrist.
Sean Connery has a brother, Neil Connery, who starred in a Bond satire film called *Operation Kid Brother* in 1967. A German actor named Gert Frobe played the role of Goldfinger in the film of the same name, but after he was cast, the producers discovered that he didn’t speak English well, so all of his lines were dubbed by another actor.
*Goldfinger* was released in 1964, but because of Frobe’s affiliation with the Nazi Party, the film was banned in Israel for a time. At the premiere of *Goldfinger*, actress Honor Blackman wore a literal Goldfinger made for the occasion, a 22-karat piece for her pinky that was worth around £10,000.
We all know that James Bond is 007, but what about 001 through 006? Movies have mentioned that 002, 003, 004, and 009 were killed at one time or another. 006 is the villain in *GoldenEye*, and while 008 has been mentioned, the movies haven’t told us anything about 001 or 005. However, there’s a scene in *Thunderball* where we see all nine 00 agents from behind.
The Bond song “GoldenEye,” performed by Tina Turner for the 1985 film, was written by Bono and The Edge. Speaking of Bond songs, Johnny Cash wrote one for *Thunderball*, but Tom Jones ended up getting the gig. There’s also a country song called “Thunderball” written for the film. Other artists who performed Bond songs that didn’t end up in the movies include Alice Cooper, Blondie, the Pet Shop Boys, and Muse.
*Thunderball* features a famous scene in which someone gets dropped into a pool of sharks. The stuntman asked for an extra £250 to be dropped into the pool. Steven Spielberg once asked Bond producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli if he could direct a Bond movie, but he was rejected. A few years later, Spielberg was going to ask Broccoli again, but his friend George Lucas advised him against it, saying he had something better: *Raiders of the Lost Ark*.
President John F. Kennedy was a huge Bond fan and once had dinner with Ian Fleming before running for president. The topic of Fidel Castro came up, and it is said that Fleming gave him some advice on the topic of humiliating and killing Castro. *From Russia With Love* was actually the last film JFK ever saw; he had a screening of it at the White House in 1963, just two days before he was assassinated.
In *Dr. No*, actress Ursula Andress has a famous scene in which she wears a white bikini. It turns out that she actually helped the costume designer so that it fit perfectly. In 2001, the bikini sold at auction for £35,000.
There is still some uncertainty about whether Sean Connery filmed a cameo for *Die Another Day*. It was reported that he played Bond’s father, but the producers denied it. Many Bond fans still believe the legend has some truth to it.
In 2010, Aston Martin announced that they would give Daniel Craig any of their cars to drive whenever he wanted for the rest of his life. That’s pretty cool! Roger Moore has a favorite Bond, and he said Daniel Craig overtook Sean Connery as his favorite after watching *Skyfall*. That sounds about right; *Skyfall* was awesome.
In 2009, the company Del Monte released James Bond popsicles in the UK that looked like Daniel Craig with his bare torso. They were called “Licensed to Chill” because sometimes things are just fun.
Finally, I return to The Salon to tell you that many actors have been considered for the role of James Bond over the years, including Michael Caine, Dick Van Dyke, and Mel Gibson. A few have even turned down the iconic role, like Cary Grant, Clint Eastwood, Burt Reynolds, and Liam Neeson.
Thank you for watching Mental Floss on video, which is made with the help of all these secret agents. Leave your favorite Bond in the comments, and don’t forget to be awesome!
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This version removes any inappropriate language and maintains a professional tone while preserving the original content’s essence.
Literature – Written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit. – In our literature class, we are studying the works of Shakespeare, which have influenced countless writers over the centuries.
Performing – The act of presenting a form of entertainment to an audience. – The students were excited about performing their play in front of the whole school.
Arts – Various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, and dance. – The arts festival showcased a variety of performances, including dance, music, and theater.
Character – A person or being in a novel, play, or movie. – Hermione Granger is a beloved character from the Harry Potter series known for her intelligence and bravery.
Novels – Long fictional narratives that describe intimate human experiences. – Many students enjoy reading novels because they can immerse themselves in different worlds and adventures.
Screenplay – A script for a movie, including dialogue and descriptions of characters and sets. – The director praised the screenplay for its engaging dialogue and well-developed characters.
Music – Vocal or instrumental sounds combined to produce harmony and expression of emotion. – The music in the play added to the emotional impact of the story, making it more memorable for the audience.
Actors – People who perform in plays, movies, or television shows. – The actors rehearsed for weeks to ensure their performance was flawless on opening night.
Adventure – An unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity. – The novel’s plot was filled with adventure as the protagonist journeyed through uncharted territories.
Mystery – A genre of fiction that involves a mysterious death or a crime to be solved. – The mystery novel kept readers on the edge of their seats, eager to find out who the culprit was.
