In Memoriam: Bill Gold (1921-2018)

Bill Gold
Photo © billgold.net

Graphic designer Bill Gold has passed away.

Born: 3 January 1921 Brooklyn, New York City, USA
Died: 20 May 2018, Greenwich, Connecticut, USA

007 Travelers sends condolences to his family and friends.

William Gold was an American graphic designer best known for thousands of film poster designs

His first film poster was for "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942), and his.final work was for "J. Edgar" (2011).

During his 70-year career he worked with some of Hollywood's greatest filmmakers, including Laurence Olivier, Clint Eastwood, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Elia Kazan, Ridley Scott, and many more. Among his most famous film posters are those for "Casablanca" and "A Clockwork Orange".

Bond fans remember his posters of "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971), "For Your Eyes Only" (1981) and "Never Say Never Again" (1983)

In Memoriam: Bernie Casey (8 June 1939 - 20 September 2017)

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

007 Travelers is sorry to hear about the death of Bernie Casey 

Born: 8 June 1939, Wyco, West Virginia, USA
Died: 20 September 2017, Los Angeles, California, USA



Bond fans remember him as James Bond's (Sean Connery) CIA ally Felix Leiter in "Never Say Never Again" (1983).

Bernie Casey (Felix Leiter) and Sean Connery (James Bond) in
"Never Say Never Again" (1983)
Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

007 Event: Club James Bond 007 France 20 Years & The Spy Who Loved Me 40 Years (24 June 2017)

What: Club James Bond 007 France 20 Years & The Spy Who Loved Me 40 Years
Where: Paris, France
When: 24 June 2017
Tickets: 130 EUR









Special Bond star appearances:

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Caroline Munro
Naomi in "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977)

Valerie Leon as Lady in Bahamas in
"Never Say Never Again"
Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Valerie Leon
Hotel Receptionist in "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977) and Lady in Bahamas in "Never Say Never Again" (1983)

Shane Rimmer as Commander Carter in
"The Spy Who Loved Me"
Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Shane Rimmer

Commander Carter in "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977)

Hawaii Radar operator (uncredited) in "You Only Live Twice" (1967)

Tom (uncredited) in "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971)

Hamilton (voice, uncredited) in "Live and Let Die" (1973)

Read more here


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In Memoriam: Alec McCowen

Sad news:

Alec McCowen (26 May 1925, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England - 6 February 2017, London England) has passed away at the age of 91.

Sources: The Guardian, The New York Times


He was an English actor and Bond fans remember him for his role as 'Q' Algy  in "Never Say Never Again" (1983).

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

007 Travelers is sorry to hear about his death.  

James Bond's gadget maker also makes virtual reality glasses

Ralph Osterhout got his start helping make props in Bond films. These days he is bringing science fiction to life.

Photo © Recode

It’s a long way from making props for James Bond movies to developing state-of-the art virtual reality goggles. Then again, Ralph Osterhout has had more than three decades to get from Point A to Point VR.

Along the way, he has made diving gear, small submarines and night-vision glasses for the military. He even made a ceramic weapon that President Nixon’s secret service could use on his trip to China, where guns weren’t allowed.

“Crazy stuff like that,” Osterhout said as he recalled his earliest days, getting to know the stand-ins on the set of “The Spy Who Loved Me”(1977). Making working props for Bond films in the 1970s helped launch Osterhout’s career making the impossible gadgets of science fiction into reality.

Osterhout designed and built equipment that appeared in or on:
"The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977), propulsion system on submarine car and chase mini-subs.
"Never Say Never Again" (1983), underwater vehicles that transported bad guy’s atomic warheads. (Wikipedia)

Source: Recode and Wikipedia


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007 Filming location: Casino Royale in Monte-Carlo exteriors / Never Say Never Again (1983)

Bond movie: "Never Say Never Again" (1983)
Place and location in the movie: Casino Royale in Monte-Carlo, Monaco
Actual place and location: Entrance of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Casino Monte-Carlo, Place du Casino, Monaco
What happens here in the movie: Bond enters the Casino Royale, Fatima Blush (Barbara Carrera) follows
Visited by 007 Travelers: 2013

Mika / 007 Travelers

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

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"Älä kieltäydy kahdesti" Nelosella 13.6.2015 klo 21.00 / "Never Say Never Again" on channel Nelonen in Finland 13 June 2015 at 21.00

Mikä / What: Älä kieltäydy kahdesti / Never Say Never Again (1983) (Sean Connery)
Missä / Where: Nelonen / Channel Nelonen in Finland
Milloin / When: 13.6.2015, 21.00






 Kun MI6:n agentti James Bond 007 epäonnistuu rutiiniharjoituksessa, hänen pomonsa M määrää Bondin kuntoutusklinikalle lähelle Lontoota, jotta Bond pääsisi takaisin kuntoon. Siellä ollessaan Bond todistaa salaperäisen hoitajan Fatima Blushin antavan sadomasokistisia lyöntejä potilaalle läheisessä huoneessa. Miehen kasvot on siteiden peitossa ja Blushin lopetettua hakkaamisensa, Bond näkee potilaan käyttävän konetta, jolla hän skannaa silmänsä.

 After MI6 agent James Bond, 007, fails a routine training exercise, his superior, M, orders Bond to a health clinic outside London to get back into shape. While there, Bond witnesses a mysterious nurse named Fatima Blush giving a sadomasochistic beating to a patient in a nearby room. The man's face is bandaged and after Blush finishes her beating, Bond sees the patient using a machine which scans his eye.

Lisää 007 filmejä / See more 007 FILMS here

In Memoriam: Robert Rietty (1923-2015)

Robert Rietty as Italian Minister in
"Never Say Never Again"
Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

007 Travelers is saddened to hear that Robert Rietty has passed away.

Date of Birth: 8 February 1923, Ferrara, Italy
Date of Death: 3 April 2015, London, England
Birth Name: Lucio Rietti


His Bond credits include:

"Dr. No" (1962) as John Strangways (voice, uncredited)
"Thunderball" (1965) as Emilio Largo (voice, uncredited)
"Casino Royale" (1967) as Dubbing (voice)
"You Only Live Twice" (1967) as Tiger Tanaka (voice, uncredited)
"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969) as Casino Baccarat Official (uncredited)
"For Your Eyes Only" (1981) as Ernst Stavro Blofeld (voice, uncredited)
"Never Say Never Again" (1983) as Italian Minister

Besides Sean Connery, he is the only actor to appear in both "Thunderball" (1965) and the re-make "Never Say Never Again" (1983).

He is also known for:

"Hannibal" (2001) as Sogliato
"Omen" (1976) as Monk
"Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) as Majid (voice)

Source: IMDb.com

Bond girl: Nicole

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Bond girl: Nicole
007 Film: Never Say Never Again (1983)
Actress: Saskia Cohen-Tanugi

Bond connection: Bond's MI6 contact in France.

At the charity event in Monte-Carlo casino, Maximilian Largo and Bond play a 3-D video game called Domination, the loser having to take an electric shock of higher intensity or pay a corresponding cash bet, which Bond ultimately wins; Bond then informs Domino of her brother's death. Bond returns to his villa to find Nicole, his French contact, dead, having been killed by Fatima Blush.

See more BOND GIRLS AND OTHER LADIES IN 007 FILMS here

Bond girl: Patricia Fearing (1983)

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Bond girl: Patricia Fearing
007 Film: Never Say Never Again (1983)
Actress: Prunella Gee

Bond connection: A physiotherapist at the clinic.

Shrublands clinic patient Bond met blonde physiotherapist/nurse Patricia Fearing when he accidentally bumped into her in the hallway. He introduced himself: "My name is Bond." She knew of his reputation: "Oh, you're Mr. Bond."

During a painful back-cracking session with her, Bond suggested: "You know, there is a more beneficial therapy for a man's lower back." She replied: "Oh really? What might that be?"
Later that day, she came to his private room's door and personally offered him his healthful dinner on a tray: "I thought I'd surprise you, James." He opened his suitcase, filled with contraband food he had smuggled in: "caviar, quail's eggs, vodka, foie gras" and offered her a bite. 

The next day, as Bond proceeded to work out in the clinic's gym, he informed his doctor that he was a bit piqued, explaining: "I was up all night."


See more BOND GIRLS AND OTHER LADIES IN 007 FILMS here

Bond girl: Lady in Bahamas

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Bond girl: Lady in Bahamas
007 Film: Never Say Never Again (1983)
Actress: Valerie Leon

Bond connection: A tourist in the Bahamas.

Fatima Blush's second attempt to eliminate the agent by placing an explosive under his hotel-room bed and detonating it was also foiled, when Bond decided to make love not in his own room, but in the room of another Bond girl, the Lady in the Bahamas.









See more BOND GIRLS AND OTHER LADIES IN 007 FILMS here

Bond girl: Domino Petachi

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Bond girl: Domino Petachi
007 Film: Never Say Never Again (1983)
Actress: Kim Basinger

Bond connection: Maximilian Largo is Domino Petachi's "guardian," it is well known that she and Largo are long term lovers. She meets Bond at a spa in Monte Carlo, where he poses as a masseur and massages her. This gives her immense pleasure, though she later realizes he is not who he appears to be. She encounters him again at a casino where Bond introduces himself to her. They have drinks together before being interrupted by Largo. The two dance briefly, where Bond informs her about the death of her brother Jack. Bond is then invited to Largo's yacht, where Largo spies on them kissing in her cabin. He leaves Bond manacled near Palmyra, while Domino is auctioned off as a slave to some unsavory Arabs. Bond eventually escapes and rescues her. They are then chased by the Arabs on horseback until the horse jumps off a cliff into the ocean. They are rescued from the water by Felix Leiter and a team from MI6. After their rescue, Domino and Bond track Largo to a location known as "The Tears of Allah". The two take a shower together, and Bond kisses her before heading off to stop Largo. The circumstances of her spearing Largo as he and Bond fight are altered from the original film – it here takes place underwater, with all the characters in scuba gear. The film ends with Bond indicating his intention to retire from MI6 and settle down with Domino.

See more BOND GIRLS AND OTHER LADIES IN 007 FILMS here

Bond girl: Fatima Blush

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Bond girl: Fatima Blush
007 Film: Never Say Never Again (1983)
Actress: Barbara Carrera

Bond connection: Fatima Blush is SPECTRE number 12, and functions as co-conspirator and assassin for Maximillian Largo.

James Bond first encounters Fatima Blush at a health clinic in London. Late one night, he witnesses a mysterious nurse (Blush) giving a sadomasochistic beating to a patient in a nearby room. The man's face is bandaged and after Fatima finishes her beating, Bond sees the patient using a machine which scans his eye. However, Bond is seen by Blush and an attempt is subsequently made to kill him in the clinic gym.

Blush and her charge, a United States Air Force pilot named Jack Petachi, are operatives of SPECTRE, a criminal organisation run by Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Petachi has undergone an operation on his right eye to make it match the retinal pattern of the US President, which he uses to circumvent security at an American military base in England. While doing so, he replaces the dummy warheads in two cruise missiles with live nuclear warheads; SPECTRE then obtains the warheads to extort billions of dollars from NATO governments. Blush subsequently murders Petachi by throwing a snake into his car and finishing the job with C4 explosives.

Later, while investigating in Nice Bond returns to his villa to find Nicole, his French contact, dead, having been killed by Blush. After a vehicle chase on his motorbike, Blush captures Bond and holds him at gunpoint. In a neurotic twist, 007 is forced to write his memoirs putting her as the "Number One" sexual partner he encountered, Bond uses his Q Branch fountain pen to shoot Blush with a rocket dart. Ironically, nothing is left but her high heel shoes.

See more BOND GIRLS AND OTHER LADIES IN 007 FILMS here

007 Filming location: Bond's "villa"

BOND'S "VILLA"

Bond movie: Never Say Never Again (1983)
Place and location in the movie: Near Nice, France
Actual place and location: La Castellet Villa Park, Avenue de L' Olivier, Villefranche-Sur-Mer, France
What happens here in the movie: Bond and Felix Leiter observe Largo's yacht
Visited by 007 Travelers: 2013

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

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007 Filming location: The harbour where Bond follows Domino / Never Say Never Again (1983)

THE HARBOUR WHERE BOND FOLLOWS DOMINO

Bond movie: Never Say Never Again (1983)
Place and location in the movie: Near Nice, France
Actual place and location: Place Amelie Pollonais - Avenue Sadi Carnot, Villefranche-Sur-Mer, France
What happens here in the movie: Bond follows Domino Petachi.
Visited by 007 Travelers: 2013

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

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Bond villain: Maximilian Largo

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Bond villain: Maximilian Largo

007 Film: Never Say Never Again (1983)
Actor: Klaus Maria Brandauer

Mission:
Hold world powers for ransom with nuclear weapons.

Fate of the Bond villain:
Shot in the back with harpoon by Domino.

See more information here

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Bond villain: Ernst Stavro Blofeld

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Bond villain: Ernst Stavro Blofeld

007 Film: From Russia With Love (1963)
Actors: Anthony Dawson (body), Eric Pohlmann (voice)
Mission: Humiliating MI6 for the death of Julius No by using Russian agent Tatiana Romanova and a Soviet decoding device as bait to lure James Bond into a trap, killing him and leaking compromising photos of Bond and Tatiana to the press before selling the decoder back to Moscow.
Fate of the Bond villain: Survives (No contact between him and Bond)


007 Film: Thunderball (1965)
Actors: Anthony Dawson (body), Eric Pohlmann (voice)
Mission: Use stolen nuclear missiles to extort money from the United Kingdom.
Fate of the Bond villain: Survives (No contact between him and Bond)


007 Film: You Only Live Twice (1967)
Actor: Donald Pleasence
Mission: Capture United States & Soviet spacecraft from orbit in order to provoke war between the superpowers on behalf of an undisclosed Asian country.
Fate of the Bond villain: Survives.


007 Film: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Actor: Telly Savalas
Mission: Extort the world with viruses that render crops and livestock totally infertile.
Fate of the Bond villain: Survives.


007 Film: Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Actor: Charles Gray
Mission: Create an industrial laser attached to satellite and magnified by diamonds, which is capable of destroying targets anywhere on the face of the Earth. Used to target nuclear stockpiles of countries that refuse to pay him.
Fate of the Bond villain: Presumed dead.


007 Film: For Your Eyes Only (1981)
"Wheelchair villain" (implied to be Ernst Stavro Blofeld)
Actors: John Hollis (body), Robert Rietty (voice)
Mission: To kill Bond as revenge by remotely hijacking Bond's helicopter and making it crash.
Fate of the Bond villain: Presumed dead after Bond drops him in a smokestack.


007 Film: Never Say Never Again (1983)
Actor: Max von Sydow
Mission: Hold world powers for ransom with nuclear weapons.
Fate of the Bond villain: Survives. No contact with Bond.


007 Film: SPECTRE (2015)
Actor: Christoph Waltz
Mission: Gain political power by bringing the world's intelligence agencies under his control through the "Nine Eyes" program; also kill Bond for supposedly stealing his father's love and for ruining several of his previous plans.
Fate of the Bond villain: He receives a facial scar due to Q's exploding watch. Captured and arrested by MI6.


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007 Filming location: Stairs, which Bond drives down with his motorcycle / Never Say Never Again (1983)

STAIRS, WHICH BOND DRIVES DOWN WITH HIS MOTORCYCLE

Bond movie: Never Say Never Again (1983)
Place and location in the movie: Somewhere near Nice, France
Actual place and location: Eglise St. Michel (Saint-Michel Archange Basilica) / St. Michel's Square, Menton, France
What happens here in the movie: Bond chases Fatima Blush
Visited by 007 Travelers: 2013

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

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