Writer selected for Ian Fleming movie

Writer John Orloff, who scripted A Mighty Heart, has been selected to develop a screenplay for a movie about 007 creator Ian Fleming, the Hollywood Reporter disclosed this week. To read the story, click RIGHT HERE. To read a blogger’s take on the project, click RIGHT HERE And for more on Orloff’s career, take a [...]

1964: U.N.C.L.E.’s crew hams it up, aka Richard Donner, ACTOR

No matter how much a writer or a director or a producer accomplishes, some cannot resist the allure of appearing before the camera. Alfred Hitchcock certainly couldn’t and his cameos in his movies probably egged others on. In its first season, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. took the concept further. Four crew members went before the [...]

1983: ABC attempts a TV spy revival

The year 1983 was a big year for spy entertainment. Two James Bond moves, Octopussy and Never Say Never Again came out, prompting an outburst of Bondmania. ABC, looking to cash in, gave the goahead to a new series, Masquerade, in which spymaster Lavender (Rod Taylor) recruits people who’ve never done intelligence work to perform [...]

1972: 007 makes his U.S. television debut; Sam Rolfe revisits the spy genre

In the early 1970s, ABC would run long-form promos where it would spend a half-hour to highlight its programming for the upcoming television season. For 1972-73, that included a segment on the movies that would be shown. Top on the list was Goldfinger, the first 007 movie to appear on U.S. television. The first 35 [...]

2009: Another big 007 centennial year

Last year was the centennial of the birth of James Bond creator Ian Fleming. It was a big year, with the release of a new Bond novel, Devil May Care and the release of the 22nd film of the Eon-produced series Quantum of Solace. It turns out 2009 will also be a major centennial. It [...]

Meet 007 screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz

During its 2007 strike, the Writers Guild of America produced featurettes about its members. One was about Tom Mankiewicz (b. 1942), whose credits include three 1970s James Bond movies, Diamonds Are Forever, Live And Let Die and The Man With the Golden Gun. Mankiewicz also did the final shooting scripts for two Christopher Reeve Superman [...]

007-themed Super Yachts

Well, here’s a devoted Bond fan for you: John A. Staluppi, founder of the Millennium Superyachts shipbuilders, names his signature yacht creations after the James Bond movies. He created the firm to build The World Is Not Enough in 1998, and then went on to build the Octopussy, Moonraker, and Thunderball. The 43.5 m Octopussy [...]

The FBI Vs. Spies — in German!

Back at the mothership, we had a recent ARTICLE about espionage-oriented episodes of The FBI, the long running Quinn Martin show that starred Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Well, here’s one we didn’t get to watch when doing research. We’re not exactly sure what’s going on because, well, it’s in German. But it sure looks gripping. Spy [...]

Patrick McGoohan, RIP

Like many, we were fans of Patrick McGoohan, star of The Prisoner and Danger Man (known as Secret Agent in the U.S.). His persona was unique and he took chances that other stars of his era didn’t. Reportedly, he turned down the role of James Bond, that made Sean Connery a star. But you got [...]

007 back on the big screen

James Bond fans in the New York City metropolitan area have a chance to see three of Roger Moore’s 007 adventures on the big screen. The historic Landmark Lowe’s Jersey Theater, in Jersey City, will be running The Man with the Golden Gun on Friday, January 30, and For Your Eyes Only & Octopussy on [...]