James Bond spurred production of many spy-oriented movies and TV shows in the 1960s. One Bond-inspired production was a film series that dusted off the character of Hugh “Bulldog” Drummond.
Ian Fleming, in discussing his James Bond novels, said they were written to be modern, including depictions of sex and violence, unlike the Bulldog Drummond stories by Herman Cyril McNeile, writing under the name of “Sapper” and continued by Gerard Fairlie. Over the years, a number of actors, including Walter Pidgeon, Ronald Colman and Ray Milland would portray Drummond.
For the 1960s film series, the producers chose Richard Johnson, an actor considered for the role of Bond in Dr. No. Also chosen were actors who’d appear in later Bond movies, including Milton Reid, Laurence Naismith and Virginia North.
Here’s the first few minutes of the film:
Filed under: The Other Spies | Tagged: Bulldog Drummond, Bulldog Drummond's revival to cash in on spy craze, Ian Fleming on Bulldog Drummond, Laurence Naismith, Milton Reid, Richard Johnson, Virginia North |
The Spy Command 
I just love it .
Despite the cheesy SFX of the times ( reminds me of Goldfinger Learjet crashing in the ocean : even Gerry Anderson did better in those days ! ) , the cast, locations and pure…Fun of the whole thing still brings a smile today ( not sure QofS will do the same in 40 years… )
😀
Btw , am actively searching – in any form – all the other ‘ contemporary ‘ Drummond adaptations…
[…] Read the rest here: 1967: Bulldog Drummond gets revived to cash in on the spy craze … […]
So the assassin goes through an elaborate setup with a deadly trick cigar to knock off that guy, then exits the plane and blows the whole thing up anyway. Why bother? Just knock the guy out and blow the plane.
I live for this stuff.
[…] Johnson did get his turn in the 1960s spy boom. The character of Bulldog Drummond was dusted off and turned into a series of spy films with Johnson as […]