Louis Jourdan in Octopussy
Louis Jourdan, a star of the musical Gigi who later played villains on some spy-related entertainment, has died at 93, according to AN OBITUARY ON VARIETY’S WEBSITE.
Jourdan’s long movie career went back to 1939. By the 1950s, he alternated between film and television.
With his elegant manner, he was perfect to play sophisticated villains. He appeared three times in The FBI in stories involving spy rings or plots involving national security. Perhaps his best appearance on the series was his first, Rope of Gold. In the episode, Jourdan gets to show off his acting ability when his character describes how, as a boy, he killed his father.
Jourdan played villain Kamal in Octopussy. Kamal is conspiring with a Russian general to detonate an atomic bomb at a U.S. base in West Germany. The explosion is to appear to be accidental, which will spur momentum for Europe to ban atomic weapons.
One of the highlights of the 1983 film depicts Bond outcheating Kamal at backgammon (a game 007 actor Roger Moore played with producer Albert R. Broccoli for high stakes). Another, of a sort, is when Octopussy (Maud Adams) confronts Kamal after the plot has been foiled byBond. “Octo-poosy, Octo-poosy,” Kamal says.
UPDATE: Roger Moore sent out the following message via Twitter.
Filed under: James Bond Films, The Other Spies | Tagged: Gigi, James Bond Films, Louis Jourdan, Louis Jourdan dies, Maud Adams, Octopussy, Roger Moore, The FBI, The Other Spies |
The Spy Command 
Loved him in Octopussy. Suave, gentleman old-school actor who played many fine roles, and Octopussy was one of the most underrated Bond films.
very sad news in hearing another iconic bond star has passed
on. the legendary veteran film/tv actor the late Louis Jordan a
fine and very suave gentleman, as what steve powell before me
say’s.
however he will be best remembered as bond villain kamal khan
from bond film classic ‘octopussy’, not one of my favourite bond
films but the action was good,
as the article above mention’s the real high-light of the film was
when roger moore as bond beat’s kamal at a game of
backgammon,
however Louis Jordan had a colourful career away from being in
a bond film. his film credit’s are world-wide known over the decade’s
the late Louis Jordan r.i.p