James Bond

James Bond is a fictional, sophisticated British secret agent spy character invented by and and appearing in books by Ian Fleming, and later Kingsley Amis, John Gardner and Raymond Benson. Bond has a code name or alias of 007, pronounced: double-oh seven. There are a series of films, and some notable videogames about the character.

Bond movies are known for their cartoonish villans, beautiful women (most of whom end up in bed with Bond), amazing gadgetry manufactured by "Q", played by Desmond Llewellyn in every film until his death in 1999(?), and outrageous stunts. Most had little to do with the real activities of intelligence agencies, involving Bond in various violent acts of derring-do to save the world from various apocalyptic madmen. Despite their description as "thrillers", Bond's cocky character is rarely troubled, regardless of the odds facing him.

Bond's female companions, as well as being beautiful, are often given names that are double entendres, leading to a succession of corny jokes. Examples include "Pussy Galore" in Goldfinger, "Katerina Onatop" (a villan who gets sexually excited by strangling men between her shapely thighs), and "Christmas Jones" (an improbably young and beautiful nuclear physicist who provides the target one of the corniest closing lines in a Bond film). Despite Bond's patronising attitudes towards them, most end up, if not in love with him, lusting for him.

Bond films began to look increasingly unfashionably outdated throughout the 1980's, with the main character's sexism and the fixation with glamorous locations looking anachronistic and his unruffled exterior increasingly incongruous when compared to movies such as Die Hard. After a relatively unsuccessful attempt to turn Bond in a harder-edged direction with Timothy Dalton as the main character, the successful 1990's revival with Pierce Brosnan in the lead role has increasing turned the series into self-parody.

Films

starring Sean Connery

Dr. No, 1962 ("Bond beauty": Ursula Andress)

From Russia With Love, 1963

Goldfinger, 1964 ("Bond beauty": Honor Blackman)

Thunderball, 1965

You Only Live Twice, 1967

Diamonds Are Forever, 1971 ("Bond beauty": Jill St. John)

Never Say Never Again, 1983 ("Bond beauty": Kim Basinger)

starring David Niven

Casino Royale, 1967(a spoof)

starring George Lazenby

On Her Majestys Secret Service, 1969 ("Bond beauty": Diana Rigg)

starring Roger Moore

Live and Let Die, 1973 ("Bond beauty": Jane Seymour)

The Man with the Golden Gun, 1974

The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977 ("Bond beauty": Barbara Bach)

Moonraker, 1979 ("Bond beauty": Lois Chiles)

For Your Eyes Only, 1981 ("Bond beauty": Carole Bouquet)

Octopussy, 1983 ("Bond beauty": Maud Adams)

A View to a Kill, 1985 ("Bond beauty": Tanya Roberts)

starring Timothy Dalton

The Living Daylights, 1987 ("Bond beauty": Maryam D'Abo)

Licence to Kill, 1989 ("Bond beauty": Talisa Soto)

starring Pierce Brosnan

GoldenEye, 1995

Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997

The World is Not Enough, 1999 ("Bond beauty": Teri Hatcher)

James Bond is a heavy drinker, having consumed 93 alcoholic beverages in his films (if 93 drinks in about 40 hours of film time can be considered heavy), and at least 177 in his novels. He has drunk:

51 Champagnes
34 Vodka Martinis
29 Bourbon whiskeys
25 Scotches
17 Gin or undetermined martinis
17 Red wines
15 Undetermined
11 Straight vodkas
10 Brandies or Cognacs
7 Gin and tonics
7 White wines
6 Americanos
6 Raki
5 Beers
3 Old Fashioneds
3 Ouzos
3 Vodka and tonics
2 Canadian whiskeys
2 Enzians
2 Korn Schnapps
2 Stingers
1 Black Velvet
1 Glüwein
1 Irish Coffee
1 Mint Julep
1 Negroni
1 Rum
1 Rum Collins
1 Sake
1 Sherry
1 Slivovic
1 Sparkling wine
1 Undetermined whiskey
1 Vesper martini

James Bond is a household name and has had a definitive impact on the spy genre, including some parodies like Casino Royale, 1967 or the Austin Powers movies.

Video games have been released based on the movies that featured Brosnan. There was also a generic Bond game based on the Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening engine.