Double O Spies, Both Classic and Coming

Although the actual 60th anniversary of the first James Bond film, Dr. No, debuting in London, England, won’t come until October of this year, you can expect to see plenty of advance publicity.

Managing editor Bill Koenig of The Spy Command, for instance, recently posted a six-part series looking back at that earliest entry in what has since become a highly profitable big-screen movie franchise. Part I focuses on “odd couple” business partners Albert R. Broccoli, an American, and Canadian Harry Saltzman, who collaborated in establishing the series. Part II recalls how Terence Young snared the job of directing Dr. No, and then went on to direct two more of the first four 007 flicks. In Part III, Koenig tells how Scottish actor Sean Connery (“an uncut diamond at the time”) wound up playing Ian Fleming’s suave secret agent, while Part IV sings the praises of Ursula Andress, the franchise’s first “Bond girl.” Part V explains how the movie’s production designer, Ken Adam, established the look of Dr. No. Finally, Part VI assesses that first movie’s legacy, six decades on.

Just for future reference, Dr. No premiered in the United Kingdom on October 5, 1962. It’s U.S. debut wasn’t until May 8, 1963.

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Speaking of 007 and his world, there’s some fresh news regarding that trilogy of modern-day thrillers English author Kim Sherwood has contracted to compose for Ian Fleming Publications and HarperCollins. The Book Bond blog says the first of those three novels (all of which will build around Double O agents other than Mr. Bond himself) is to be titled Double or Nothing, and should reach booksellers by September 1 of this year. Here’s a teaser offering a few plot specifics and the names of Sherwood’s new espionage agents:

James Bond is missing ...
007 has been captured, perhaps even killed, by a sinister private military company. His whereabouts are unknown.

Meet the new generation of spies ...
Johanna Harwood, 003. Joseph Dryden, 004. Sid Bashir, 009. Together, they represent the very best and brightest of MI6. Skilled, determined and with a licence to kill, they will do anything to protect their country.

The fate of the world rests in their hands ...
Tech billionaire Sir Bertram Paradise claims he can reverse the climate crisis and save the planet. But can he really? The new spies must uncover the truth, because the future of humanity hangs in the balance.

Time is running out.

The Web site MI6 notes that “Kim Sherwood makes a nice nod to a fellow female writer in the James Bond sphere with the name of her new agent 003, Johanna Harwood, who in real life worked on the screenplays for Dr. No and From Russia With Love.”