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AR15.COM
12/15/2012 12:46:39 PM EDT
Settle an argument:  are all the actors who play James Bond playing the same person or is "James Bond" a cover name given to whoever has the 007 rating?
12/15/2012 12:48:45 PM EDT
[#1]
Click To View Spoiler
12/15/2012 12:48:53 PM EDT
[#2]
One guy.
12/15/2012 12:49:53 PM EDT
[#3]
and he works for international exports
12/15/2012 12:50:03 PM EDT
[#4]
One guy. 007 is the number. They often bring up 00* in talking about other agents
12/15/2012 12:51:18 PM EDT
[#5]
Every heterosexual male knows this.
12/15/2012 12:51:23 PM EDT
[#6]
Same guy.

The bourne series did it the other way.
12/15/2012 12:53:51 PM EDT
[#7]
Smiert Spionam
12/15/2012 12:54:54 PM EDT
[#8]
It's one guy created by Ian Flemming. One could argue that Hollywood and Sean Connery's acting helped create the movie version of James Bond which is little different than the original creator's.

Danial Craig is supposed to be playing a Bond closer to Flemming's version, but I for one don't care for it.





Speed
12/15/2012 12:55:00 PM EDT
[#9]
Quoted:
One guy. 007 is the number. They often bring up 00* in talking about other agents


This, though I do believe that if an agent dies, another agent may assume that number. For example: Frank, aka 003 gets shot in the face. Robert gets promoted to 00 status and is given the number 003.

Goldeneye has a lot of background on Bond too, but I'm not sure if they are in the same storyline. The Daniel Craig storyline seems like a reboot.
12/15/2012 12:58:26 PM EDT
[#10]
One person, married to one girl (Diana rigg's Tracy di Vicenzo -- killed because James Bond never made sure he killed the bad guys... no double tap... no neck snapping... no whatever they're supposed to do!)
12/15/2012 1:21:30 PM EDT
[#11]
If I recall correctly the 00 numbers were a license to kill for the state.
12/15/2012 1:27:16 PM EDT
[#12]



Quoted:


It's one guy created by Ian Flemming. One could argue that Hollywood and Sean Connery's acting helped create the movie version of James Bond which is little different than the original creator's.

Danial Craig is supposed to be playing a Bond closer to Flemming's version, but I for one don't care for it.





Speed


Still better than watching Pierce Brosnan parasail off of a glacier that's being melted by a space laser, or sexagenarian Roger Moore fight Christopher Walken in a blimp.



 
12/15/2012 1:30:57 PM EDT
[#13]
Quoted:
Settle an argument:  are all the actors who play James Bond playing the same person or is "James Bond" a cover name given to whoever has the 007 rating?


I think you'd enjoy reading the complete series of Ian Fleming's Bond novels.  They are truly excellent.

12/15/2012 1:33:38 PM EDT
[#14]
Quoted:
One person, married to one girl (Diana rigg's Tracy di Vicenzo -- killed because James Bond never made sure he killed the bad guys... no double tap... no neck snapping... no whatever they're supposed to do!)

George Lazenby (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)-Worst Bond ever!
12/15/2012 1:38:15 PM EDT
[#15]
Quoted:
and he works for international exports


Universal Exports.
12/15/2012 1:41:23 PM EDT
[#16]



Quoted:



Quoted:

One person, married to one girl (Diana rigg's Tracy di Vicenzo -- killed because James Bond never made sure he killed the bad guys... no double tap... no neck snapping... no whatever they're supposed to do!)


George Lazenby (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)-Worst Bond ever!



By far the worst part of that movie.



If they had changed the character's name and cast someone like Michael Caine in the main role it would have a much better reputation.



 
12/15/2012 1:47:27 PM EDT
[#17]
Quoted:
George Lazenby (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)-Worst Bond ever!


Timothy Dalton
12/15/2012 1:50:21 PM EDT
[#18]
In one of the movies M refers to an agent "just getting double o status" which makes one assume they have 001 through 009.

With turnover of agents, they would HAVE to recycle numbers ?

12/15/2012 1:52:11 PM EDT
[#19]
Skyfall made it out that 007 James Bond is the same guy who was brought into MI6 from childhood and had years and years of service, so I see it as the different actors are all portraying the same James Bond.
12/15/2012 1:54:43 PM EDT
[#20]
Quoted:
In one of the movies M refers to an agent "just getting double o status" which makes one assume they have 001 through 009.

With turnover of agents, they would HAVE to recycle numbers ?



Naturally.

Same way M and Q are different people through the years.

We see quite a few different double-ohs through the various movies.
12/15/2012 1:57:39 PM EDT
[#21]



Quoted:



Quoted:

In one of the movies M refers to an agent "just getting double o status" which makes one assume they have 001 through 009.



With turnover of agents, they would HAVE to recycle numbers ?







Naturally.



Same way M and Q are different people through the years.



We see quite a few different double-ohs through the various movies.


And a bunch of Felix Leiters.

 
12/15/2012 2:00:14 PM EDT
[#22]
None of the above



"James Bond" doesn't exist, nor has he ever existed.



"007" is also ficticious



Ian Fleming was completely legit, but the characters and the details like the 007 are for the books, not reality.
12/15/2012 2:01:23 PM EDT
[#23]
Quoted:
Quoted:
George Lazenby (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)-Worst Bond ever!


Timothy Dalton


I had started to add that there was 1 who did his best to beat Lazenby out for worst (you got it!).
12/15/2012 2:01:55 PM EDT
[#24]



Quoted:


None of the above



"James Bond" doesn't exist, nor has he ever existed.



"007" is also ficticious



Ian Fleming was completely legit, but the characters and the details like the 007 are for the books, not reality.


Oh, you.  

 
12/15/2012 2:02:42 PM EDT
[#25]





Quoted:





Quoted:




Quoted:


George Lazenby (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)-Worst Bond ever!








Timothy Dalton






I had started to add that there was 1 who did his best to beat Lazenby out for worst (you got it!).



I actually liked the girl with the cello.


 
12/15/2012 2:03:18 PM EDT
[#26]
It is the same guy, but much like Superman/Superboy/Kal El/Clark Kent, and Nick Carter, and many others, he is not limited in time, but his character gets a makeover every generation.

Sherlock Holmes, on the other hand, seems to be pretty well stuck in the 19th century, (with possibly a few exceptions).

Ma and Pa Kent picked up infant Kal El in a model T pickup the first time around.  The last iteration I saw they were driving a Mustang.  At least they stayed with Fords.

Matt Helm, like James Bond, was originally born in the 1920s.  That hasn't kept either one of them from field work even in the present day.

Tarzan at least had the dignity to get an immortality treatment from a witch doctor.  Marvel Comics used a similar approach for Col Fury.  I am not too sure how James Bond manages to keep his youthful looks while being in his 90s.

And, I have to admit, I haven't seen Nick Carter in a couple of decades.
12/15/2012 2:04:18 PM EDT
[#27]


zOMG!
12/15/2012 2:12:05 PM EDT
[#28]




Quoted:



And a bunch of Felix Leiters.




Felix Leiter must be CIA for "John Smith", whether black or white.
12/15/2012 2:20:58 PM EDT
[#29]
Quoted:
If I recall correctly the 00 numbers were a license to kill for the state.


yep...in Goldeneye Alec Treveleyan is called 006. It's a personal identification number for the killers in Bond canon. And yes, all of the actors portray one character actually named Bond rather than a pseudonym as I understand it. Haven't read the books though.
12/15/2012 2:25:14 PM EDT
[#30]
Wasn't at least some of Casino Royale set before he got "00" status?
Didn't he go by Bond then?
12/15/2012 2:32:55 PM EDT
[#31]



Quoted:


Wasn't at least some of Casino Royale set before he got "00" status?

Didn't he go by Bond then?


That was also before he liked Martinis shaken not stirred

 



They even ask him that IIRC and he responds "I don't give a damn"
12/15/2012 2:33:34 PM EDT
[#32]
It's his name! read a book. This dumb ass argument can be settled with about 3hrs worth of literacy in practice.
12/15/2012 2:37:46 PM EDT
[#33]
If you were really in an argument with someone else over this, or any James Bond issue, please desist at once. You are too ignorant of the subject matter to take positions based on your "knowledge".
12/15/2012 2:39:43 PM EDT
[#34]
Quoted:
Smiert Spionam


SMERt SHpionam

12/15/2012 2:49:57 PM EDT
[#35]
Quoted:
None of the above

"James Bond" doesn't exist, nor has he ever existed.

"007" is also ficticious

Ian Fleming was completely legit, but the characters and the details like the 007 are for the books, not reality.


I bet you pull some serious tale at parties...
12/15/2012 3:08:15 PM EDT
[#36]
I haven't read the books but I've been told they make it pretty clear it's one person

for the movie universe I like to think of it as a cover name for who ever is currently 007
especially since they carried over the same M from the Brosnan days but then made Bond a fairly new agent on his first mission in Casino Royale
12/15/2012 3:27:33 PM EDT
[#37]
Ian Flemming had a 22 caliber Webley air pistol he used during WW II. It's serial number was 22007.

That was in Guns & Ammo magazine back in the '80s.
12/15/2012 3:54:00 PM EDT
[#38]



Quoted:



Quoted:

George Lazenby (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)-Worst Bond ever!





Timothy Dalton


...was one of the best ones? Yes.



Pierce Brosnan? He got fired as Bond.



 
12/15/2012 4:01:50 PM EDT
[#39]



Quoted:





Quoted:


Quoted:

George Lazenby (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)-Worst Bond ever!





Timothy Dalton


...was one of the best ones? Yes.



Pierce Brosnan? He got fired as Bond.

 


I agree.

 
12/15/2012 4:11:01 PM EDT
[#40]
Quoted:

Quoted:
Quoted:
George Lazenby (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)-Worst Bond ever!


Timothy Dalton

...was one of the best ones? Yes. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO  

Pierce Brosnan? He got fired as Bond.
 


Brosnan was okay, but the plots of the movies he was in were bad.
12/15/2012 4:14:48 PM EDT
[#41]
Considering in "Casino Royale", the Craig version anyways, he is referred by name before getting his 007 designation I'd say it's pretty evident it's his actual name.
12/15/2012 4:29:09 PM EDT
[#42]



Quoted:



Quoted:




Quoted:


Quoted:

George Lazenby (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)-Worst Bond ever!





Timothy Dalton


...was one of the best ones? Yes. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO  



Pierce Brosnan? He got fired as Bond.

 




Brosnan was okay, but the plots of the movies he was in were bad.


His acting was pretty cheesy.



Timothy Dalton set a man on fire. He wins.



 
12/15/2012 4:53:49 PM EDT
[#43]
As much as I admire the Bond films, (and I have seen them since early childhood, I saw From Russia With Love at the drive-in when drive-ins were still family affairs).

I admire the books even more.  And, even though I lived through the high spy era, (though, as a young lad), I appreciate the Donald Hamilton stories even more.

Don't forget Poul Anderson's short stories about Dominic Flandry.   Those were space age spy stories written at the same time as Fleming's stories were.

I never understood why no movies were made based on Dominic Flandry.

Today, I am enjoying watching Patrick McGoohan in "The Prisoner".  I did get to see most of those episodes as reruns in the 1970s.  It is fun watching them in color, however.

Perhaps I should say "colour", as they were produced in the UK.

Seems like there was about a decade of film and TV spies, (not counting the James Bond franchise), which consisted of the early Bond movies, James Coburn in the Flint movies, Dean Martin as Matt Helm, (poorly cast, though I enjoyed them as a youngster).  Michael Caine in the Ipcress Files, and I know that I am leaving some one out.

In TV, there was Patrick McGoohan as Secret Agent, The Man From UNCLE, I Spy, and of course, Get Smart.  Seems like The Prisoner was the capstone of the  60s secret agent craze, though of course the Bond franchise survived.

And, Col Furry, in the recent Marvel movies, was of course, a spy child of the 60s.