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The cinematic James Bond celebrates its 49th anniversary
as "Dr No" was released on this day in 1962...
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007 Is 49
5th October 2011
October 5th is the cinematic James Bond's birthday,
as it was on this day in 1962 that 007 burst on to the silver
screen in
"Dr No" in cinemas
across the UK. But the progress of James Bond from the printed
page of Ian Fleming's
adventures to the big screen EON Productions movies was not
an easy passage.
On 20 June 1961, producers Albert
R. Broccoli and Harry
Saltzman arrived at United Artists' headquarters
in New York ready to give their pitch. Forty minutes later,
the deal was done and
UA were on board for a six-picture deal. James Bond was finally
going to reach the big screen. The beginnings of Bond's film
career went virtually unnoticed by the trade press, except for
a few brief notices announcing the forthcoming film as one of
a slate of productions being readied by Saltzman and Broccoli.
Just over a year later, the film was complete with little-known
Sean Connery playing the British super spy.
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The press were divided, but when "Dr No" opened to the British
public, they adored the film and it quickly became a huge
success. It repeated its success Stateside from 7th May 1963
and the impressive return on the film's $1 million outlay virtually
ensured
that
a sequel was to follow...
