Bond At 50: Dr. No Begins

Sean Connery’s first day as James Bond was spent at the airport, and the afternoon was spent shooting the phone-booth scene in which Bond discovers his chauffeur is a double-agent.

Young filmed several takes and caught one close-up where Connery was glaring intensely at actor Reggie Carter (pictured below). Young loved the shot and later recalled that it was “the beginning of Bond”. After the first day’s work, the crew had secured footage that would last just under two minutes in the final cut.

Much use was also made of local talent to play smaller roles. Dolores Keator played Strangways’ secretary Mary Prescott because she owned the house that the crew were shooting in. The bartender seen at Puss-Feller’s club was a relative of costume designer Tessa Welborn.

Other local amateur actors took the roles of the Chief of Police and the construction worker, who watches the car carrying the thugs pursuing Bond as it careens over the edge of the cliff.