MI6 trawls through the record books to see how James Bond has left his mark in history...

James Bond Records & Awards
13th July 2004

As of March 20th 2000, the whole James Bond film franchise has accomplished to become the most profitable movie series ever. In this achievement, Albert R. Broccoli�s spy series has grossed at least a total of $3.2 billion over the past 40 years. This is also not the first great achievement in James Bond�s history by any means. Right: Alert R. Broccoli pictured outside the 007 stage at Pinewood.

Awarding Work
The 007 series has been loved by fans young and old; But, how well has James Bond done at the Academy Awards?

007 and the team started out early on their road to success with Guy Hamilton�s first James Bond picture "Goldfinger", in which Norman Wanstall received an Oscar for best Sound Effects.

Just a film later, the film makers achieved a second Oscar. This time it was John Stears who was rewarded for his Special Visual Effects on "Thunderball".

Out For Moore
Roger Moore�s first 007 outing, "Live and Let Die" grabbed a nomination for Paul McCartney�s title song in 1974. "Live and Let Die" grossed a total of $126.4 million while the title song reached number 2 on the US charts.

Two films later in the Moore era, "The Spy who Loved Me" composer Marvin Hamlisch received an Academy Award nomination for "Nobody Does it Better" in best Musical Scoring, as well as for best Original Song. "Nobody Does it Better" made it to number 2 in the US but didn�t fare as well with the Brits, only making number 7 in the UK.

Above: Cover artwork from Duran Duran's 7" vinyl single for "A View To A Kill", released in May 1985.

To top off the Moore era at the Academy Awards Bill Conti, "For Your Eyes Only" composer clinched a best Original Score nomination. Conti made a 007 hat-trick for the Moore era, sadly none of those musical nominations turned into Oscar gold for 007 and the team. Scraping past Paul McCartney�s "Live and Let Die", was Duran Duran�s "A View to a Kill" title song. The British group put James Bond at number 1 one the US charts and number 2 in the UK.

I�ll Drink to That
In more recent times, Brosnan era films has made a few appearances in the Guinness World Records, 2004 edition.

Brosnan�s most recent outing as 007 landed the stunt and special effects team a world record. During the Aston Martin �Ice Palace Chase� in "Die Another Day" the production team used the largest �breakaway glass� structure ever in a film.

The panel of glass that Bond�s Aston Martin Vanquish drives through, was built of eight panels measuring 2.525 x 1.635 x 0.03m. The full construction was built at Pinewood studios and weighed 160kgs.

Seven years earlier, the stunt team had broken another record with "GoldenEye". The pre-title sequence that involves a bungee drop of over 220m was what gave the Bond team their record. The sequence took place at the Verzasca hydroelectric dam in Switzerland. The man who made the leap of fate was UK stuntman Wayne Michaels. Another stunt related record is held by stunt man Vic Armstrong for Most Prolific Movie Stuntman (Guinness Book of World Records 2004). Armstrong achieved the record for performing over 200 stunts and more importantly for Bond fans, doubling every actor to play the legendary 007. In July 2004, Guinness Records announced that Roy Alon was awarded the "Most Prolific Film and TV Stuntman". Roy has spent 35 years crashing cars, being thrown off cliffs, getting blown up and setting himself on fire. He has appeared in "The Spy Who Loved Me", "Never Say Never Again", "The World Is Not Enough" and "Die Another Day".

Above: The Verzasca hydroelectric dam in Switzerland, made famous by 007's bungee jump in "GoldenEye".

Famous Fan
Huge James Bond fan, Max Reid, paid the largest sum ever for a piece of Bond memorabilia. Max Reid brought the Aston Martin driven by James Bond in "GoldenEye" on February 14th 2001, for �157,750 at a London auction for 007�s most famous car. Max was quoted to say: "It's absolutely awesome - you've just got to stop and look at it�. The James Bond Mad Max only went to the auction to bid on a movie poster, but came away owning a huge piece of Bond history.

Another piece of Bond memorabilia was Ian Fleming�s gold plated typewriter. It was sold in an auction to the lucky bidder for �56,250 in 1995. Fleming commissioned the typewriter to celebrate the success of his first novel Casino Royale. Left: A 24kt gold plated typewriter, as bought and used by Ian Fleming - costing $174 back in the late 1940's.

From records to Oscars, the world or James Bond has certainly made its mark on our society.

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