CommanderBond.net takes a look at some of the birthdays and past events of the James Bond series that have taken place during the month of December…

Article originally posted: 1 December 2005
Last updated: 1 December 2009

3 December

• 1963: A two week court battle in London between Ian Fleming and Kevin McClory was resolved. McClory was awarded the film rights to Thunderball, Fleming’s ninth James Bond novel.
• 1985: Roger Moore announced his retirement from the role of James Bond.
• 1997: Pierce Brosnan received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The ceremony was attended by Brosnan, Michelle Yeoh, Roger Spottiswoode, and Desmond Llewelyn.

5 December

• 1976: The largest soundstage in the world, built on the grounds of Pinewood Studios to house the interior of the Liparus supertanker in The Spy Who Loved Me, the tenth “official” James Bond film, was officially christened as ‘No. 007′ at a ceremony attended by British Prime Minister Harold Wilson.

9 December

• 1997: Tomorrow Never Dies, the eighteenth “official” James Bond film, was released in the United Kingdom.

10 December

• 1960: A letter to the editor written by Ian Fleming appeared in the London Times, postulating a connection between the state of the weather and the firing of rockets into outer space.

12 December

• 2002: Die Another Day, the twentieth “official” James Bond film, was released in Australia.

13 December

• 1964: The Incredible James Bond, an hour-long television special celebrating the James Bond phenomenon, was broadcast in the United States on NBC.
• 1964: Scriptwriter Richard Maibaum’s personal account of writing the screenplays to the first three James Bond films appeared in the New York Times.
• 1967: Terence Young’s The Poppy Is Also A Flower, a film supposedly based on a story outline by Ian Fleming, was released in New York City.

15 December

• 1983: Never Say Never Again was released in the United Kingdom.

17 December

• 1971: Diamonds Are Forever, the seventh “official” James Bond film, was released in the United States.

18 December

• 1969: The British premiere of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the sixth “official” James Bond film, was held at the Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square in London, England.
• 1969: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the sixth “official” James Bond film, was released in the United States.

19 December

• 1974: The British premiere of The Man With The Golden Gun, the ninth “official” James Bond film, was held at the Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square in London, England.
• 1974: The Man With The Golden Gun, the ninth “official” James Bond film, was released in the United States.
• 1997: Tomorrow Never Dies, the eighteenth “official” James Bond film, was released in the United States.

25 December

• 1964: Goldfinger, the third “official” James Bond film, was released in the United States.

29 December

• 1965: The British premiere of Thunderball, the fourth “official” James Bond film, was held at the Pavilion Theater in London, England.
• 1965: Thunderball, the fourth “official” James Bond film, was released in the United States
• 1974: Vincent Canby, a film reviewer for the New York Times, presented the Kabuki Acting Award to Roger Moore, ‘in recognition of the manner in which he has reduced all human emotions to a series of variations on one gesture, the raising of the right eyebrow.’ Said he: ‘To watch Moore as James Bond in The Man With The Golden Gun is to monitor a hard-working eyebrow at somewhat greater length than would appeal to anyone except a fetishist.’

30 December

• 1971: The British premiere of Diamonds Are Forever, the seventh “official” James Bond film, was held at the Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square in London, England.

31 December

• 1954: Ian Fleming’s three-year appointment to the governing council of the Royal College Of Art was announced in the London Times.

• 1st – 1930, Matt Monro (Title Song Performer, From Russia with Love)
• 1st – 1935, Woody Allen (Dr. Noah/Jimmy Bond, Casino Royale)
• 2nd – 1931, Nadja Regin (Kerim’s Girl, From Russia with Love & Bonita, Goldfinger)
• 4th – 1914, John Kitzmiller (Quarrel, Dr. No)
• 4th – 1914, Claude Renoir (Director of Photography, The Spy Who Loved Me)
• 4th – 1925, Maurice Binder (Title Designer, Various)
• 4th – 1935, Ben Rayner (Assembly Editor, Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger & Thunderball)
• 5th – 1933, Michael White (Assembly Art Director, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger & Thunderball / Art Director, Never Say Never Again)
• 5th – 1945, J.W. ‘Corkey’ Fornof (Stuntman, Octopussy & Licence To Kill)
• 6th – 1921, George Leech (Stunts, Various)
• 7th – 1956, Priscilla Barnes (Della Churchill, Licence To Kill)
• 7th – 1965, Jeffrey Wright (Felix Leiter, Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace)
• 8th – 1953, Kim Basinger (Domino, Never Say Never Again)
• 8th – 1964, Teri Hatcher (Paris Carver, Tomorrow Never Dies)
• 9th – 1934, Judi Dench (“M”, Various)
• 13th – 1912, Curt Jurgens (Karl Stromberg, The Spy Who Loved Me)
• 13th – 1958, Lynn-Holly Johnson (Bibi Dahl, For Your Eyes Only)
• 14th – 1908, Lawrence Naismith (Sir Donald Munger, Diamonds Are Forever)
• 16th – 1899, Noël Coward (Friend of Ian Fleming)
• 23rd – 1971, Anatole Taubman (Elvis, Quantum of Solace)
• 24th – 1931, Jill Bennett (Jacoba Brink,For Your Eyes Only)
• 24th – 1959, Jesús Ochoa (Lieutenant Orso, Quantum of Solace)
• 29th – 1909, Ernie Farrer (Wardrobe Master, From Russia with Love)
• 30th – 1928, Jack Lord (Felix Leiter, Dr. No)

• 1st – 2006, Leslie Crawford (Stunts, Various)
• 4th – 1997, Richard Vernon (Colonel Smithers, Goldfinger)
• 5th – 2006, Tim Moxon (John Strangways, Dr. No)
• 7th – 2006, Peter Brayham (Rhoda, From Russia with Love)
• 15th – 1989, Edward Underdown (Air Vice Marshal Sir John, Thunderball)
• 19th – 1999, Desmond Llewelyn (“Q”)
• 21st – 1975, William Lundigan (Host of the Climax! television production of Casino Royale)
• ? – 1980, Hasan Ceylan (Foreign Agent, From Russia with Love)
• ? – 1981, Bob Kindred (Camera Operator, Various)