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 February…

Article originally posted: 1 February 2005
Last updated: 1 February 2010

2 February

• 2002: It was reported that Jinx would drive a Ford Thunderbird in Die Another Day, the twentieth “official” James Bond film.

3 February

• 1997: Variety reported that Jonathan Pryce was in final talks to play the “baddie” in Tomorrow Never Dies, the eighteenth “official” James Bond film.

6 February

• 1962:The crew of Dr. No, the first “official” James Bond film, moved to the north shore of Jamaica, near the homes of Ian Fleming and Noel Coward, to continue filming.

7 February

• 1995: Judi Dench arrived with her daughter at Leavesden to film her first scenes as M in GoldenEye, the seventeenth “official” James Bond film.

8 February

• 1962: Terence Young filmed Ursula Andress’ famous exit from the sea in Dr. No, the first “official” James Bond film, on private property owned by Minnie Simpson in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Before they filmed the entrance of Honey Ryder, Ursula Andress fell and cut her leg on a piece of corral during the filming of other shots. Make-up had to be applied to her scraped up leg before they could continue filming one of the most famous moments in cinema history.

10 February

• 1995: Desmond Llewelyn filmed his first scenes for GoldenEye, the seventeenth “official” James Bond film.

11 February

• 2004: CommanderBond.net first reported that negotiations had broken down and Pierce Brosnan would not be returning to the role of 007 in Bond 21. (LICENCE REVOKED)

12 February

• 1962: The Dr. No cast and crew members moved to the northwest Vanzee Swamp in Valmonth, Jamaica to film the scenes with the dragon tank — among other things.

13 February

• 1987: Principal photography on The Living Daylights, the fifteenth “official” James Bond film, was completed.
• 1995: Filming of the casino scenes in GoldenEye, the seventeenth “official” James Bond film, began on A Stage at Leavesden. It was the first time Pierce Brosnan uttered the lines “Bond, James Bond” and “Vodka martini. Shaken, not stirred.”
• 2002: The hovercraft sequence was filmed for Die Another Day, the twentieth “official” James Bond film.

17 February

• 1962: Ian Fleming visited the set of Dr. No at Falmouth, Jamaica.

20 February

• 2002: The 40th anniversary James Bond 007 poster was released.

21 February

• 1999: It was reported that the screenwriters had “gone back to basics” for the next James Bond film, The World Is Not Enough, the nineteenth “official” James Bond film.
• 2002: Pierce Brosnan had injured himself while working on scenes with the hovercraft in Die Another Day.
• 2004: Raymond Benson officially announced that he was retiring from writing James Bond novels.

23 February

• 1962: After over a month in Jamaica the cast and crew of Dr. No returned to Pinewood Studios. Upon arrival at Pinewood, the filmmakers were delighted to see Ken Adam’s amazing sets for for the first time — which were built without supervision from director or producers.

26 February

• 1962: The scenes between 007, M, Moneypenny and Boothroyd were filmed for Dr. No at Pinewood Studios.

27 February

• 1995: The first unit on GoldenEye filmed the Tiger helicopter theft scenes aboard the La Fayette in Port de Monaco, Monte Carlo. During one take in which Pierce jumps from his speedboat onto the ramp of the La Fayette, Pierce’s gun slipped out of it’s holster into the sea. It had to be retrieved by a diver between takes.

• 1st – 1950, John Bowe (Colonel Feyador, The Living Daylights)
• 6th – 1922, Patrick Macnee (Sir Godfrey Tibbett, A View To A Kill)
• 8th – 1923, Robert Rietty (Voice, Assorted / Italian Minister, Never Say Never Again)
• 10th – 1913, Douglas Slocome (Director of Photography, Never Say Never Again)
• 10th – 1941, Michael Apted (Director, The World Is Not Enough)
• 11th – 1961, Carey Lowell (Pam Bouvier, Licence To Kill)
• 11th – 1962, Sheryl Crow (Title Song Performer, Tomorrow Never Dies)
• 12th – 1936, Joe Don Baker (Brad Whitaker, The Living Daylights and Jack Wade, GoldenEye & Tomorrow Never Dies)
• 12th – 1945, Maud Adams (Andrea Anders, The Man With The Golden Gun and Octopussy, Octopussy)
• 14th – 1927, Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny, Dr. No – A View To A Kill)
• 15th – 1951, Jane Seymour (Solitaire, Live And Let Die)
• 16th – 1925, Dolores Keator (Mary Trueblood, Dr. No)
• 16th – 1930, Ricou Browning (Director of underwater sequences, Thunderball & Never Say Never Again)
• 16th – 1961, Andy Taylor (Title Song Performer of Duran Duran, A View To A Kill),
• 17th – 1910, Marc Lawrence, (Gangster, Diamonds Are Forever and Rodney, The Man With The Golden Gun)
• 17th – 1950, Prunella Gee (Patricia Fearing, Never Say Never Again)
• 17th – 1978, Rory Kinnear (Tanner, Quantum of Solace)
• 19th – 1967, Benicio del Toro (Dario, Licence To Kill)
• 22nd – 1936, Karin Dor (Helga Brandt, You Only Live Twice)
• 24th – 1922, Hasan Ceylan (Foreign Agent, From Russia with Love)
• 25th – 1886, George Pastell (Train Conductor, From Russia With Love)
• 25th – 1913, Gert Fröbe (Goldfinger, Goldfinger)
• 26th – 1952, Carmen du Sautoy (Saida, The Man With The Golden Gun)

• 2nd – 1961, Michel Mok (Sister Rose, Dr. No)
• 7th – 1985, Matt Monro (Title Song Performer, From Russia with Love)
• 14th – 1989, James Bond (Ornithologist whose name was “borrowed” by Ian Fleming)
• 19th – 1986, Adolfo Celi (Emilio Largo, Thunderball)
• 19th – 2008, David Watkin (Title Sequence Cinematographer, Goldfinger)
• 23rd – 1965, John Kitzmiller (Quarrel, Dr. No)
• 23rd – 2007, Don Wortham (Boom Operator, Dr. No)
• 24th – 1976, Peter Madden (MacAdams – Chess Player, From Russia with Love)
• 29th – 1984, Roland Culver (Foreign Secretary, Thunderball)