Happy Birthday Claudine Auger

She was Miss France in 1958 and today she turns 59. She is of course Claudine Auger, the French Beauty who played Domino Derval in 1965’s Thunderball opposite Sean Connery. And today she is still considered one of the sexiest Bond girls in history!

Born on the 26th of April 1942 Auger did few English-language films, however, she did quite a few French films in her time. As a Bond Girl Auger had the rare privilege of saving James Bond and killing the bad guy, and rightly so! However, Auger’s stature as a Bond Beauty might also be diminished by observers who claim that her voice was dubbed in the movie.

So Happy 59th to Claudine Auger!

Thanks to NJ for the tip off!

Bond Week On Net Radio Station

I suggest everyone tunes into this one. Simply visit http://www.netfm.com and listen to this amazing online radio station. This week is Bond Week on the radio station I’ve [Daniel Dykes] been talking with the recently. For instance right now they’re playing Thunderball by Tom Jones.

While I don’t have time to post full details now I’ll post more later. But tune in to NetFM In The Afternoon, 2-5pm (all times in GMT – British Time), when they have special interviews. Tomorrow for instance they’re interviewing Bond Director John Glen.

They’re also running compeitions to win things such as Bond multimedia gadget packs, Corgi replica Bond vehicles and the entire Bond DVD collection!

I’ll post you more details later. So please visit their site until then, and I’m not plugging them cause they asked to be so beware these guys are good! Thanks to NetFM for all their help.

Michelle Yeoh Given Honourary Title

Actress Michelle Yeoh, that butt-kicking Bond Girl Wai Lin from Tomorrow Never Dies (also rumoured to be in Bond 20), has been made the equivalent of a knight in Malaysia.

Yeoh has been made a Datuk, a title similar to knight which is the second-highest that can be conferred by anyone other than Malaysia’s king.

The honorific came from Sultan Azlan Shah, ruler of northern Perak state where Yeoh was born.

Yeoh says she is delighted and honoured by the award.

“This award is an acknowledgment for my achievement and my career and it will encourage me to strive further in the future,” she said.

Colin Firth's 007 dream

From People News (Thanks to Tim for the tip-off!):

Colin Firth is ‘desperate’ to succeed Pierce Brosnan as the next James Bond.

The Bridget Jones’s Diary star is keen to cast off his image as the smouldering Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by playing a ruthless 007. Firth admits he would jump at the chance to replace Brosnan, who is contracted for just one more Bond movie. ‘I’d go for it, absolutely! I’d love the idea,’ he enthuses. But Firth, 40, could face competition from antipodean lovehound Russell Crowe, who fancies his chances of grabbing the plum role.

A source close to Firth said: ‘Colin is desperate to star as Bond. But he’s realistic about his chances and admits that Russell Crowe is probably the favourite.’ Firth, who is married to producer Livia Giuggioli, has just celebrated the birth of a son, Luca, who was born in Rome a fortnight ago.

Roger Moore Doesn't Like Guns

From Ananova and I’m sure it’s something most Bond fans have read before. If you watch some of the films closely Moore actually does blink in a few just before/as his gun goes off. In fact he was nutorious for it. I recall an interview where Moore commented that they did something to stop it happening – but right now I can’t recall what that something was.

Roger Moore regrets the way his James Bond films glamorised violence.

The 007 star says he doesn’t like guns, and blinks when one is fired.

He told fans he is “totally opposed to handguns” because of the harm they can do to children.

The 73-year-old starred in Bond films such as Live And Let Die and The Spy Who Loved Me. He now acts as a goodwill ambassador for the children’s fund Unicef.

He told the Daily Mail: “I played every role tongue-in-cheek because I don’t really believe in that sort of hero. I was only a hero because I had a script that said I was going to win.

“I don’t like guns. I blink, and part of acting is trying not to blink when guns go off.”

Happy Birthday Lois Chiles

A big Happy Birthday to Lois Chiles today. She played Dr Holly Goodhead in Roger Moore’s Moonraker. We’ll all remember her for helping Bond with “re-entry”

She was born on this day in 1947

Thanks to NJ for sending that in!

Updating The Bond Cars

Being a bit of a BMW fan I (Daniel Dykes) thought I’d bring you the latest pictures of the two Z-Series BMW’s that James Bond has had the privelidge to drive.

To begin with let’s take a look at the 2001 BMW Z8. Bond drove the 2000 Z8 in 1999’s The World Is Not Enough and the car is enjoying a good update. People who watched this car evolve like myself will note that the Z8 is looking more like the original concept model of the Z07. Which is a good thing. Don’t get me wrong – the 2000 Z8 was a beautiful car…

Aside from the obvious physical changes I couldn’t find out any performance changes. But I can tell you the car will retail for $US128,000 and BMW will only ship 400 cars to the US each week. To the best of my knowledge, the car is remaining left hand drive so it won’t appear on most markets.

Moving away from the Z8 to the much nicer Z3 now. I managed to get this information off BMW2002.

The new Z3 Roadster, will have a greatly improved chassis to help match its rivals from Audi, Honda & Mercedes.

It’s bigger in every dimension freeing up more cabin space & extended wheel base.

UK deliveries expected Spring 2003, with the USA to get deliveries in 2002. It’s to take on the Audi TT, the Honda 2000 & the Mercedes SLK, the front design hints at the concept X-Coupe recently seen at Detroit motor show.

BMW are considering a folding hardtop option & are working with Webasto & Karmann to design the new hood.

Should run rings around the opposition as it uses the new 3-Series (E46) front engine, rear suspension setup.

Models are to include 5 Speed; 2.0 litre 4 Pot from Hams Hall delivering 140 Bhp, 2.2 – 6 Cylinder 170 Bhp, 2.5 – 187 Bhp, 3.0 – 231 Bhp using BMW’s Valvetronic varible timing system.

A range topping 3.2 – 343 Bhp from the latest M3 (E46) available in 6 Speed manual or SMG Auto. 0-60 should take 5.2 Secs & Top speed limited to 155 Mph. It will have it’s own unique dash board & higher levels of Trim. All will be built at the North Carolina USA factory.

Hope you enjoyed reading this article just as much as I did writing it. I love the Z series. You can of course discuss these new cars in our forums, we don’t have an exact area for the discussion of BMW’s so perhaps you’d care to look in the Pierce Brosnan forums.

MI6 Agents To Carry '007' Style Briefcases

This report comes from Ananova. I (David Winter) find it interesting; what will the bloody things weigh if they withstand a semtex bomb! What will the things be made of?

Britain’s spies and defence staff are to get James Bond-style briefcases following a spate of laptop computer thefts.

The bombproof cases, costing £1,000 each, are to be issued to 15,000 staff after 204 computers were stolen, left on trains or lost during drinking sessions in four years. Many contained secret files.

The special cases can withstand a Semtex bomb and destroy data if a thief tries to open them. The final bill for them could be around £35 million if the foreign office and spy agencies take them up too.

The cases look like ordinary ones but have false locks on the front. Those issued to spies might also have tracking devices fitted to them, reports the Sunday Times.

Jaws Gets Bed Of His Own

Ananova has reported that Richard Kiel who played the Bond villain, Jaws, is to have a bed specially made when he visits Northampton next month.

The 7ft 2in actor is one of dozens of celebrities signed up to take part in an autograph show. But because of his height and 24st weight, organisers have to draft in a local company to make the special bed.

The company, Suite Dreams, says it hopes to raffle the bed once Mr Kiel returns to the US. No doubt it will be a Bond fan who will buy the bed.

Keil first appeared as the man with the silver teeth in Roger Moore’s ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’. Jaws soon became an instant hit with Bond fans prompting his return to the Bond world in Mookraker – where he turns to the ‘good side’.

The three-day Autographica 2001, will also include appearances from Dr Who star Tom Baker, Sir Patrick Moore and Leon Spinks. It begins on May 18.

U.S. Scots crown Sir Sean Connery on Tartan Day

Thanks to NJ for sending this report in!! And congrats to Sir Connery:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Veteran actor [Sir] Sean Connery, the original incarnation of James Bond on the silver screen, received an award for his services to Scotland in a colorful ceremony outside the U.S. Capitol Thursday.

A wave of blue and white Scottish flags, coat of arms placards and multicolored tartan kilts fluttered in the breeze as American Scots gathered in the sunshine to celebrate Tartan Day.

The American Scottish Foundation awarded Connery the William Wallace award in recognition of his public affirmation of Scotland, his financial support of its education system and film industry and his passion for the country.

“I’m glad this is not an audition, I don’t think I’d get the part,” the sun-tanned Connery apologized before making his acceptance speech. The crowd, with a high proportion of middle-aged swooning women, laughed raucously.

Connery, a high-profile supporter of Scotland’s national movement, said he was honored by the award and encouraged Americans to visit his homeland in spite of the foot-and-mouth epidemic currently ravaging the U.K.

“Come this year in particular. You will find our majestic countryside open … our championship golf courses open, though not that easy, and you will find the hearts of our people open,” said the Oscar-winning actor, who lives in the Bahamas.

At the White House, President George W. Bush marked Tartan Day by meeting Scottish First Minister Henry McLeish for 10 minutes.

A U.S. official made clear Bush was not getting involved in Scotland’s quest for independence. “Our position on this has consistently been that this is a question for people of the U.K., which includes Scotland, to work out among themselves,” the official said.

Reuters/Variety REUTERS