Ian Fleming. British journalist and Naval Intelligence assistant during World War II, created the character of undercover agent 007: James Bond. Fleming claimed he did this to withstand the shock of getting married at the age of 43.

Fleming's first novel was Casino Royale, published in 1953. His last was The Man with the Golden Gun, published the year after his death in 1965. It is believed that his last work was only a first draft and that someone else finished the novel. Fleming wrote fourteen Bond novels total and a number of short stories.

The popularity of the novels demanded that Agent 007 be brought to life. James Bond's screen debut was in a live TV broadcast of Casino Royale in the United States in 1954, starring Barry Nelson. Thirteen years later, the big-screen version - a lavish spoof starring David Niven as an aging 007 - did poorly at the box office.

In 1983, there was a highly publicized "Battle of the Bonds" between original Bond icon Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again and Roger Moore in Octopussy. Because Connery's return to the film role was not produced by Eon Productions in England (and UA/MGM), it's not considered an "official" James Bond film (likewise Casino Royale). Released four months after Octopussy, Never Say Never Again was trounced at the box office.

Adjusting for inflation, Thunderball has the highest worldwide box office gross of all 007 films; Licence to Kill has the lowest. Licence to Kill was also the first Bond movie to receive an R rating because of its violent shark attack scenes.

High living, exotic locations, high-tech weapons, fast sports cars, nefarious villains, and sexy women are quintessential ingredients to a Bond film. While fashions have changed over the decades, the formal dinner suit is the single most recognizable item in Bond's wardrobe and is his most enduring trademark. Trademark Bond quotations include "My name's Bond - James Bond," and "Vodka martini shaken, not stirred."

So, who is the best James Bond? The five "official" 007 actors brought distinct personalities to the part. Many polls have been conducted; Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan are currently running neck-and-neck in popularity, followed closely by Roger Moore. Interestingly, Moore was author Fleming's original choice to play Bond in Dr. No, but Moore was already committed to a TV series.

Here's the complete list of 007 films through the year 2000; the next with Brosnan is due in 2002.

Author: Vicki McClure Davidson

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