James Bond returns to action in Skyfall and marks his fiftieth year saving the world. Much is known about the spy series and its origins as a book series by Ian Fleming. But Movie Fanatic continues our 007 Days of Bond series after our Top 10 Bond Girls and your chance to vote for the Best Bond, as we present seven fun facts about our favorite hero that you might not have known.
7. Who Else Could Have Been Bond?
You know who almost became James Bond? The following actors have auditioned: Hugh Jackman, Clint Eastwood (yes, seriously) and Eric Bana.
6. Bond Must Have Hair!
Sean Connery wore a toupee in all his films! Yes, to James Bond, hair is very important. For his role as Indiana Jones’ father, it didn’t matter as much that Connery was balding.
5. Bond Universe Connected
Ian Fleming went to Fettes College in Edinburgh, Scotland. In Fleming’s novels, we know that Bond finished his studies at the same school. Guess who served as the establishment’s milkman as he was working his way up? None other than our first James Bond, Sean Connery.
4. Truth Stranger Than Fiction
Author Ian Fleming was a spy himself, perhaps adding the reality that allowed the spy series to permeate through history. Fleming was a Naval Intelligence Officer during World War II.
3. Does 007 Have Company?
How many “00s” are left? 007 lives large, but 001 has never been revealed; 002, 003, 004 and 009 have all died while we know 006 was GoldenEye’s Sean Bean. Guess we’ll need another 23 movies to determine how 005 and 008 are faring.
2. Fame & Name
Fleming wanted a boring name for his hero, and James Bond seemed to fit. He found it on a book at his country estate. The author’s name was Dr. James Bond. It’s ironic, because after 50 years the name is now synonymous with tense, non-boring action.
1. British Superspy is Actually Half Scottish
Oh, the horror! The hero that the English people embrace almost more than any other actually has one parent who is Scottish, traditionally a rival of the nation. In fact, we see in Skyfall that the title of the movie comes from Bond’s family estate in the gorgeous Highlands of Scotland.