Transcript for:
James Bond: Origins and Cultural Impact

This action hero prefers his martinis shaken, not stirred. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we'll be exploring the origins of James Bond. Bond. James Bond. This British Secret Service agent was created by author Ian Fleming and started his adventures in a series of 12 novels and 9 short stories. The character was then adapted into an iconic and long-running film series. The character of James Bond was first conceived while the author was on holiday at his Jamaican estate called Goldeneye in 1952. At that time, he became interested in inventing a lethal secret agent of the British government. Interestingly, the character of James Bond was also a famous character in the film. was modeled after the author himself, as he was a jet-setting womanizer with a military background. Bond was also a fictionalized account of Fleming's real-world friend Bill Dunderdale, who was an MI6 spy with a love of fast cars and pretty women. Because of Fleming's love of birdwatching and desire for a simple name for his character, he labeled the protagonist after an American ornithologist called James Bond. Oh, I'm just here for the birds. Hmm. Ornithologist. Fleming did not want to give his character an exotic name because he preferred to have exotic things happen to him. The character would be a valuable tool to be branded as a character. by the government against their foreign adversaries. Bond was even given the coat of arms, The World Is Not Enough. I could have given you the world. The world is not enough. Foolish sentiment. Family motto. and the designation of 007, and that prefix granted him a license to kill. If you carry a 00 number, it means you're licensed to kill, not get killed. Some suspect that this prefix was meant to symbolize a pair of spectacles, because the Bond character was acting as the eyes of the Queen. 007 was also the number of the train that Fleming regularly took to London during his career. Commander Bond made his first literary appearance in 1953's Casino Royale. inspired by a real life story and centered on covert intelligence soldiers playing poker against Nazis during wartime. Created as the spy story to end all spy stories, James Bond appeared in regular installments up until Fleming's death in 1964 at the age of 56. The character continued to grow in popularity while other authors wrote his newer adventures. Bond was eventually portrayed on the big screen by actor Sean Connery in 1962's Doctor No. World. domination, same old dream. Outer Asylums are full of people who think they're Napoleon or God. James Bond is the most popular and well-received spy hero of all time. He has starred in well over 20 films, has been portrayed by numerous talented actors, and has even garnered his own series of video games. This secret agent has shown no signs of dimming from the public consciousness. Bond continues to keep the world safe from diabolical masterminds while also Also wielding fantastical gadgets, driving spectacular cars, and always getting the girl.