[Kara Milovy]

I am trying to get the name of the actor who played the NYC cab driver who was really a CIA agent. He speaks to Felix on the car phone, and then is shot while driving on the FDR Drive, forcing Bond to take the wheel from the back.

The credits show two actors I thought were possible, one named "Adam" and one named "Cab Driver #1." There was also a black cab driver working for Kananga, but this was the era of blaxploitation, and I figured I would check other credits for each actor and eliminate the one who did a lot of blaxploitation work.

Well, both did a lot of blaxploitation work, and I feel I can safely assume that neither is the white actor I'm looking for.

The only other possible actor credited is "Charlie," played by Joie Chitwood. Chitwood is a stunt driver who worked on the boat chase. It is possible that this is him as well, but since I know he was in the boat chase, I'd appreciate confirmation.

Can anyone provide information?

[Dr. Tynan]

You mean Charlie

I'll try and find out his real name for you.

Sorry Kara I didn't read your post properly

Yep, Joey Chitwood is the real name of the guy who plays Charlie.

I'd actually forgotten that I already knew his name. But it probably would've been one of those times when it was on the tip of my tongue.

My heads cooked today.

[Kara Milovy]

Thanks. That is SOOOO helpful. Can I ask how you know that he's Charlie? I mean, I was just baffled.

[Dr. Tynan]

No problem.

At one point Bond says to that fella "Hey easy Charlie, lets get their in one piece." and I'm pretty sure there's no other Charlie in LALD

[Kara Milovy]

Thanks, very observant.

Take a look at my similar question on the Connery board, perhaps you can offer some input there as well.

[Mr. Kidd]

I believe Joie Chitwood is listed in credits under STUNTS
alongside the improbobly-named Ross Kananga!

[Kara Milovy]

Quote

Originally posted by Mr. Kidd
I believe Joie Chitwood is listed in credits under STUNTS  
alongside the improbobly-named Ross Kananga!

Chitwood is listed under stunts AND as Charlie.

Ross Kananga was the owner of the croc farm, and he performed the stunt of running across the top of the crocs. The villain was named after him.

[Mr. Kidd]

Quote

Originally posted by Kara Milovy

Chitwood is listed under stunts AND as Charlie.  

Ross Kananga was the owner of the croc farm, and he performed the stunt of running across the top of the crocs. The villain was named after him.

Hmmm! I wasn't aware that the villain was actually named after the stuntman! I always thought it was just a wild coincidence. Thanks,Kara.

[Peter]

I just thought I'd mention that Adam is Kananga's henchman who leads the boat chase. (he's also at the airport scene, among others)

I always thought it very strange that Kananga would be named after the stuntman. Obviously, they planned it pretty early in the preparations for the film. Can you imagine going back a dubbing in "kananga" each time his name was mentioned in the film? I also wondered what Kananga's name was in the early drafts of the scripts, before they met Ross K.

[Kara Milovy]

I listened to Mankiewicz's audio commentary. It is very interesting, although he gets all sorts of details wrong, and should only be trusted for things he was personally involved in. They had originally planned an entirely different capture/near death sequence for that point of the script. While out scouting locations, they saw a sign that said "Trespassers Will Be Eaten" and just had to stop. There they met Kananga.

In the book, Mr. Big doesn't have a second identity, so I suppose the name was up for grabs.

[Mister Asterix]

Mr. Big in the novel is also know as Buonaparte Ignace Gallia and he is believed some to be Baron Samedi.

[Peter]

Right. I read somewhere Bond's death at the point of the croc farm was originally going to be in a sugar granulator... The croc farm is a little more colorful.

[Kara Milovy]

Quote

Right. I read somewhere Bond's death at the point of the croc farm was originally going to be in a sugar granulator... The croc farm is a little more colorful.

Mankeiwicz said a giant coffee grinder, which sounds like something from the 60s Batman!