36 replies to this topic

[zencat]

Lost James Bond short story uncovered

Young Bond's first appearance

A long lost nugget of James Bond literary history will be revealed tomorrow at The Young Bond Dossier.

http://youngbonddossier.com/


EDIT: Here we go! Of course, this discovery was made by doublenoughtspy and first revealed in his awesome book The Making of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Now he's graciously given us the "exclusive" to reveal the actual story and the wild connection that this may have been written by Johanna Harwood.

FOUND! Young Bond's first appearance in 1960

[clinkeroo]

A long-lost nugget of James Bond literary history will be revealed tomorrow at The Young Bond Dossier.

http://youngbonddossier.com/

Damn you and your infernal teasing, zencat!

[zencat]

Yeah, not sure whether it's fun or annoying. I like being teased myself, so...

But you only have to wait a day. And this is something really kinda cool.

[OmarB]

Yet another non-story being presented as news. Call me tomorrow when there's actually information rather than potential information.

[zencat]

Did anyone call you today?

[zencat]

Here we go! Of course, this discovery was made by doublenoughtspy and first revealed in his awesome book The Making of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Now he's graciously given us the "exclusive" to reveal the actual story and the wild connection that this may have been written by Johanna Harwood.

FOUND! Young Bond's first appearance in 1960

[Loomis]

“J.M. Harwood” is most likely Johanna Harwood, the screenwriter who worked on Dr No and From Russia With Love.

To quote Greene in QUANTUM OF SOLACE, maybe, maybe not. Did her middle name begin with "M"? Does her middle name begin with "M"? Is she still alive? Does anyone know anything about her? It's tempting to believe that the author of this story is Johanna Harwood, but we need a lot more to go on. If it was published in 1959, wouldn't that have pre-dated Harwood's involvement with Bond (as one of the screenwriters of DR. NO) by two or three years?

And how does one get to read this short story?

[zencat]

And how does one get to read this short story?

Just click the story image Loomis and it will open full. Says it right under the photo. I also put a link in the last paragraph.

Maybe doublenoughtspy will jump into the discussion and talk more about the Harwood connection.

[Matt_13]

That was awesome.

[zencat]

It is awesome, isn't it? Sure, it's super short, it's a bit of a gag, but I think we can still consider this a legitimate James Bond short story (lost until now). Hey, it WAS approved by Cape. And that title, Some Are Born Great, isn't half bad. Guess this makes Harwood the first continuation novelist.

[doublenoughtspy]

It is short and sweet, but I love it.

I'm so pleased that Zencat and I are shining the light on this lost nugget of Bond literary history.

Re: Harwood. As I said I haven't confirmed or dis-proven she wrote it.

I lean towards thinking it was her because the first initial and last name are the same, and we know she wrote about James Bond.

Also, I would venture to think that most readers, and therefore a lot of the writers, of Nursery World were female.

Simon Raven reviewed Fleming novels in various publications a decade before he was hired to polish OHMSS. So Loomis I'm not sure why you think the time gap means it might not be her.

[Bryce (003)]

Indeed a very cool find. Quite enjoyed it.

It's funny what you find when doing reseach, but this is a nice little gem.

[Matt_13]

What makes it so great is that it's very well written. Someone put some thought into this thing. I definitely think we can consider this the first true continuation story, what a great piece of history this is.

[Major Tallon]

Thanks, guys, for finding and sharing this with us. It certainly has a Flemingian touch to it, in phrases like "the smooth coolness of the pasteboard" and "a blaze of colour lay on the green baize." Quite a delicious little find.

[zencat]

It is short and sweet, but I love it.

I'm so pleased that Zencat and I are shining the light on this lost nugget of Bond literary history.

Re: Harwood. As I said I haven't confirmed or dis-proven she wrote it.

I lean towards thinking it was her because the first initial and last name are the same, and we know she wrote about James Bond.

Also, I would venture to think that most readers, and therefore a lot of the writers, of Nursery World were female.

Simon Raven reviewed Fleming novels in various publications a decade before he was hired to polish OHMSS. So Loomis I'm not sure why you think the time gap means it might not be her.

Do you think it's possible that this little ditty could have played a role in Harwood getting the DN gig? It doesn't seem impossible that her agent would say to Cubby that she wrote a James Bond parody that was good enough to be reprinted in Cape's official magazine. It's even possible Fleming had read this and got a chuckle out of it and remembered it.

[Mr. Blofeld]

This should be included in a Young Bond compendium; it's ridiculously good, and serves as something of a nice tease of Bond in his formative years... before SilverFin, of course.

[TheSaint]

Just read it and it had me laughing out loud. Very Fleming-esque. I just sent Charles a token of my appreciation for finding it.

[zencat]

This should be included in a Young Bond compendium; it's ridiculously good, and serves as something of a nice tease of Bond in his formative years... before SilverFin, of course.

I'm wondering if the powers that be are even aware of this? This could have easily been forgotten. Well, they are now.

[Loomis]

Re: Harwood. As I said I haven't confirmed or dis-proven she wrote it.

I lean towards thinking it was her because the first initial and last name are the same, and we know she wrote about James Bond.

Well, us fans may feel it in our blood and in our bones that it was Johanna Harwood, but the college will require more concrete proofs. Beyond the assumption that "most readers, and therefore a lot of the writers, of Nursery World were female".

I'm more than willing to concede the possibility that the author of this story was Johanna Harwood, but for all we know it might instead have been Jeremy Harwood, Julia Harwood or someone else completely unconnected with the co-screenwriter of DR. NO and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. I mean, I wonder how many people have assumed that John Brosnan must be in some way related to Pierce Brosnan.

I just feel it would be wrong for Bond fans to suddenly accept as fact that Johanna Harwood wrote this story when it has certainly not been established as such. All we know is that it was penned by one J. Harwood (which may even have been a pseudonym). Does this mean that it was the same J. Harwood who worked on DR. NO and FRWL? No, of course it doesn't.

Until Johanna Harwood or someone who knew her/was involved with the publication of this story can shed further light on the matter, I'm afraid we remain in the realms not even of an educated guess but of pure assumption. I mean, perhaps Johanna Harwood had a sister called Jane who actually wrote this story, and through Jane's contacts in the world of 007 Johanna ended up hired for DR. NO.

I know you're not actually claiming it as fact that this J. Harwood was the Johanna Harwood, but I think people are already running with it as fact and fear that future works of Bond scholarship may print it as such.

[zencat]

It's a good point. Until we know for sure this is Johanna Harwood, we shouldn't assume this is. But we can still pursue this line of investigation.

Harwood or not, it's still a pretty cool discovery.

[Loomis]

Harwood or not, it's still a pretty cool discovery.

Agreed.

[doublenoughtspy]

I just feel it would be wrong for Bond fans to suddenly accept as fact that Johanna Harwood wrote this story when it has certainly not been established as such.

Well I said that it was a piece of the puzzle that I had not solved, and that the writer was possibly Johanna Harwood.

How is that certain? How am I accepting it as Harwood when I pretty clearly state that I'm not sure?

Are you saying I shouldn't have brought up Johanna Harwood at all?

You say "What is her middle initial?" like it is something I hadn't thought of. When I found the story I immediately called two people who I thought might have the information, and neither knew.

Zencat and I were just sent some interesting info - Johanna Harwood was once Saltzman's secretary, and she wrote for Punch as early as 1960. So we know that she was writing humorous pieces for a British magazine before she did screenwriting. She also co-wrote Call Me Bwana.

Again, I'm not saying it's proof. But the magazine writing (and humor at that) does increase her likelihood as a candidate in my view.

[Loomis]

I just feel it would be wrong for Bond fans to suddenly accept as fact that Johanna Harwood wrote this story when it has certainly not been established as such.

Well I said that it was a piece of the puzzle that I had not solved, and that the writer was possibly Johanna Harwood.

How is that certain? How am I accepting it as Harwood when I pretty clearly state that I'm not sure?

I never said otherwise. I wrote: "I know you're not actually claiming it as fact that this J. Harwood was the Johanna Harwood, but I think people are already running with it as fact and fear that future works of Bond scholarship may print it as such."

[doublenoughtspy]

I never said otherwise. I wrote: "I know you're not actually claiming it as fact that this J. Harwood was the Johanna Harwood, but I think people are already running with it as fact and fear that future works of Bond scholarship may print it as such."

I understand your point, but I can't control how people in the future interpret or report the information I've presented.

Loomis, since you live in the UK, I'll ask your help with the following:

Irish birth records - Harwood was born in Ireland from what I understand. A middle name would be helpful :-)

Nursery World back issues - I'd love to find the Sep 59 issue (I wonder if there was artwork?) - it might have a full name as the author or other info. Other issues from the time might show if this "J M Harwood" was a regular contributor or if it was a one shot.

British Film Institute - they might have a file on Harwood.

[zencat]

Yes, finding that issue of Nursery World would be sweet.

[Loomis]

Loomis, since you live in the UK, I'll ask your help with the following:

Irish birth records - Harwood was born in Ireland from what I understand. A middle name would be helpful :-)

Nursery World back issues - I'd love to find the Sep 59 issue (I wonder if there was artwork?) - it might have a full name as the author or other info. Other issues from the time might show if this "J M Harwood" was a regular contributor or if it was a one shot.

British Film Institute - they might have a file on Harwood.

I don't think I can help with any of those issues. It is, of course, easier to sit back and enjoy the fruits of Bond research by others than to track down this information for myself.

I have the utmost respect for your Bond scholarship and have never questioned it.

[Matt_13]

Just out of curiosity where did you guys come across the picture used in the main page story? Did Mr.* put it together?

[zerominus]

Which publication was the page (available at the Young Bond Dossier) from?

[doublenoughtspy]

Which publication was the page (available at the Young Bond Dossier) from?

Now & Then Issue 105, Spring 1960, along with the cover and table of contents page.

Just out of curiosity where did you guys come across the picture used in the main page story? Did Mr.* put it together?

CBn's Stromberg, aka Heiko Baumann, put that excellent illustration together.

[Matt_13]

Outstanding work!