13 replies to this topic

[DaveBond21]

This is something I have noticed and I think that those involved in the Bond movies tend to live longer than the average set of actors/producers working on movies or other franchises.

 

Here is a list of old Bond actors and production team members who are still alive:-

 

All the actors who played Bond are still alive

 

Earl Cameron (Pinder from TB) – 97

 

Lewis Gilbert - 94

 

Ken Adam – 93

 

Clifton James – 93

 

Louis Jordan - 93

 

Christopher Lee – 92

 

Patrick Macnee – 92

 

Robert Rietti (voice of Largo, Tiger, Blofeld in FYEO) - 91

 

Gabriele Ferzetti (Draco) – 89

 

Honor Blackman – 89

 

George Martin (composer LALD) - 89

 

David Hedison – 87

 

Joe Robinson (Peter Franks) - 87

 

Eunice Gayson – 86

 

Monty Norman - 86

 

Peter Lamont - 85

 

 

Those who died who lived a long time –

 

 

Freddie Young - 96

 

Marc Laurence – 95

 

Syd Cain - 93

 

Joseph Wiseman – 91

 

Martin Benson (Mr Solo from GF)  - 91

 

Geoffrey Keen - 89

 

Cubby Broccoli - 87

 

 

Interesting isn't it? Can you think of any more long-timers from the Bond movies?

[Invincible1958]

Of course all 6 Eon-Bond-actors are still alive (with Moore turning 88 this year, and Connery 85)

 

And ALL Eon-Main-Bondgirls are still alive. The oldest, Honor Blackman, is turning 90 this year.

 

So being a Bond girl doesn't give you a huge Hollywood career, but a long life!

[AMC Hornet]

Desmond Llewelyn, 86.

Lois Maxwell, 80.

[Tiin007]

Bernard Lee- 73 (stomach cancer)

 

Telly Savalas- 72 (prostate cancer) 

 

Curt Jurgens- 66 (heart attack)

 

Adolfo Celi- 63 (heart attack)

 

Pedro Armendariz- 51 (suicide)

 

Ilse Steppat- 52 (heart attack)

 

Robert Shaw- 51 (heart attack)

 

Herve Villechaize- 50 (suicide)

 

Derek Meddings- 64 (colorectal cancer)

 

Ian Fleming- 56 (heart attack, probably the result of a horrendous lifestyle)

 

While your assertion is correct that plenty of those involved in the early Bond films are still alive (even at above-average ages), I don't think it's fair to say that "those involved in the Bond films tend to live longer than the average set of actors/producers working on movies or other franchises." Just as many examples can be brought which disprove your theory, demonstrating that, in the aggregate, the "average" for the Bond film team is probably...  well... average.

[Jim]

Well, that was cheery.

[S K Y F A L L]

Jimi Hendrix deceased, drugs.

 

Janis Joplin deceased, alcohol.

 

Mama Cass deceased, ham sandwich.

[Call Billy Bob]

Jimi Hendrix deceased, drugs.
 
Janis Joplin deceased, alcohol.
 
Mama Cass deceased, ham sandwich.

"Yeah, and I can't believe Liberace was gay. I mean, women loved him! I didn't see that one coming."

[Fairbanks]

Assuming that this trend is real (and not an illusion created by cherry-picking), here's my hypothesis: A disproportionate number of people associated with the EON franchise have been "workhorses" -- lower-profile professionals who have attracted themselves to the producers precisely because of their stability and low-key competence. The franchise has employed a lot of TV veterans, character actors, and people from smaller film industries outside the Hollywood system. 

 

Flakes and primadonnas have never mixed well with EON's style of filmmaking, as illustrated by the quick departure of people like George Lazenby and Jack Lord. Ambitious, driven, egocentric risk-takers are more prone to substance abuse, emotional instability, and self-destructive habits. Boring, humble, work-a-day types are less likely to suffer from those pathologies, and so live longer on average. 

 

In other words, the people who work on the James Bond franchise live a long time precisely because they are unlike James Bond. 

[AMC Hornet]

In other words:

 

You start out doing good work for cheap, then even when you command a higher salary those who gave you your start will still want you.

 

N'est pas?

[glidrose]

Let's look at the writers:

 

Ian Fleming, died aged 56

Kingsley Amis, died aged 73

Arthur Calder-Marshall, died aged 83

Geoffrey Jenkins, died aged 81

John Pearson, will be 85 this year

Christopher Wood, will be 80 this year 

John Gardner, died aged 80

Raymond Benson, will be 60 this year

 

Can't be bothered searching the rest.

 

Richard Maibaum, died aged 81

Peter Janson-Smith (Fleming's agent, former Glidrose chairman), will be 93 this year

Nichol Fleming (Ian's nephew and a thriller writer himself), died age 56 - also of a heart attack after playing a game of tennis

 

 

Jimi Hendrix deceased, drugs.

 

Janis Joplin deceased, alcohol.

 

Mama Cass deceased, ham sandwich.

 

What Bond films did they do?

[dtuba]

Robert Shaw- 51 (heart attack)

I had no idea he died so young!

[DaveBond21]

 

Robert Shaw- 51 (heart attack)

I had no idea he died so young!

 

 

He liked a drink, Robert Shaw.

[DaveBond21]

Sadly Louis Jordan has died since I posted this, and also Robert Rietty, who provided the voice of Largo, Tiger Tanaka and other voices in the series.

 

He was 92.

[DaveBond21]

Here is an updated list, please feel free to add anything or correct me.

 

All the actors who played 007 are still alive.

 

Earl Cameron (Pinder from TB) – 98

 

Lewis Gilbert - 96

 

Clifton James – 94

 

Honor Blackman – 90

 

David Hedison – 88

 

Joe Robinson (Peter Franks) - 88

 

Eunice Gayson – 88

 

Monty Norman - 88

 

Geoffrey Palmer - 88

 

Peter Lamont - 86

 

Those who died who lived a long time –

 

 

Douglas Slocombe - 103

 

Freddie Young - 96

 

Marc Laurence – 95

 

Ken Adam – 93

 

Louis Jordan – 93

 

Guy Hamilton - 93

 

Syd Cain - 93

 

Christopher Lee – 93

 

Patrick Macnee – 93

 

Robert Rietti (voice of Largo, Tiger, Blofeld in FYEO) - 92

 

Joseph Wiseman – 91

 

Martin Benson (Mr Solo from GF) - 91

 

George Martin (composer LALD) - 90

 

Gabriele Ferzetti (Draco) – 90

 

Geoffrey Keen - 89

 

Cubby Broccoli - 87