1964: The GUNS of JAMES BOND | Time Out | Making of... | BBC Archive

Sean Connery, on the Pinewood set of Goldfinger, introduces a report about the influence gun expert Geoffrey Boothroyd has had on the character of James Bond.

Geoffrey Boothroyd was a passionate gun expert and fan of the original James Bond books.

In 1956 he wrote Ian Fleming a letter, asking him to change Bond’s signature gun – a Beretta – to something more powerful. In this clip, Boothroyd demonstrates why he thought Bond needed something with a bit more oomph.

Not only did Fleming heed his advice and change Bond’s favourite firearm, but in Dr No, he introduced a character called Major Boothroyd as an authorly homage.



Clip taken from Time Out : The Guns of James Bond, originally broadcast on BBC Television on Thursday 17 September, 1964.




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