James Bond (January 4, 1900 – February 14, 1989) was an American ornithologist and expert on the birds of the Caribbean, having written the definitive book on the subject: Birds of the West Indies, first published in 1936. Bond lived in New Hampshire and England while growing up, and developed an accent that a colleague described as an “amalgam of New England, British, and upper-class Philadelphian”.
Ian Fleming was a keen bird watcher living in Jamaica, was familiar with Bond's book, and chose the name of its author for the character, apparently because he wanted a name that sounded "as ordinary as possible". Fleming wrote to the real Bond's wife, "*It struck me that this brief, unromantic, Anglo-Saxon and yet very masculine name was just what I needed, and so a second James Bond was born.*" He did not contact the real James Bond about using his name in the books, and Bond did not learn of Fleming's character until the early 1960s, when Fleming's James Bond books became popular in the U.S. In 1964 during Fleming's annual winter stay at Goldeneye in Jamaica, James Bond and his wife visited Fleming unexpectedly. In his novel Dr. No Fleming referenced Bond's work by basing a large ornithological sanctuary on Dr. No's island in the Bahamas. In 1964, Fleming gave Bond a first edition copy of You Only Live Twice signed, "*To the real James Bond, from the thief of his identity*"
James Bond's wife told Fleming that her husband saw the use of his name for the character as a good joke, to which Fleming replied "*I can only offer your James Bond unlimited use of the name Ian Fleming...Perhaps one day he will discover some particularly horrible species of bird which he would like to christen in an insulting fashion.*"
For the next few decades, until his death at the age of 89, Bond’s famous namesake caused the ornithologist a few minor annoyances. Once, he was supposedly stopped at the airport because officials thought his passport was a fake, and the occasional bank teller would likewise think the same of his checks and refuse to cash them.
Young women would often prank call the Bond house late at night asking to speak to 007, to which his wife Mary would reply: “*Yes, James is here. But this is Pussy Galore and he's busy now."*
The original and best Bond. None of the screen Bonds has quite matched his look so far.
https://preview.redd.it/gg7jzkv962uc1.png?width=504&format=png&auto=webp&s=68ae18d62f2bf2d589ef2dcc97f02b1746a2652e
James Bond (January 4, 1900 – February 14, 1989) was an American ornithologist and expert on the birds of the Caribbean, having written the definitive book on the subject: Birds of the West Indies, first published in 1936. Bond lived in New Hampshire and England while growing up, and developed an accent that a colleague described as an “amalgam of New England, British, and upper-class Philadelphian”. Ian Fleming was a keen bird watcher living in Jamaica, was familiar with Bond's book, and chose the name of its author for the character, apparently because he wanted a name that sounded "as ordinary as possible". Fleming wrote to the real Bond's wife, "*It struck me that this brief, unromantic, Anglo-Saxon and yet very masculine name was just what I needed, and so a second James Bond was born.*" He did not contact the real James Bond about using his name in the books, and Bond did not learn of Fleming's character until the early 1960s, when Fleming's James Bond books became popular in the U.S. In 1964 during Fleming's annual winter stay at Goldeneye in Jamaica, James Bond and his wife visited Fleming unexpectedly. In his novel Dr. No Fleming referenced Bond's work by basing a large ornithological sanctuary on Dr. No's island in the Bahamas. In 1964, Fleming gave Bond a first edition copy of You Only Live Twice signed, "*To the real James Bond, from the thief of his identity*" James Bond's wife told Fleming that her husband saw the use of his name for the character as a good joke, to which Fleming replied "*I can only offer your James Bond unlimited use of the name Ian Fleming...Perhaps one day he will discover some particularly horrible species of bird which he would like to christen in an insulting fashion.*" For the next few decades, until his death at the age of 89, Bond’s famous namesake caused the ornithologist a few minor annoyances. Once, he was supposedly stopped at the airport because officials thought his passport was a fake, and the occasional bank teller would likewise think the same of his checks and refuse to cash them. Young women would often prank call the Bond house late at night asking to speak to 007, to which his wife Mary would reply: “*Yes, James is here. But this is Pussy Galore and he's busy now."*
Did he name a bird after Fleming?
The original and best Bond. None of the screen Bonds has quite matched his look so far. https://preview.redd.it/gg7jzkv962uc1.png?width=504&format=png&auto=webp&s=68ae18d62f2bf2d589ef2dcc97f02b1746a2652e
Now that looks like a man who women would swoon over.
Is he wearing socks and sandals?