NO LIMITS • NO FEARS • NO SUBSTITUTES SET AT LEAVESDEN – PHOTOGRAPH/ANDREW PILKINGTON GOLDENEYE GRAHAM RYE ON THE ADVENTURES IN THE FAN TRADE ‘Five hundred JBBFC members ensured For 25 years all Ross’s personal time was at a premium.’ The James Bond International Fan Club and ‘OO7’ MAGAZINE have consistently f there’s one constant that of spying some ‘Bond action’. The chute. Tomorrow the stuntman could based in New York earlier in 1974. runs through the 40 years gatehouse ‘boasted’ a smart peak- do it! Later, also thanks to the Schenkman would later go solo to set the standard in James Bond magazine IIplus of this writer’s foray into capped Commisionnaire in the Commissionnaire, I would visit Ken continue his excellent (but unfortu- James Bond fandom, it must be Sixties, and he became used to my Adam’s fantastic volcano set. Both nately titled) publication ‘Bondage’, love – an all-consuming love of a regular cycling trips. He would often events would have a profound and until joined by James Bond author-to- publishing, special events, archiving, and a subject matter. This love affair give me reams of ‘Call Sheets’ for the lasting effect. be Raymond Benson, as Vice- with James Bond can mean productions shooting at the time, Leaving school at 16 in 1968, President of this U.S. club. Bondage unique range of OO7 products. many different things to many including You Only Live Twice and later, I suppose it was the artistry on so would subsequently close some 15 different people, from all walks many levels of the James Bond films years later when Schenkman’s career GRAHAM RYE takes a personal of life, on every level of social that eventually led me into an early at that time, directing ‘Playmates’ fea- strata – in fact, every race, career of design and photography; tures for the Playboy empire, preclud- journey through a quarter century of creed and colour on the planet. however, I was unable to combine ed him from overseeing the produc- Never have so many people both my interests in a professional tion of a Bond ‘fanzine’. innovation and determination – and when been so addicted by one fiction. capacity until many years later. You’ve April 1st 1979 saw issue number This fascination with ‘all seen those joke mottos in offices one of ‘oo7’ published by The James necessary, sheer bloody-mindedness, things Bond’ has thread its way which read, “You don’t have to be Bond British Fan Club – a double-sided through my life for over four mad to work here but it helps!” – A4 photocopied news-sheet heralding decades, and is now as impossi- well, after revisiting all that’s hap- the imminent arrival of the eleventh to show that still… ble to separate from my life as pened in the last 25 years of these James Bond movie Moonraker. the emptied stratums of Bondian misadventure, I have realised Although these early publications …NOBODY DOES IT BETTER! coloured sand from the glass I must have been completely insane! were often executed in rather a crude ornaments purchased on sea- fashion, the enthusiasm and love of side holidays in those bucket The James Bond the subject matter shone through and spade days.. 1979 International Fan from all who contributed. PART I – 1979-1994 My early introduction to the Club began life in In 1979 for the princely sum of James Bond character first began at 1979 as The James £1 (£1.50 International no less!), the impressionable age of 11 when my Bond British Fan Club, when teenage JBBFC members were treated to a Dad took me to see the first Bond James Bond fan and fervent Queen’s ‘Membership Card, Four 007s a year, film, Dr. No, on its original cinema On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. It was Park Rangers supporter Ross Hendry a chance to purchase Bond material, release in 1962. By 1964, with the due to this Commissionnaire that I decided it was about time there was a Competitions, Outings, Pen-pals’ – “Nothing is ever accomplished release of the third Bond film briefly met Sean Connery one day on club in the UK to celebrate his and even an ‘Answer service!’ Ross ran Goldfinger, I had discovered Ian his way out of the studios in his chauf- favourite hero, James Bond oo7 – and the whole affair from his bedroom in by a reasonable man.” Fleming’s oo7 novels and was hooked feur-driven car – I was dumbstruck. also in order that Bond fans could his parents’ house in a quiet Harrow – for life! As a schoolboy I would often Speechless! So-much-so I didn’t even meet and share their common interest. cul-de-sac – a monumental task for George Bernard Shaw cycle the 10 miles from my home in ask for an autograph, and just listened High School students Richard any individual! Five hundred JBBFC Southall to Pinewood Studios in as he explained that his back was play- Schenkman and Bob Forlini had start- members from around the world Buckinghamshire, on the off-chance ing up a bit after sliding down a metal ed an American James Bond Fan Club ensured that all his personal time (and oo32 oo33 NOBODY • DOES • IT • BETTER NO LIMITS • NO FEARS • NO SUBSTITUTES ‘The JBBFC broke new ground with its 1981 convention in St. John’s Wood.’ LICENCE RENEWED much more besides!) was at a premi- Cassandra Harris – accompanied by (with ‘Little Nellie’ – of course!), and Danny Baker and Janet Street-Porter. was certainly more professionally con- necessarily acting in our best interest. The following transcription is to get things sorted out. You see um. During the following two years her husband Pierce Brosnan, who sat Don McLauchlan from Lotus Cars. Ross Hendry, together with Mark ceived, and the highlight was Therefore any co-operation on our the interview with author John I already had enough work to keep The JBBFC became organised along with their children at the side of the Another Brosnan also lending their Ashby (replete in a yellow Moonraker undoubtedly Ross’s excellent inter- part must be kept to a relative mini- Gardner at The James Bond me going for the next four years. So the lines of a social club run by a com- audience while his wife was inter- support on stage was James Bond In space suit two sizes too large!) and view with new Bond author John mum.” British Fan Club 1982 all my time was taken up. However, it mittee. It also boasted branch heads viewed on stage. I was shooting stills The Cinema author John Brosnan (no Andrew Pilkington, were questioned Gardner, an impressive coup at the I telephoned Jerry, then EON’s International Convention at was a tremendous challenge and a in many different areas of the UK and of the event all day, and guess what – relation!). What I remember of the by Gloria Hunniford, making her time. Unfortunately we were badly let Vice-President in Charge of Marketing The Wembley Conference great honour, so I thought I would overseas – and even a Junior Branch! I never shot one frame of Pierce! event, everyone enjoyed themselves debut as a TV interviewer, then look- down by the Conference Centre when to plead our case for the convention Centre, and originally appeared have a go, and if it worked, okay, if it During this period Hendry’s team in In those days no one knew who and it was a good first attempt at a ing more like a drab housewife than its sole projector broke down, leaving prints. But he was having none of it, in The JBBFC bi-monthly publi- didn’t, well it didn’t. I was conscious the UK included: Peter Ettedgui, he was!!! But I did sit and chat with convention. This was the first time the glamorous showbusiness person- our audience at a loss for over an hour. and told me in no uncertain terms, cation ‘For Your Eyes Only’ (Vol. by that time that everyone was taking Adrian Cowdry, Mark Ashby, Paul that fans anywhere had been able to ality we know today. I realised how With more experience under our col- “We do not find it in our interest for 4 No. 6 – 1983) a gamble.When I met Glidrose I was Riddell, Chris Nixon, Andrew meet Desmond Llewelyn, and he The 6 O’Clock Show treated most of its lective belts we could have handled you to show our films now or at any even more conscious just how much Pilkington, Kevin Harper, Mike would return time and again to lend items and wisely stayed incommuni- this faux pas better than we did – but time in the future!” Regrettably, and to You’ve written a large number of a gamble the idea was. I finally rang Corfield, Nick Capp, Bill Lynas, Mark his support to the Club, something he cado. As was to become the norm for hey, no pain no gain! the huge disappointment of JBBFC books and are a very prestigious my agent explaining that I had been Noakes, David Rees, Peter Doherty, believed was a worthwhile organisa- many years, TV took a clichéd stance The JBBFC planned to return to members around the world, we had author. How were you asked to do some continuation James Iain McDougall, Gerald Mulligan, tion, right up until his tragic untimely (nothing’s changed there then!) and the Wembley Conference Centre no other option but to cancel our pre- approached to write the Bond Bond novels – what do you think? Simon Butt, Paul Ettedgui – and in death.