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The Kennedy's & James Bond
THE KENNEDY'S & JAMES BOND
We all know that John Fitzgerald Kennedy loved the James Bond books written by Ian Fleming. I did study the matter a bit more thoroughly, and I was quite flabbergasted how the Kennedy Dynasty popped up in quite a few Fleming novels and Bond films. But how did this start? How did we end up with Jack Kennedy referring to "From Russia With Love" and director Sam Mendes refrencing Ted Kennedy?
By: Gustav Graves (Gert Waterink)
First meeting between Senator John F. Kennedy and Ian Fleming
Early 1960 Ian Fleming paid a visit to the United States of America, which was to accompany his friend Marion Oates Leiter-Charles (We instantly know where the surname 'Leiter' was derived from). That story in itself is intriguing. Mrs. Leiter-Charles, "Oatsie" to her closest friends, was married to Thomas Leiter until his death. But Marion and Thomas knew Ian Fleming already from their first vacations in Jamaica in the early 1950's. Later, "Oatsie" and Thomas settled in Newport, in the state of Rhode Island, New England.
There, the couple was already acquinted with John F. Kennedy. The then rising star within the Democratic Party wasn't all that healthy. JFK suffered from severe spinal pains. He was hospitalized many times in Newport Hospital. And shortly after he endured another necessary surgery in 1955, "Oatsie" visited JFK and gave him a present from one of her best friends: Ian Fleming's "Casino Royale". John F. Kennedy instantly loved the first James Bond book.
Marion "Oatsie" Leiter-Charles
Five years later, when the campaign for the 1960 US Elections started to gear up, Ian Fleming once again visited his beloved friend "Oatsie" Leiter-Charles. At that time the Leiter family frequently resided in Washington D.C. On one Sunday morning in March of the year 1960, "Oatsie" ran into then Senator Kennedy when he left church with his wife Jackie. "Oatsie" introduced Jack to Ian and he was baffled: "Not thè Ian Fleming?!?". "Oatsie" and her husband already had dinner plans with the Kennedy's later that night, so she kindly asked if she could bring a guest. And so it happened.
JFK's Endorsement of the novel 'From Russia With Love'
The introduction resulted in mutual respect between Fleming, the Leiters and the Kennedy's. Ian Fleming named the CIA character Felix Leiter after the Leiters. And in return, when JFK became president, Jack presented "From Russia With Love" as his 9th favourite book in his own TOP 10 of Favourite Books of 1961. John F. Kennedy was a popular president during the first year of his term, a bit like Obama now. Following Kennedy’s endorsement of "From Russia with Love" in 1961, Fleming saw the sales of his book skyrocketing, and he became the highest-selling crime author in the United States Of America.
References in the novels 'The Spy Who Loved Me' and 'The Man With The Golden Gun'
Fleming's respect for the Kennedy's didn't stop there. In 1962, he wrote to district attorney Robert F. Kennedy: “I am delighted to take this opportunity to thank Kennedys everywhere for the electric effect their commendation has had on my sales in America.”.
When writing two of his novels, Ian Fleming even put references to John F. Kennedy in them. In "The Spy Who Loved Me", a novel that he later despised, he wrote: “We need some more Jack Kennedys. It’s all these old people about. They ought to hand the world over to younger people who haven’t got the idea of war stuck in their subconscious.”
Shortly after JFK was assassinated in 1963 in Dallas, Texas, Fleming started writing his final novel "The Man With The Golden Gun". The death of Jack Kennedy had a profound effect on Fleming, thus he again referenced the Kennedy's. In a scene he depicts Bond relaxing with a glass of bourbon, reading JFK's memoirs "Profiles In Courage".
Another big Kennedy reference in 'Skyfall'
The fact that the relationship between the Kennedy's and Ian Feming was close, didn't escape director Sam Mendes' eye for detail. During pre-production of "Skyfall" Mr Mendes suggested to dedicate a very important scene to JFK's brother, Edward "Ted" Kennedy. As we all know, Ted Kennedy died in 2009 of cancer. For Mr Mendes it proved to be a good moment to remember both the Kennedy's, and Ian Fleming.
It was Ted Kennedy's rousing concession speech during the Democratic National Convention of 1980 that served as the blueprint for this pivotal scene. Therefore, please skip to Ted Kennedy's closing statement at 34min 00sec:
I quote Ted Kennedy's last words down below:
We now know that Dame Judi Dench's final performance as "M" had to sound as heroic as some of the finest speeches from the Kennedy's. In my opinion it worked. The emotional, unprecedented death of "M" in "Skyfall" in many ways mirrored or echoed John F. "Jack" Kennedy's death (1963), Robert "Bobby" Kennedy death (1968) and Edward "Teddy" Kennedy's death (2009, two years before production of "Skyfall" started). Ian Fleming would have been proud of his legacy.
We all know that John Fitzgerald Kennedy loved the James Bond books written by Ian Fleming. I did study the matter a bit more thoroughly, and I was quite flabbergasted how the Kennedy Dynasty popped up in quite a few Fleming novels and Bond films. But how did this start? How did we end up with Jack Kennedy referring to "From Russia With Love" and director Sam Mendes refrencing Ted Kennedy?
By: Gustav Graves (Gert Waterink)
First meeting between Senator John F. Kennedy and Ian Fleming
Early 1960 Ian Fleming paid a visit to the United States of America, which was to accompany his friend Marion Oates Leiter-Charles (We instantly know where the surname 'Leiter' was derived from). That story in itself is intriguing. Mrs. Leiter-Charles, "Oatsie" to her closest friends, was married to Thomas Leiter until his death. But Marion and Thomas knew Ian Fleming already from their first vacations in Jamaica in the early 1950's. Later, "Oatsie" and Thomas settled in Newport, in the state of Rhode Island, New England.
There, the couple was already acquinted with John F. Kennedy. The then rising star within the Democratic Party wasn't all that healthy. JFK suffered from severe spinal pains. He was hospitalized many times in Newport Hospital. And shortly after he endured another necessary surgery in 1955, "Oatsie" visited JFK and gave him a present from one of her best friends: Ian Fleming's "Casino Royale". John F. Kennedy instantly loved the first James Bond book.
Marion "Oatsie" Leiter-Charles
Five years later, when the campaign for the 1960 US Elections started to gear up, Ian Fleming once again visited his beloved friend "Oatsie" Leiter-Charles. At that time the Leiter family frequently resided in Washington D.C. On one Sunday morning in March of the year 1960, "Oatsie" ran into then Senator Kennedy when he left church with his wife Jackie. "Oatsie" introduced Jack to Ian and he was baffled: "Not thè Ian Fleming?!?". "Oatsie" and her husband already had dinner plans with the Kennedy's later that night, so she kindly asked if she could bring a guest. And so it happened.
JFK's Endorsement of the novel 'From Russia With Love'
The introduction resulted in mutual respect between Fleming, the Leiters and the Kennedy's. Ian Fleming named the CIA character Felix Leiter after the Leiters. And in return, when JFK became president, Jack presented "From Russia With Love" as his 9th favourite book in his own TOP 10 of Favourite Books of 1961. John F. Kennedy was a popular president during the first year of his term, a bit like Obama now. Following Kennedy’s endorsement of "From Russia with Love" in 1961, Fleming saw the sales of his book skyrocketing, and he became the highest-selling crime author in the United States Of America.
References in the novels 'The Spy Who Loved Me' and 'The Man With The Golden Gun'
Fleming's respect for the Kennedy's didn't stop there. In 1962, he wrote to district attorney Robert F. Kennedy: “I am delighted to take this opportunity to thank Kennedys everywhere for the electric effect their commendation has had on my sales in America.”.
When writing two of his novels, Ian Fleming even put references to John F. Kennedy in them. In "The Spy Who Loved Me", a novel that he later despised, he wrote: “We need some more Jack Kennedys. It’s all these old people about. They ought to hand the world over to younger people who haven’t got the idea of war stuck in their subconscious.”
Shortly after JFK was assassinated in 1963 in Dallas, Texas, Fleming started writing his final novel "The Man With The Golden Gun". The death of Jack Kennedy had a profound effect on Fleming, thus he again referenced the Kennedy's. In a scene he depicts Bond relaxing with a glass of bourbon, reading JFK's memoirs "Profiles In Courage".
Another big Kennedy reference in 'Skyfall'
The fact that the relationship between the Kennedy's and Ian Feming was close, didn't escape director Sam Mendes' eye for detail. During pre-production of "Skyfall" Mr Mendes suggested to dedicate a very important scene to JFK's brother, Edward "Ted" Kennedy. As we all know, Ted Kennedy died in 2009 of cancer. For Mr Mendes it proved to be a good moment to remember both the Kennedy's, and Ian Fleming.
It was Ted Kennedy's rousing concession speech during the Democratic National Convention of 1980 that served as the blueprint for this pivotal scene. Therefore, please skip to Ted Kennedy's closing statement at 34min 00sec:
I quote Ted Kennedy's last words down below:
"And may it be said of us in both dark passages and in bright days. In the words of Tennyson that my brothers quoted and loved. And that have special meaning for me now:
-- I am a part of all that I have met;
-- Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
-- We are not now that strength which in old days
-- Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
-- One equal temper of heroic hearts,
-- Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
-- To strive, to seek, to find, and NOT to yield.
For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose scares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.
We now know that Dame Judi Dench's final performance as "M" had to sound as heroic as some of the finest speeches from the Kennedy's. In my opinion it worked. The emotional, unprecedented death of "M" in "Skyfall" in many ways mirrored or echoed John F. "Jack" Kennedy's death (1963), Robert "Bobby" Kennedy death (1968) and Edward "Teddy" Kennedy's death (2009, two years before production of "Skyfall" started). Ian Fleming would have been proud of his legacy.
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Comments
@suavejmf, I can't disagree, sir. :)
And Ian Fleming wasn't just acquinted with JFK, he did had some other upper jetset friends. A few years ago I posted this topic, which is also an interesting read:
http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/5253/the-largely-unknown-ian-fleming-prince-bernhard-of-the-netherlands-connection#latest
But a man with lots of physical pains too.
I wasn't aware of this. But just looked it up.
There's so much wonderful little trivia that's worth writing an entire article about ;-). Have you checked this opic too @PropertyOfALady?
http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/5253/the-largely-unknown-ian-fleming-prince-bernhard-of-the-netherlands-connection#latest
All these relatively small tidbits makes you understand the character James Bond so much better. The intellectuality of some Bond films/novels = The Kennedy's (with a reference to "Oatsie" Leiter in many Bond films). The suave, charismatic, dry witt of James Bond himself = Prince Bernard of Orange (with a reference to Lippe in TB and UNCLE). We know where Goldfinger's name came from. Or what about Blofeld :-). The list is endless. Fleming's inspiration is now a dense web of known and still unknown trivia tidbits. It's what I love about the Bond franchise :-).
Back in the day I was very pleased to discover that Fleming and JFK were pals.
Love that Reagan tribute to Bond. Couldn't have written it better myself.
Isn't that something. My two favourite US Presidents, both made effort to tribute Bond.
Kennedy's Bond connection I was aware of, but I hadn't seen the Reagan blurb till now.
Does't Bond have a Kennedy book he plans on reading in one of the recent novels.
Memory escapes. If I had to guess its Trigger Mortis or possibly Fleming's TMWTGG.
==
Edit: Question answered above. It's Bond reading Profiles in Courage in TMWTGG.
Cool huh ;-). All this wonderful background information. You perhaps also like this topic:
http://www.mi6community.com/index.php?p=/discussion/5253/the-largely-unknown-ian-fleming-prince-bernhard-of-the-netherlands-connection#latest
Lots of picures! :) Thats always a bonus.
So out of Topic but what did you think of Regan's portrayal in the film by lee Daniels The Butler.
I think Allan Rickman gave a great performance but the film was quite unfair towards him. Made him look like an hypocrite
You have me at a loss. I know the film that you refer to, but I never did get around to seeing it. I guess it would be interesting to watch, if only to see how the various Presidents are portrayed.
Yes, watch its a good film maybe the story not so great but its worth it to see all the presidents portrayals
@graves, did you see that movie?
Sorry @timmer . What movie was it again?
Here's another Kennedy-Fleming anecdote, from a letter by Ann Fleming, dated Feb. 16, 1964:
And that of course is a nod to Jacqui Kennedy's maiden name being Bouvier.
Fff-ing hell, I even didn't see the Bouvier link! Thanks @timmer. The Kennedy connections keep growing and growing.
JFK files: British paper got anonymous call just before assassination .
A reporter on the UK’s Cambridge Evening News received an anonymous call telling him to ring the US embassy for some big news, 25 minutes before the murder of John F Kennedy in Dallas, newly released documents say.
A memo written to the director of the FBI from the deputy director (Plans) of the CIA tells of the strange phone call made to the unnamed senior reporter on the paper.
Dated four days after the president’s death, it reveals how far the investigation into the events in Dallas reached.
The memo reads: “The British security service (MI-5) has reported that at 18:05 GMT on 22nd November and anonymous telephone call was made in Cambridge, England, to the senior reporter of the Cambridge News.
The caller said only that the Cambridge News reporter should call the American embassy in London for some big news and then hung up.
“After the word of the president’s death was received the reporter informed the Cambridge police of the anonymous call and the police informed MI-5.
“The important point is that the call was made according to MI-5 calculations, about 25 minutes before the president was shot. The Cambridge reporter had never received a call of this kind before and MI-5 state that he is known to them as a sound and loyal person with no security record.”
(November 22, 1963)
President John F Kennedy is shot dead by a sniper while his motorcade moved through Dallas. Lee Harvey Oswald, a former US marine and Soviet defector, is arrested.
(November 24, 1963)
Oswald is shot dead by a Dallas nightclub owner, Jack Ruby.
(November 29, 1963)
The newly sworn in president, Lyndon Johnson, orders an investigation of the assassination, named after its leader, chief justice Earl Warren.
(September 28, 1964)
The Warren Commission determines that Oswald acted alone, without help from Cuba or Russia. The panel also finds that Ruby acted alone.
(January 17, 1969)
A new investigation by four medical experts reaffirms the commission's finding that two bullets killed Kennedy from behind.
(March 2, 1969)
Clay Shaw, a New Orleans businessman, is acquitted of charges of conspiracy in Kennedy's murder, after 50 minutes of deliberation. He is the only person prosecuted over the assassination.
(July 17, 1979)
After two years of investigation, a House committee accuses previous investigators of failing to explore sufficient leads. The panel found it "likely" that conspiracies were behind Kennedy's murder, including a possible second gunman on "the grassy knoll" in Dallas. The committee also believed organized crime was "probably" involved.
(December 20, 1991)
Oliver Stone premieres JFK, his film about the Shaw trial and the possibility of a CIA conspiracy, motivated in part to keep the US in Vietnam. A few months later, Seinfeld parodies the elaborate conspiracy theorizing around the Zapruder film and "magic bullet" theory.
(October 26, 1992)
Congress enacts the JFK Records Collection Act and orders the release of 3,100 secret documents in an attempt to quash conspiracy theories. The documents are ordered released with a 25-year deadline.
(May 3, 2016)
Donald Trump accuses the father of Ted Cruz of involvement in the assassination. He cites the National Enquirer, a tabloid, as his source.
The memo somewhat cryptically also states that “similar anonymous phone calls of a strangely coincidental nature have been received by persons in the UK over the past year” particularly in the case of a Dr Ward.
It ends: “The British Security Service stated its desire to assist in every way possible on any follow-up investigations required within the United Kingdom.”
The memo is signed by the deputy director James Angleton.
Kennedy was assassinated as his motorcade passed through Dallas on 22 November 1963. Lee Harvey Oswald, a former US marine, was charged with his murder. Oswald himself was shot dead two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby.
Certainly makes you wonder what is contained within those files?