The Spy Command

I had a great time being interviewed by David Zaritsky (The Bond Experience) about my Bond journey and the new direction for The Ian Fleming Foundation at the Quantum of Solace Gatherall event in Newtown PA this weekend. Very receptive group of attendees who asked some great questions.

Famed stunt pilot Paul Mantz died during filming.

Flattop's demise, 1940s

About 'shared' fictional universes

Audio version of today's post about "shared" fictional universes open.spotify.com/episode/6wJV...

About that whole ‘shared universe’ thing A lesser example of a “shared universe” For the past decade, or so, movie studios have chased after the notion of a “shared” universe. That is a shared fictional universe of…

About that whole 'shared universe' thing; it's not really new hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/07/a...

Steve Oxenrider, Bond collector, dies Steve Oxenrider, 74, a long-time James Bond collector, died this week, according to a post on his Facebook account by his husband. In 2023 and 2024, his large Bond collection was auctioned by U.K.-…

From the archives, Steve Oxenrider, Bond collector, dies hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2024/08/12/s...

Book about Bond teaching kids delayed Ian Fleming Publications said March 4 via X that one of its projects is being delayed until 2027. Originally, it was supposed to come out this year. Here is the new post: In 2025, IFP leaked the ne…

Book about Bond teaching kids delayed hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/04/b...

I'm having a bad day (Monday). That's how it goes.

Audio version of today's post open.spotify.com/episode/0HIL...

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse - Bernadette YouTube video by JL

Opening of the first episode of the Westinghouse-Desilu Playhouse. It was an early producing credit for Quinn Martin. www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIEM...

Via Uncle Agents page on Facebook | David McCallum with the royal family of Monaco, likely during filming of The Prince of Darkness/The Helicopter Spies.

Peter Hunt described that event at the official Bond fan convention in Los Angeles in 1994. I was embarrassed. I hadn't noticed the peeing dog until that time.

Milton Caniff (creator Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon) presents Bob Crane with a sketch.

Bond’s rough edges during the Eon era Roger Moore and Lois Chiles in a Moonraker publicity still In the Feb. 28 installment of The 007 Files podcast, guest Phil Nobile Jr. brought up an interesting point. Namely, how the Bond film seri…

Post is out: hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/01/b...

Bond’s rough edges during the Eon era Roger Moore and Lois Chiles in a Moonraker publicity still In the Feb. 28 installment of The 007 Files podcast, guest Phil Nobile Jr. brought up an interesting point. Namely, how the Bond film seri…

Bond's rough edges during the Eon era hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/01/b...

You've got me pondering a possible post for The Spy Command.

After listening to the episode after it went live, I thought about this more. 1983's Octopussy is a good example of the Eon 007's rough edges. Its mood goes back and forth. I like it overall but some of humor elicits groans from me. But other scenes are brilliant (i.e. backgammon game).

The joke U.N.C.L.E. and Batman shared We picked up a copy last weekend of Billion Dollar Batman, the new book by Bruce Scivally, examining the origins and television and movie adaptations of Batman. Scivally was part of the crew that i…

From the archives, 2012: The joke that U.N.C.L.E. and Batman shared hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/t...

The Brow, Nazi spy, meets his end in a Dick Tracy strip.

Hopes & Fears for James Bond Under Amazon ft. Phil Nobile Jr. | The 007 Files S4E002 Podcast Episode · The 007 Files · 28 February · 42m

New episode of The 007 Files podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/h...

The A1 Bond timeline On March 24, 2025, Amazon completed a transaction with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson where the retail tech giant gained creative control over the James Bond film franchise. What follows is…

I added an entry to the Amazon Bond 1 timeline to note some Bond-related quotes in a Hollywood Reporter interview with Amy Pascal. spycommandfeatures.wordpress.com/the-a1-bond-...

A nasty family.

COMING SATURDAY: The 007 Files podcast talks to Phil Nobile Jr. (who had a prescient post in 2017 about the future of the Bond franchise).

The Streets of San Francisco theme YouTube video by spudtv

Opening to the pilot of The Streets of San Francisco. Music by Patrick Williams www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dzY...

Looking forward to speaking at the Studebaker Museum next month about the restoration and conservation work we do at The Ian Fleming Foundation

The Guns of Navarone (1961) title sequence YouTube video by MovieTitles

The Guns of Navarone, prologue and main titles www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2oB...

The Guns Of Navarone | Soundtrack Suite (Dimitri Tiomkin) YouTube video by Soundtrack Fred

A suite of Dimitri Tiomikin's music from The Guns of Navarone www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6N6...

Netflix Backs Out of Bid for Warner Bros., Paving Way for an Ellison Takeover

Per, NYT, Netflix withdraws from Warner Bros. bidding www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/b...

The A1 Bond timeline On March 24, 2025, Amazon completed a transaction with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson where the retail tech giant gained creative control over the James Bond film franchise. What follows is…

I added an item to the Amazon Bond 1 timeline noting a story in The Sun claiming filming on the movie will start by the end of this year. spycommandfeatures.wordpress.com/the-a1-bond-...

U.K. school names project after Albert R. Broccoli

Audio version of today's post about a UK film-TV school naming an addition after Albert R. Broccoli open.spotify.com/episode/56in...