"Shaken Not Stirred" 1972 Glastron GT150 Restoration

My Project

2011-01-01T17:00:00.007-05:00

This is the boat as I bought it on November 1st, 2008 see blog below for updates.

Please take your time and explore the blog there is much information here about the movie, the boat and my restoration project. I will update the blog as I go with many edits along the way so be sure to keep checking back. I think there is something here for everyone. As you scroll down the blog you will see the most recent entries as I have dated the first few entries with a late date to ensure they stay at the top of the blog.

My guest book will be included in a "Time Capsule" inserted in the boat when finished please be sure to sign it!

I hope to be able to both learn from and educate others while working on my project and expect to make many friends along the way. As always comments and ideas are welcome in any section! I love to hear from followers of the blog!

"The Jump" from Live and Let Die with a stock '72 Glastron GT150 & 135 hp eng was landed 10/16/72. It set a World Record of 110ft. It stood for 3 yrs.

2011-01-01T15:31:00.004-05:00

Please Sign My Guestbook It Will Be Included In The Time Capsule In The Boat

2011-01-01T15:10:00.003-05:00

FRIENDS OF 007 BOAT PROJECT DONATION JAR

2011-01-01T15:00:00.002-05:00

So... I was thinking today why not try to get some help for this project. Heck if Barak Obama can raise 785 million in donations I can raise 10K can't I? It's almost unpatriotic not to try.

Therefore any donations from friends of the 007 restoration project will get personally recognized on a donators plaque as the boat makes its rounds at boat shows, car shows, not to mention immortalized in the "time capsule" (see blog) etc...

Sponsorship levels I figured out just for fun would be:

Dr. NO: Any of my friends who ignore my plea for help.
BOND GIRL: Any woman sending in a donation.
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE: Anyone donating over 1 ruble or a donation from Russia
007 AGENT: Send $7.00 and your listed.
GOLDEN EYE: Contributions over $25.00
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER: Contributions Over $100.00
LICENSE TO KILL: Contributions that are so big I'd have to kill for you or say thank you very much!

This project is going to cost more than I expected (after reviewing the spreadsheet) to get it right and be true to 007 so... any visitors of this blog than can help your charity is appreciated.
Any amount even $1.00 will help I just need about 9,999 more people to donate $1.00 after that. : )

Honestly I don't expect much but it can't hurt to ask. I just hope someone rich and or famous stops by and likes what I'm doing and feels good about helping out a great guy!

I actually hope to show this boat in boat shows, car shows and contributors will be acknowledged. So any James Bond fans out there that would like to help out just send whatever you can to: adwjr@yahoo.com on PayPal or mail me at 19 White Island Road, Halifax, MA 02338 USA Anonymous requests are accepted too for any famous people who feel charitable. : )

Please be sure to sign the guest book I will include that in the time capsule as well.

Live and Let Die Boat Chase/Jump

2011-01-01T14:59:00.001-05:00

Special Recognition

2011-01-01T12:59:00.012-05:00

I would like to say thanks to the Laite family for selling me their boat. I have promised to document the restoration process and give them a ride once the transformation has been completed. I hope to be able to bring the boat back to original condition and really have a truly classic speedboat for fun and R&R. For me there was only one choice and what were the odds I'd find a boat "For Sale" near my home that was the same Make, Model, Year and Color of the 007 boat? I hope to have lots of fun through this process and hopefully make some new friends along the way.

The Laite's just recently sent me some older pictures of the boat I think they are from the 1989 period. The boat looks great at the time and I again hope to restore it to better than new condition.

Let the transformation begin...

MIA

2009-12-08T12:32:00.002-05:00

Wow, has it been that long since the last post? Lots of things going on in life that has slowed me up a bit to gettin' 'er done! But.... I'm back I want this done by the summer and in the water. Sorry for tapping out on my project but sometimes things just get in the way. I am currently looking for some work space to use this winter around my home area and I hope to get working again soon on the project. Thanks for keep checking in and I hope to get some new updates in soon.

1 Down 1 To Go

2009-07-07T19:53:00.002-04:00

Ok the Mastercraft is running!! After help from my guy at work John Pesa he suggested it was probably the timing and after a few adjustments shes running like a top. Finally a boat running in the water after a year of pain.

Now lets get the GT running...

Shake, Rattle 'N' Roll

2009-06-30T14:59:00.003-04:00

Ok new update on the Mastercraft again... Bad ignition was the diagnosis and when the Mastercraft guy is scratching his head and shrugging his shoulders you know your in trouble. Took a bit to figure it out but it was the ignition.

So off I went the next day to buy an ignition what do I know I figured they are all alike WRONG. So I kill myself cramped up in a 1'x1' hole replacing the wrong ignition FUN... Next day I buy correct ignition go back into hole and replace. 3-2-1 she fires up YAY!!!!!!!!!!

Time for a test drive at once I knew something isn't right I've had this boat 16 years and this wasn't my boat. First off its shaking which mechanic says is due to it sitting BS I know better. All stop ahead check all fluids and "wella" I'm down 2 qts of oil after a new engine replacement last year which has never been started. Grrrr......... Mechanics can really piss me off sometimes.

Once again I get her warmed up and up to speed to only hear funny sounds coming from the engine area power is not what I am use to see and in the turns my boat is moving like its pregnant. Time to shut her down and call for help again. Mechanic is due out in a day they claim the timing is probably off. So I wait yet again for something to be fixed and in the meantime I'll buy my boat a watch.

Lets not even talk about the GT yet sorry but I'm going broke fixing the Mastercraft. No worries it will get done eventually.

3-2-1 Nothing!!!

2009-06-21T14:42:00.004-04:00

Saturday was boat day! I was home working like mad to finally get the Mastercraft back in the water. Vacuumed everything, washed everything, vinyl stickers of boat name on, water pump installed and working, seats scrubbed, new speedometer installed, dash reassembled, Windshield installed, floor painted with texture paint, batteries charged and installed with terminals cleaned, de-winterized boat by installing all plugs and were ready to put in the water! Ready to turn key to check that we have ignition 3-2-1 nothing!!!!! Just a weird click sound and then all power to the boat goes dead. Checks fuses checks battery connection all good still nothing. Hmmm... 5 minutes later the blower comes on all by itself must be a reset switch on the engine. So we try it again with the same results 5 minutes later I got power again. Time to call it a night as rain is due for the next 5 days so I'll ask around and try to figure it out let us hope its something simple I can't not have it running this year.... SIGH

Update: After a call to Mastercraft they feel it is a battery terminal connection problem. I have two batteries with a switch one of them I know is dead so... In theory if I switch over to the good battery "ONLY" it should turn over. I'll check it out and put a charge on the other dead battery. SO close to being on the water again...

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!

2009-06-02T10:11:00.003-04:00

OK, I finally got off my butt this weekend and got out the grinder to remove the stringers and bow pieces of wood. Everything I cut into to release the fiberglass had termites pouring out of it. THOUSANDS of them!!!

I'm not real good with bugs and they were everywhere. With some phobias conquered and a hose I went to war and glad can report a victory. I was too freaked out to remember to take some pics of course which I regret now because it would have made an excellent picture.

Glad to report that most of the cutting is done now I need to clean up the hull and grind off the excess fiberglass in spots. I also need to finish cutting out the transom. Next weekend will be the goal for finishing up the clean out of the boat hull and starting on the rebuild!

I've been a bit lazy with the camera I'll get on it and get some progress pics posted in a few days.

Looks like I am not going to make my project completion deadline but it will get done and I'll be glad I didn't sacrifice along the way. I intend to keep this boat for a while.

Hope all of you are starting to enjoy the nicer weather up north and looking forward to a great summer. Now if I can just find some time I can get some of my to do list done!!!

Amazing Transformation

2009-05-01T00:03:00.002-04:00

As I've said in recent posts I've been working on my 1994 Mastercraft Maristar VRS225 I had planned on getting it painted as I figured the paint was too far gone with 15 years of fading and scratches. I mean the gel coat in my opinion was gone!

I brought my boat to my guy Parrot Pete and within a few hours he had half the boat stripped of old stickers and major scratching he then took a spot and used the 3-4 grits with wet sanding and I was floored. Black Glass is back!

My wife will not believe I didn't paint it I think. Thanks to some good advice I may have saved a few thousand dollars. Hope to have the boat in the water in a week or two and finally enjoy a full summer of use. Pictures to follow soon.

Here's Johnny !!!

2009-04-19T11:26:00.006-04:00

Well no more excuses now. Its spring the day was cool and I had nothing to do but get busy on the boat. First the easy stuff using the heat gun on the remaining boat stickers made short order of that task! Now I am all ready for sanding.

Then the moment of truth I must cut out the back of the boat that is fiberglassed to the transom to remove the top. A few well placed cut thanks to some great pictures from some blog friends and it was easier than I thought POP just like that it released. Woke my neighbor from his Sunday nap and the two of us with some help from my wife separated the boat top from the hull.

The dogs thought this was very cool so I took them for an imaginary ride! They seemed to like it. They don't care so long as its nice out and the wind is blowing. I had to make engine noises for effect.

Looking over the boats hull there is still plenty of work to do I must cut out the stringers and with my track record of twice going through the hull I'm not very confident I can stop screwing this up. But what the hell... So I plug in my sawzall and don my mask... *Evil Grin* Here's Johnny!!!!!!!!!

Revenge of the Power Washer

2009-04-09T21:33:00.004-04:00

Once I got home from work today I couldn't help but go outside and enjoy the first true day of spring here. It was sunny, warm, and beautiful and I looked at both my boats covered in 6 months of debris and knew what I had to do.

I found my pressure washer and got it cleaned off put some new spark plugs in it and gassed it up. Ready, set, go...... WHOOSH I'm soaked!!! The wand blew up due to a cracked brass valve in the handle. Off to Lowe's for a new wand.

30 minutes later I'm back the wand is repaired the pressure washer is running I squeeze the trigger and dirt, debris, mold, and stuff go flying muhahahahahahaaaa! This is the only way to clean the hell with the scrubbers. Another 3o minutes and my boat looks my my dog after a bath... beaten down, dripping wet, and oh so squeaky clean.

Now for the doggies. "Noah!!! Max!!!! Come! I got a treat for you!" J/K : )

Plus they have a personal shower room with body sprays and steam.

Double Trouble

2009-04-06T17:14:00.003-04:00

Well I was working on the Mastercraft this week and I couldn't leave well enough alone. As I was bolting in the reupholstered seats I was busy ripping out carpet, the floor and a host of other things that were getting old and bothering me. Not that I had enough to do with the GT150 now I have to get fixed what I messed up in the Mastercraft LOL Ah well a few more weeks until I can launch the Mastercraft anyway which gives me a few more poker nights OH GOD please let me crush all the fish so I can boat this year... : )

Anyway its all good working on the Glastron has inspired me to fix the Mastercraft back up to par as well. Next year I hope to actually repaint the Mastercraft and bring it back to new condition its been 13 years now that I've owned it and it really is a great boat. To replace it now is $70,000 after sticker discount! Why my wife left me at the boat show and went home alone telling me I was crazy 13 years ago when I traded in my old boat for that one plus $25,000 I still have no idea I told her it was a great deal at the time and I stand by that decision. : )

Rain Rain & More Rain!

2009-04-03T12:43:00.004-04:00

Well I took off work for a week to get a lot done around the house. Yard work and boat work were on the top of the list. Of course the rain has slowed the progress down but on a good note I did get out there and get some things accomplished.

I have a 1996 Mastercraft Maristar that I bought new in 1997 the vinyl finally gave out on me last year so I had all the seats reupholstered I had to unbolt them all from the hull which was not a fun job hidden bolts in impossible to reach places. I think they bolted these in when the boat was in 2 pieces. Anyway I have repaired the vinyl and the seating is back in. I also rewired the interior lighting and the radio. Batteries are on a trickle charge now and I've got my eye on the long term weather forecast as this boat is an inboard and I must wait until the danger of freezing is over as I've learned this lesson the hard way.

The tilt/trim unit has arrived and I will get to work on cleaning it up and getting it ready as well. Still waiting on a surge of cash flow to get the engine moving in the right direction. A bit of warm weather would put me in the mood but we will see.

All things considered for the week progress is being made.

Its Christmas! Or at least for me!

2009-03-24T15:48:00.002-04:00

The UPS man delivered my presents from Livorsi Marine. Shifter, Gauges, Speaker Covers, and a slew of other items I picked out have arrived just in time to put back in the box and sit them on the shelf for a few months : (

Well I was hoping my poker winnings would be more than they have been so I could have some play money for this project LOL. Hit some cold cards lately but I am still slightly up overall which is better then being down.

Until I break the bank or get some more of my own time in on the project it will just have to creep along best I can manage. Still I am optimistic about my July 4th kick off but I admit I grow worrisome about the deadline. I must think positive and big and a little luck and or charity would go a long way ; )

The gauges are great and Livorsi emailed me for some finished pictures of the gauges installed for their website/catalog which would be neat to see. Ill get some pics up later as I install them. There is a section in the blog with the gauges posted already.

Hood Tinkering

2009-03-24T14:04:00.005-04:00

Well I'll be heading to the marine store after work today to get my first batch of fiberglass repair products. A good buddy told me if I can do sloppy wallpapering I can do fiberglass repair. I think I can handle that.

So... more stuff tools, items, toxic adhesives and resins for the cellar shelves! Cool : ) my wife should have me killed soon I'm guessing.

I already got yelled at for painting the cowling on the back porch but it's what guys do!!! Women just don't understand that now that I've wrecked the porch it just makes me committed to painting it for the spring. See ladies guy thinking 101 at the best here. Let us wreck things it makes us all the more motivated to buy something new.

Ah well my back is feeling better, the weather is warming and the lake is thawed soon I'll be tackling the floors in the boat but for now I'm working on my hood emblems a little at a time.

Esnipe Rules!

2009-03-19T21:54:00.004-04:00

If you don't know what it is look it up because it saves you huge amounts of time and money if you use eBay for anything.

Well they said I would never find a power trim for this motor, yet alone in good condition. They were very rare and hardly used at the time (1973), and although an option for that engine that year... few in good condition survive.

Bottom line is this boat once done is possibly unsafe with a 135hp engine on it without power trim. So I did what I must to find the one part for the boat that I knew would prove elusive and thanks to esnipe I was victorious.

I get a 1973 power trim in great condition that was used in freshwater only. Pictures below.

Engine Rebuild Begins.

2009-03-16T20:10:00.004-04:00

Well I started in on the engine this weekend. Prop came off easy enough. I drained the lower unit and it was 1/2 gear oil and 1/2 water hmmm.... may be a hidden problem I'll find out more when lower unit is removed.

Carbs looked good no issues that I saw. I started cleaning up the engine casing and noticed something was a bit off. The hood would not fit back in place. It was never on great when I got it but upon further examination they must have dropped this engine off a truck because the engine case is bent grrrrr.... easy enough fix I guess a bit of heat and a big wrench should do it. I'll worry about that later.

I stripped everything off the cowling to get ready for paint (hood gasket, staples). Inside I removed the soundproofing and cleaned it all with Acetone all shiny new now. So now I need to repair the fiberglass damage from the shipping again I'll save that for a nice sunny spring day in a nice afternoon breeze.

All in all about 3 hrs work without putting too much strain on the back.

Price To Pay

2009-03-09T18:43:00.007-04:00

Well I have the engine now mounted on an engine mount I threw together from scrap wood. I got it off the pallot that it was delivered on and carried it to my basement with my brothers help. I think we could have used 2 more guys to do this because I have now thrown my back out. : (

I swear if I can ever get healthy and the weather warms I will make progress. I have taken some good pictures of the engine and it looks good... Famous last words right? I admit I'm not an engine expert but should get some help soon from some friends that know what to do. I will watch, help and learn a few things I am sure. I look forward to starting the work on the motor.

I started the paperwork on the engine claim from the damage during shipping who knows it may offset some of the cost.

I uncovered the boat the other day as it was 62 here at home and today it is snowing again, you gotta love New England.

Well I need at least two weeks to heal myself before I can heal the engine. Chow for now.

One step forward and two steps back

2009-02-28T12:31:00.003-05:00

Well yesterday they dropped off the 1973 Evinrude 135hp Starflight I found in excellent shape in TX. When the shipping company unloaded it I noticed damage on the packing upon further examination it looks like they either dragged this thing upside down for a mile or it fell off the truck on the highway. The engine cowling has damage to the fiberglass in multiple spots the lower cavitation plate is broken and the prop is trashed. Most things can be fixed easy enough but I just get pissed off thinking about some clowns who really don't care about anyone's property sitting on their forklift and getting over paid to trash my property.

If there is any good news to this I will file a claim to get some of this fixed again but as I've said it just seems like one step forward and two back. I'll post some pics soon but at least the engine is here and the guts look pretty good so far but until you open it up and look who knows. On a funny note the hole in the engine on the rear of the cowling looks like the bullet hole from the movie so thats a bonus LOL.

ALIVE!!

2009-02-24T15:31:00.004-05:00

Ok I lived. Many many tests later I am good to go. Diagnosis was probably small kidney stones that I passed. Glad I didn't have big ones as the small ones hurt bad enough.

No one sent me flowers or the million bucks but ehh... I'm alive right?

I expect the engine here any day now and get to open it up and see what I bought for 750.00 a pile of rust or a very nice clean working engine hmmm.... the suspense is killing me.

My lake is thawing out and already half the ice is gone I am tempted to don my 6mm wetsuit and put the docks in (my way of demanding that winter go and spring to arrive) I look forward to cleaning up my yard which looks like a bomb hit it and uncovering the boats and getting to work. As you may recall I have no garage to work in so I've waited out the cold.

Dogs had fun this winter running around on the ice that finally froze solid for the first time in 2 years so they are not as fat as I am as I did no running but more lounging. I need to start my routine again and get ready for the summer it is coming.... and if it dosen't come soon I'll just get out there with my wetsuit hood and booties and do it anyway. I am done with winter for the year.

Franks & Beans

2009-02-13T11:47:00.002-05:00

Ok I'm sure no one really cares but... My back is killing me and it seems I may have a kidney stone. Oh they are so much fun. I am just on the verge of spring and I'm layed up hurting. Pain has gone right around to the tile of this post.

Well if I live I'll post again soon if I don't send some flowers. Sure no one wants to give me a million bucks? I'm sure it would make me feel better. Owwwwww!

On the lighter side I should be getting that motor shipped up in a week I look forward to getting to work on it.

1973 Evinrude 135hp Starflight Found! "THE" jump engine!

2009-02-02T16:37:00.004-05:00

Well once again an engine update! Found this time for sure a 1973 Evinrude Starflight 135 hp engine! A lifelong freshwater engine to boot coming out of TX : ( bad for me need to ship it here.

It does not have trim this may be scary but it is "THE" movie jump engine and it should push this boat past 60 and push the 007 on the speedo. It looks to be in good shape with some minor cosmetic repairs but I won't really know until I strip it down and get working on it. I expect I'll probably put a lot into it to restore it as it is a classic as much as the boat.

I hope the search is finally over its been exhausting looking for this engine and many times I was ready to compromise to go with a similar engine that would be close in performance but not the original.

I am very grateful to David Rogers who called me with the engine he had just bought off Craigslist localy. He had seen my ad on Craigslist searching for the engine. It is due to be shipped up here in a few weeks and then we will see what we have. I can hardly wait.

Facebook Badge Added

2009-01-29T13:09:00.003-05:00

Check out my Facebook page and add me as a friend love to stay in touch with any friends of the blog on an ongoing basis!! Snow is melting today and that's a good thing lol

Please make sure you send me a message in facebook as well introducing yourself or I may delete you by accident.

FIberClassics Boats - Buy a "NEW" GT150 today!

2009-01-21T21:36:00.008-05:00

Well I got to admit I love restoring an old boat and bringing it back to new but there are some downsides. Lots of $$$$ spent, lots of work, lots of time and lots of luck in finding the perfect boat. Also a full restoration is not for everyone.

But... I've just been introduced to FiberClassics Boats they are a manufacturer of boats and watercraft right here in Massachusetts remaking some of the best of the older runabouts at very very reasonable prices. Currently they are making the GT150 with custom options and colors and have plans to make the classic G3 in a jet drive version, very very cool!

If anyone wants one of these boats in perfect condition without having to spend the time, effort, and money to restore one you have got to check these guys out!

Mario is the owner and their facilities are below: Tell him Alan from "Shaken Not Stirred" sent you for a sweet deal they have GT's ready to go now for the spring.

Middlesex PowerSports Center & Marina
3 Middlesex Road - Tyngsboro, Massachusetts 01879
(978) 251-3774 - e-mail: contactus@middlesexpowersports.com
website: www.MiddlesexPowerSports.com

Starting price is only $2,500 for a new boat! A bit more with custom options and engine choices.

Dogs Are Great!

2008-12-22T20:56:00.017-05:00

There is something you all should know about me. I love dogs! Ever since I was little and my uncle Billy showed me how to take care of his German Shepard "Sheeba" I loved dogs. I don't think I've slept alone in 30 years and I don't mean with a woman.

My dogs yellow labs Maximus & Noah do everything with me and do everything I do. Run, fish, boat, jet ski, sleep, eat, you name it they do it. I even had them sitting on the tube this summer behind the boat don't worry they had doggie life jackets and they are super swimmers.

Some of you may know Marley & Me "the movie" comes out this week www.marleyandmemovie.com and my wife Jane and I will be first in line as we have a dog Noah who is "Marley". Noah I adopted as a 1 year old is now 6 and I quickly figured out his last name must be "Shit" because I am always saying NO! NO! NO! aaaaaaahhhh SHIT!

Anyway I came across this article today from the writer of the book Marley & Me and I want to share it with you. I will warn you it can make you cry but in a good way...

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and I hope you have a furry friend (or two) to share it with they can break your heart someday but they also give you your soul.

Woodson & Me

The best-selling "Marley & Me" author shares the secret of his "celebrity" puppy.

By John Grogan

Sometimes amazing gifts come in small packages, and sometimes they come wrapped in soft white fur. So it was with Woodson.

He came into my life at the most unexpected time – as I stood with my wife and 11-year-old daughter on a movie set outside Philadelphia counting my blessings that the comically mischievous canines lined up to portray Marley “the world’s worst dog," were not my headaches to worry about.

After all, I'd already paid my dues on that front. I'm the guy who lived with the real Marley for 13 years and who wrote the book "Marley & Me," on which the upcoming movie is based.

But as we stood off camera watching Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston prepare to film another scene from our life, in walked Mark Forbes, the movie's chief animal trainer, and with him was a little white fur ball with a black nose and bright eyes. Woodson was one of several puppies drafted into service to portray the young Marley, and at the ripe age of 15 weeks, his acting career was over.

My daughter's eyes brightened, and Forbes asked, "How would you like to take this little guy home with you?" She looked at me with the most hopeful expression I have ever seen. I knew the offer was coming and already had told the movie's producers my family would be honored to provide a home for one of the fluffy canine actors.

What we did not know that day -- what no one knew, not the trainers or the producers or the breeders -- was that Woodson was, indeed, special. And not just because he had enjoyed a brief run as a movie star.

From the start, Woodson adopted his new family with gusto. He joyfully knocked over the trash, stole shoes, chewed eyeglasses, attacked pillows and dumped his water bowl just for fun. He was calmer than our famous bad boy Marley, but equally mischievous. It was hard to stay mad at him. Just as he stole our socks, Woodson quickly stole our hearts.

But as the weeks passed, we noticed that our pup seemed unable to do the things Lab puppies do so effortlessly -- leap onto furniture or hop into the back seat of the car. The stairs were almost impossible for him. At first we thought he was clumsy, but with each passing week the signs became harder to ignore.

The veterinarian delivered the news we knew in our gut was coming: Woodson was suffering from a severe birth defect. Both rear hips were so malformed, the balls and sockets did not connect. With each puppy step, bone was scraping bone. No wonder our little actor hobbled around like an arthritic senior citizen.

I called the breeders, not to complain, just to inform. They were mortified. I told them what the vet told me, that it was no one's fault, that sometimes nature delivers surprises. Silently, I counted my blessings that our surprise came with a puppy and not one of our three kids.

"Just bring him back," one of the breeders said, "and we'll swap him out for a new puppy, your pick of the next litter." I have to admit the offer was tempting, like turning in a lemon automobile for a gleaming new model. But dogs are not commodities to be discarded when they break, and I assumed that if Woodson were returned, he would be euthanized.

My wife and I thought about it overnight before realizing there was really nothing to consider. Woodson was part of our family now. I got on the floor with our special-needs dog and placed my lips against his snout. "You're not going anywhere, Woodsy," I whispered. "We're in this together."

And we are. With the help of an excellent orthopedic specialist at the University of Pennsylvania veterinary school, we have Woodson on a special diet and a regimen of cartilage builders and medicines. We lift him into the car for rides and up the stairs for bed. Surgery might be in his future, but for now he's comfortable and enjoys his life as a pampered house pooch.

Woodson will never go hunting or hiking or even on long walks, and that's OK. Some dogs are put on this Earth just to love you.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Animal Rescue League of Boston - Adoption Center and Headquarters

10 Chandler Street

Boston, MA 02116

DIRECTIONS

PHONE: (617) 426-9170

FAX: (617) 426-3028

adoption@arlboston.org

If you do adopt a pet please let me know it would mean so much to know that a best friend was saved.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update: Marley & Me was great go see it ignore anyone who says otherwise.

SNOWED IN!

2008-12-22T15:51:00.006-05:00

Well as you can see my project is frozen! Any local fans have a nice heated indoor space to lend me? Perhaps someone with working knowledge of Fiberglass repair and Engine rebuilding is a plus.

Somehow I don't think my hairdryer will help yet... Oh the woes of waiting for spring.

Ah well I can wait but somehow I feel just like my two yellow labs (Max & Noah) with my nose pressed to the window waiting for the world to thaw out.

Livorsi Marine Mock Up Gauges Which One Do You Like?

2008-12-18T17:50:00.016-05:00

So the guys at Livorsi sent me these mock ups I love the 007 on the speedo number 7. Make sure you post some comments. I'd love to know what you think of them.

I'll use a black rim, carbon fiber bezel & orange needle.

Then I gave them the famous 007 logo with the gun for smaller gauges for volt, water and fuel. Should really make the dash pop!

There are some other ideas they presented too but I choose to go with the standing bond gauges.

Finally Done but Picasso I am not!

2008-12-17T13:37:00.022-05:00

These are the rear quarter Glastron Badges that were on the boat. I removed the pop rivets they were held with by drilling them out. There was some damage to them over the years with dings and scratches. There was also a piece missing from the right side that broke but with a little patience I took a razor blade and scraped that side even with the letter "N" now it looks like it is not broken at all. I also shaved down some of the scratches and now I can repaint it with some plastic spray paint. Krylon makes a paint called "Fusion" that is great for this type of stuff. I'll post the results when I'm done. I think they will come out great and no need to find new emblems!

I must admit spray paint and me are terrible together. I always want to do things in one coat lol We will see if my maturity kicks in and lets me be patient. I went to Walmart and found the etching primer for the new aluminum emblems. Then at the local hobby store I found matching acrylic enamel and some artist brushes. Finally a trip to the local hardware store and I found the Krylon Fusion paint that was a close enough match of the original Glastron colors for the badges.

New Bow Emblem has Arrived!

2008-12-13T17:20:00.015-05:00

Thanks to some help from Steve I was able to have the Bow emblem remade it is a near exact copy of the original emblem. The piece is quite nice and with some careful painting should last a long time. I had my guy make a few extras as I notice it is one thing that seems to get overlooked on these projects and I think its one of the features of the boat. It is going to look very sweet on the final product! First I spray painted it with the etching primer. Second the blue and red enamel paint 2 coats on the inner rings. Then do the letters with some white enamel paint and a toothpick (be careful and slow). Lastly remove the etching primer a little at a time with some Acetone and Q-Tips. At least that's how I did it. There is a picture of one finished with new paint too. If you need one let me know I bought extras.

Time Capsule

2008-12-10T10:35:00.006-05:00

I think I am going to incorporate a "Time Capsule" into my boat. Who knows 20/30 years from now when the next guy or gal restores this boat he/she can find some info on what I did and put it to use.

I will make a CD rom of the project and include it along with other objects, friends of the 007 project, donators, original photos from the first owners, my information, the DVD of the movie Live and Let Die, and a copy of the blog and wait as long as I can before I seal it into the floor. Of course a hintful X marks the spot as well will be added.

I'll probably never see it again to enjoy it, of that I am sure, but then again I have life insurance so...

Any cool ideas to add to the time capsule would be welcome!

Houston we have "Liftoff"

2008-12-06T16:44:00.008-05:00

Well I got the boat back today from my engine guy Parrot Pete in Hanson MA he got the 70hp Johnson off the boat and stored for resale. I will probably list it on Craigslist this week. BTW if you need any engine repair/winterizing in the South Shore of MA Pete is great and he is located in Hanson, MA his phone is 781-264-7933 tell him I sent you!

Once back at home I was able to pry out the vinyl insert and unscrew the aluminum rub rail from the boat. The top then separated very easily from the hull. Now I can work on removing the rest of the floor and replacing the stringers and rebuilding the transom.

The picture shows the special custom pieces (Before Polishing) fr om the rub rail and the transom mount.

Original Seating Repair

2008-12-05T19:03:00.007-05:00

Bill Dill @ 3 D Upholstery, 150 Bedford St, Middleboro, MA 02346
508-946-0791 is a good local company that has helped me in the past with Vinyl. They are priced fair and they have a nice selection of products and use only good materials. I am lucky to have the original seats in great condition and will be able to restore them to new condition fairly easily. You can see pictures of the seats further back in this log. When I see them again I'll post some pics here of the materials I will use and will try and stay true to the 1972 colors. If you use them tell them I sent you!

"Holy Grail Found?"

2008-12-04T13:43:00.007-05:00

Ooh sometimes I am good very very good! I may have found my engine. I am pulling the Johnson 70hp off it now and I got an email the other day from a gentleman who may even have 2 of the Evinrude Starfire 135hp engines which he could rebuild for a fair price. He even has covers that are in great shape.

Now this engine I am told would not mate up with a power trim of any kind and would have to be set manually before you throttled up. Hmm... I still think anything can be jury rigged if you try hard enough sounds like a challenge to me. My family doesn't call me McGuyver for nothing but we will see...

To have the exact engine they used in the movie would be very way cool I think! And to push that boat to near 62-65 mph riding on its prop & back chines while bouncing around would definitely stand your hair on end. One thing is for sure with no power trim to save you anything past 50 will start to scare you unless the lake is a mirror. Professional drivers only need apply lol.

Of course no original engine would be complete without the bullet hole fired at Bond by Sheriff Pepper that struck the engine (see Picture) but... I have that covered thanks to some cool stickers .38 caliber I believe LOL : )

Sunday Tear Out

2008-11-30T14:44:00.005-05:00

Well I think I used every tool in my arsenal Sunday. I got into the boat and took apart everything I could unscrew, cut, rip out, pry and or bend. I removed the cleats, the horn, steering column, control cables, anchor light and the biggest pain of all the vinyl trim that was secured with a zillion pop rivets all around the boat GONE! I dug out more of the floor but may wait until I separate the top from the bottom before I go further on that. Most of the boat so far hasn't been too tough basically I took everything apart and gutted it. I think most people with any working knowledge of some basic power tools could have handled this so far... so don't be afraid to start your own project and get to it!!!

This weekend if the weather cooperates I think I'll get the motor off and mount it on a sawhorse I've already sanded it down and have some new engine paint to redo it with before I put it up for sale as much as I think this engine would work fine I really want to power it up. I already have a 1994 Mastercraft Maristar 23VRS which pulls skiers galore and does a fun 45-48 mph. This boat is intended to make my hair stand on end! LOL So... I got to find me something in the 115-135 range to make it a little bit of an adrenaline rush. That should push the boat to 54-62 respectfully and being only a 15 ft boat that's a plenty : )

You can see in the pics everything I've removed and the pile of carnage from the rampage : )

Then it will be off to the fiberglass fabricator to have him help me with some of the trickier stuff. I hope I have a good poker night soon to help me take the curse of this rebuild LOL Another 3hrs of work today.

Newbie Screwups

2008-11-29T15:32:00.001-05:00

Well I wanted to learn from this project and I can see already that I will. I have never done this before but I've taken apart things all my life and put them back together. I am a fairly decent carpenter (still have 10 fingers) so I figure I can get through most of this unscathed. Today I dug into the boat literally. Out went the windshield with a cutting tool and a gator bit wrench for the bolts. I removed the seats, throttle control, switches, wires, steering wheel, steering cable and any loose boards in and around the boat which I think I'll use as templates and remake with Starboard.

But... I knew things couldn't go so perfect... In my haste to remove the floor with a circular saw to get through the fiberglass I went a bit to deep and went through the hull in a spot!! Oops!! I am sure this can be fixed lol (I hope). The stringers were in decent shape and fiberglassed over. The flotation foam soggy and wet, the floor was a crumpled piece of plywood.

I burnt a hole in my thumb after touching a red hot bolt I was cutting but thats about par for the course. So far today about 3 hrs of work and the worst part is almost over.

Hey at least the hole is draing all the water that was in the boat : )

OOPS!! Didn't mean to do that! Hope I can fix it. Anyone need a cheap GT150? LOL

2008-11-29T15:31:00.001-05:00

Steerng wheel, partial floor and controls are now gone!

2008-11-29T15:29:00.001-05:00

I need to get this engine off next so I can work easier.

2008-11-29T15:27:00.001-05:00

Winshield removed and stored carefully.

2008-11-29T15:22:00.001-05:00

A poster from another forum actually had the Ad for the holy grail LOL a Evinrude Starflight 135hp engine The engine they used in the movie jump.

2008-11-27T23:39:00.003-05:00

Livorsi Marine is hooking me up with some items at cost! Sweet!

2008-11-25T16:40:00.006-05:00

The guys at Livorsi Marine Inc. http://www.livorsi.com/ just hooked me up stay tuned for a big surprise I thought of for the boat its going to be very very cool .

Some of the items they will supply me are pop up cleats, pop-up bow light, speaker covers that look like the bond gun barrel logo, Side mount controller with trim, and pop up Stearn light.

Wait just wait until you see the Gauges though : ) Big surprise big!!

Updates to follow here s oon.

What do you think about this switch control? Pushbutton Ignition and two cool looking self Destruct toggle switches lol!

2008-11-25T16:37:00.003-05:00

I will use this steering wheel as it's the most accurate of the era.

2008-11-25T12:54:00.003-05:00

A restored GT150 my goal in the end!

2008-11-24T15:00:00.000-05:00

Pre Restoration Pictures

2008-11-24T12:54:00.003-05:00

I uploaded up a ton of pictures of the project before any work has been started. This boat for its age is in great shape. I will try and remember to keep taking pictures through the restoration process.

Front Starboard View

2008-11-24T12:52:00.000-05:00

Bow View

2008-11-24T12:51:00.000-05:00

Front Port View

2008-11-24T12:50:00.000-05:00

Port View

2008-11-24T12:49:00.000-05:00

Interior View

2008-11-24T12:48:00.002-05:00

Stern View

2008-11-24T12:47:00.001-05:00

Bow View

2008-11-24T12:45:00.001-05:00

This is the record setting boat from the movie. It was restored in 1996 I believe and was bought for the Ian Fleming Foundation

2008-11-24T11:02:00.000-05:00

This gives a good look at the interior note the center mount steering wheel that was moved to balance the boat for the jump

2008-11-24T11:01:00.000-05:00

The Bond Girl was Jane Seymour as "Solitaire"

2008-11-24T10:59:00.005-05:00

The names Bond... James Bond

2008-11-24T10:58:00.001-05:00

Glastron literature identifies the Live and Let
Die boat as a GT150 with a Evinrude Starflite 135hp engine.The year was 1973.
Interesting to note is that the '73 catalog lists the max hp of the GT150 at 90hp. The
GT150 is best distinguished from the CV-16 and GT160 by the transoms. The CV-16& GT150 have a spoiler type transom while the GT150 has the opposite slant at the top of the transom. In the famous picture with the cop pointing the gun, you can see the only modifications to the hull: two small black
rails that kept the boat level side to side on the ramp. The only other main modification was the central mounting of the steering wheel and a single centrally mounted seat for balance. The jump was performed over 100 times to get everything right before the actual take. Glastron built and sold 26 boats to the film company for the film. Other facts reported from a the Ian Fleming Foundation, owners of the actual jump boat GT-150:

1. 26 - 1972 Glastron boats were used in filming of James Bond’s “Live and Let Die” and came direct from Glastron in Austin, Texas.

2. Around 9 of the boats were GT-150s.

3. To speculate a bit, the 9 GT-150s were not necessarily new, perfect 1972 versions. Some may have been 1971 GT-150s or, less than perfect, 1972 models. Only two were required to be new and ready for the film sequences.

4. The only existing verification that a Glastron is from the movie is with a bill of sale from the production company. All Glastron records from the period were destroyed.

5. Only two GT-150s were fitted with center steering, a center seat and wood hull skids for filming. But only one GT-150 ended up being used for the filming. The other modified version was a back-up and did not appear in the film. The balance of the remaining GTs were test jumpers.

6. One of the two GTs with center steering was converted back to the stock, right hand steering and then sold. The other one (actually seen in the film) was damaged and sold “as-is” with center steering and single seat intact.

7. Most of the GTs were used making numerous (~100) practice jumps at a different lake location from where the filming would happen.

8. Many of the practice jump GTs were damaged, sunk, etc. (The practice jumps did not go well.)

9. The jump scene was almost cancelled because of failures and boat wrecking during the practice jumps. Tulane University was asked to help calculate speed, balance, etc.

10. Filmed jump scene, based on Tulane University recommendations, was made on October 16th, 1972. Their mathematics were perfect.

11. The first GT jump captured on film was successful, was the only jump filmed and was the one used in the movie.

12. Some GT-150s survived and were sold as “used” boats by the production company. All others were returned to Glastron in Austin or to area Glastron dealers. No serial numbers for sold GT-150 boats are known to exist save for the number of the record setting boat.

13. The record jump GT-150 has been accounted for, the others are unknown. The record boat is often seen on tours world-wide. The damage was repaired – it was a relatively minor long Fiberglas stress crack in front of the windshield. A repair was not made until 1996 by the current owner.

14. The boat making second jump (the boat following the GT-150) did not break or tie the record 110’ set by the GT-150.

15. Of the 26 boats used, 17 were damaged (many were GT-150s).

16. Three of the Glastron CV-19s were damaged in one day while filming the lawn skidding wedding scene (kept hitting trees). Estimated there were 6 CV-19s used in the filming. None of the CV-19s have been located or verified.

17. At least two of the “Billy Bob” boats existed and were used. Whereabouts are also unknown.

18. Film crew got first chance at buying used boats after filming. After that, boats were sold to anyone. Several GTs went back to Austin (perhaps too damaged?) or to local dealers.

19. Many Glastron GT-150s were sold after the film was released as the boats became even more popular. However, most, if not all of those GT-150s sold after the movie came out, were 1973 versions. The new Glastron 1973 model year began shortly after filming in October, 1972 and well before release of the movie in June of 1973.

20. The filmed record jump GT-150 boat was built August 24, 1972 and sold after filming on October 16, 1972.

21. The newest DVD enhanced version of Live and Let Die has scenes from practice jumping and other out-takes from movie. (Worth seeing.)

22. All Live and Let Die boats were sold with documentation from the production company of history, etc. (Buy the boat and documentation – not the story, if you’re looking at a “movie set” boat.)

23. Some (very few) James Bond Live and Let Die boats have serial numbers known and can be verified. None of the GT-150 serial numbers are known except for the original record setting jump boat.

24. The record setting GT-150 was last sold in 1996. It was found and purchased in New York. It can be seen on tour at special events or at www.ianflemingfoundation.org .

25. No, original Bond boats are not worth gazillions. The most paid for a Bond movie original boat was around $10k (and that would be for the Live and Let Die record setting GT-150!) back in 1996.

Is this not cool or what?

2008-11-24T09:14:00.001-05:00

Official movie poster & movie info

2008-11-24T09:12:00.004-05:00

Live and Let Die (1973)

Is the eighth spy film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. Although the producers wanted Sean Connery to return after his role in the previous Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, he declined, sparking a search for a new actor to play James Bond. Roger Moore was selected for the lead role.

The film is adapted from the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. In the film, a drug lord known as Mr. Big plans to distribute two tons of heroin free so as to put rival drug barons out of business. Bond is investigating the death of three British agents which leads him to Big and is soon trapped in a world of gangsters and voodoo as he fights to put a stop to Mr. Big's scheme.

Live and Let Die was released during the height of the blaxploitation era, and many blaxploitation archetypes and cliché are depicted such as afro hairstyles, derogatory racial epithets ("honky"), black gangsters, and "pimpmobiles."[1] It departs from the former plots of the James Bond films about megalomaniac super-villains, and instead focuses on drug trafficking, depicted primarily in blaxploitation films. Moreover, it is set in African American cultural centres such as Harlem, New Orleans, and the Caribbean Islands. It was also the first James Bond film featuring an African American Bond girl to be romantically involved with 007, Rosie Carver who was played by Gloria Hendry. Despite mixed reviews due to the racial overtones, the film was a box office success.

Plot

Three British MI6 agents, including one "on loan" to the American government, are killed under mysterious circumstances within 24 hours while monitoring the operations of Dr. Kananga, the dictator of a small Caribbean island called San Monique. James Bond is sent to New York City, where the first agent was killed and where Kananga is currently visiting the UN, to investigate. As soon as Bond arrives in New York City, his driver is killed while taking him to meet Felix Leiter of the CIA and Bond is nearly killed in the ensuing car crash.

Glastron speedboats in the Louisiana boat chase.

The driver's killer leads Bond to Mr. Big, a gangster who runs a chain of Fillet of Soul restaurants throughout the United States. It is during his confrontation with Mr. Big that Bond first meets Solitaire, a beautiful virgin tarot expert who has the uncanny ability to see both the future and remote events in the present. In disguise as Mr. Big, Kananga demands that his henchman kill Bond, who manages to escape unscathed. Bond follows Kananga back to San Monique, where he subsequently meets Rosie Carver, a CIA double agent, who is subsequently murdered on the island by Kanaga's scarecrow men after Bond suspects her of working for Kananga. Later he meets the boatman Quarrel, Jr. who takes him to Solitaire's home. Using a stacked tarot deck of only cards showing "The Lovers", Bond tricks her into thinking that seduction is in her future and then seduces her. Solitaire loses her ability to foretell the future when she loses her virginity to Bond and is forced into cooperating with Bond to bring down Kananga.

It transpires that Kananga is producing two metric tons of heroin and is protecting the poppy fields by exploiting locals' fear of voodoo and the occult. Through his alter ego, Mr. Big, Kananga plans to distribute the heroin free of charge on the market, which will drive all the other drug cartels out of business, increase the number of addicts, and give Kananga a monopoly of the heroin market. Kananga's men capture Bond and Solitaire at the New Orleans airport. Bond does not identify Mr. Big, as the latter is wearing a plastic gangster mask. Kananga rips off his mask and asks a disgusted Bond if he slept with Solitaire, using Bond to test her abilities. Kananga turns Solitaire over to Baron Samedi to be sacrificed after he discovers that her ability to read the tarot is gone. Kananga leaves Bond with his henchman, Tee Hee Johnson, who takes Bond to a crocodile farm community in the Louisiana backwoods. Bond escapes being eaten by the crocodiles by running along the animals' backs to safety. He sets the farm on fire and steals a speedboat, engaging in a chase with Kananga's men, local sheriff J.W. Pepper and the Louisiana state police. Later, back in San Monique, Bond interrupts the voodoo sacrifice and saves Solitaire. Bond and Solitaire escape below ground into Kananga's lair. Kananga captures them both and proceeds to lower them into a shark tank. Bond escapes and forces a shark gun pellet in Kananga's mouth, causing him to literally blow up like a balloon, float to the top of the cave, and explode. After the job is done, Felix leaves Bond and Solitaire on a train out of the country.

Tee Hee makes a last attempt on Bond's life and is ejected from their train compartment at high speed. Samedi is seen perched on the front of the speeding train in which Bond and Solitaire are travelling, laughing in his voodoo outfit, before the film ends.

Cast

• Roger Moore as James Bond: A British agent who is sent on a mission to investigate the murder of three fellow agents. This mission leads him to Mr. Big and his drug ring.

• Yaphet Kotto as Dr. Kananga and Mr. Big: A corrupt Caribbean Prime Minister who doubles as a drug lord.

• Bernard Lee as M: Head of the "OO" section of MI6.

• Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny: M's secretary who has feelings for Bond.

• David Hedison as Felix Leiter: Bond's CIA colleague. Leiter is also investigating Mr. Big.

• Jane Seymour as Solitaire: Kananga's psychic girlfriend and the love interest of Bond.

• Clifton James as Sheriff J.W. Pepper: A local Louisiana sheriff.

• Julius Harris as Tee Hee Johnson: Kananga's primary henchman who has a pincer for a hand.

• Geoffrey Holder as Baron Samedi: Kananga's henchman who has ties to the Voodoo occult.

• Gloria Hendry as Rosie Carver: A treacherous young CIA agent in San Monique.

• Roy Stewart as Quarrel Jr.: Bond's ally in San Monique and son of Quarrel from Dr. No.

• Madeline Smith as Miss Caruso: An Italian agent whom Bond romances.

• Earl Jolly Brown as Whisper: Kananga's henchman who only whispers.

Production

While filming Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die was chosen as the next Ian Fleming novel to be adapted because screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz thought it would be daring to use black villains, as the Black Panthers and other racial movements were active at this time. Guy Hamilton was again chosen to direct, and since he was a jazz fan, decided to film in New Orleans. Hamilton didn't want to use Mardi Gras since Thunderball featured Junkanoo, a similar festivity, so, following suggestions of a friend and searching for locations in helicopters, he decided to use two well-known features of the city, the jazz funerals and the canals.

While searching for locations in Jamaica, the crew discovered a crocodile farm owned by Ross Kananga, after passing a sign warning that "trespassers will be eaten." The farm was put into the script and also inspired Mankiewicz to name the film's villain after Kananga.

Casting

Broccoli and Saltzman tried to convince Sean Connery to return as 007, but he declined.[2] Many other actors were auditioned or considered for Bond, notably Julian Glover (later the villain in the 1981 Bond film For Your Eyes Only), Jeremy Brett, and frontrunner Michael Billington. Robert Wagner turned down the role because he felt Bond had to be British. Roger Moore, who had been considered by the producers before both Dr. No and On Her Majesty's Secret Service, was ultimately cast. Moore tried not to imitate either Sean Connery or his performance as Simon Templar in The Saint, and Mankiewicz fit the screenplay into Moore's persona by giving more comedy scenes and a light-hearted approach to Bond.

Mankiewicz had thought of turning Solitaire into a black woman, with Diana Ross as his primary choice. However Broccoli and Saltzman decided to stick to Fleming's caucasian description, and Jane Seymour, who was in the TV series The Onedin Line, was cast for the role. Yaphet Kotto was cast while doing another movie for United Artists, Across 110th Street.

Live and Let Die is the first of two films featuring Louisiana Sheriff J.W. Pepper portrayed by Clifton James, who appeared again in The Man with the Golden Gun. It is also the first of two films featuring David Hedison as Felix Leiter, who reprised the role in Licence to Kill, despite it being a tradition of a different actor for each film Leiter appeared in. Hedison had said "I was sure that would be my first and last", before being cast again.

Madeline Smith, who played the Italian agent Miss Caruso sharing Bond's bed in the film's opening, was recommended for the part by Roger Moore after he had appeared with her on TV. Smith said that Moore was extremely polite to work with, but she felt very uncomfortable being clad in only blue bikini panties while Moore's wife was on set overseeing the scene.

This was the only Bond film until 2006 not to feature 'Q', played at this stage by Desmond Llewellyn. Llewellyn was currently appearing in the TV series Follyfoot, but was written out of three episodes to appear in the film. The producers however had already decided not to include the character, much to Llewellyn's annoyance.

Filming

Production began in 1972, with filming in Pinewood Studios, along with location shooting in New York City, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Jamaica doubling for the fictional San Monique. The producers were reportedly required to pay protection money to a local Harlem gang to ensure the crew's safety. When the cash ran out, they were "encouraged" to leave.

Ross Kananga suggested the jump on crocodiles, and was enlisted by the producers to do the stunt. The scene took five takes to be completed, including one in which the last crocodile snapped at Kananga's heel, tearing his trousers. The production also had trouble with snakes. The script supervisor was so afraid that she refused to be on set with them; an actor fainted while filming a scene where he is killed by a snake; Jane Seymour became terrified as a reptile got closer, and Geoffrey Holder only agreed to fall into the snake-filled casket because Princess Alexandra was visiting the set.

The boat chase was filmed on the Louisiana bayou, with some interruption caused by flooding. 26 boats were built by the Glastron boat company for the film. Seventeen were destroyed during rehearsals. The speedboat jump scene over the bayou, filmed with assistance with a specially-constructed ramp, unintentionally set a Guinness World Record at the time with 110 feet cleared. Unfortunately, the waves created by the impact caused the following boat to flip over.

The chase involving the double-decker bus was filmed with a second-hand London bus adapted by having a top section removed and then replaced so that it ran on ball bearings and so would slide off on impact.

Music

Dejan's Olympia Brass Band.

Main article: Live and Let Die (soundtrack)

Taking a temporary hiatus from scoring Bond films, John Barry was replaced by George Martin for the film.

For the theme song, Martin teamed with former-Beatle Paul McCartney, who had previously been considered for Diamonds Are Forever in 1971. This was the first time the pair worked together since Abbey Road in 1969. The theme was written by Paul and his wife Linda McCartney and performed by Paul and his group, Wings. The tune, the first 'true' rock and roll song used to open a Bond film, was a major success in the U.S. (#2 for three weeks) and the UK (#9), Paul's best showings in over a year. For many years "Live and Let Die" was a highlight of his live shows, complete with fireworks and lasers and in 2005, it was performed live by McCartney during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXXIX. In 1991 the song was covered by the rock band Guns N' Roses. Olympia Brass Band had a notable part in "Live and Let Die" where they lead a funeral march for an assassinated victim. Trumpeter Alvin Alcorn plays the killer.

Release and reception

The world premiere of the film was at Odeon Leicester Square in London on 6 July 1973, followed by a general release in the United Kingdom on 12 July 1973. It was released earlier however, in the United States, on 27 June 1973. From a budget estimated to be around $7 million, the film grossed $161.8 million dollars worldwide including $35.4 million from the United States.

The film holds the record for the most viewed broadcast film on television in the United Kingdom by attracting 23.5 million viewers when premiered on ITV on 20 January 1980.

Despite poor reaction to the racial overtones, reviews were mostly positive, with praise to the action scenes, and Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 63% "fresh" rating, although this covers ratings from various reviewers since 2000, which gives a more modern perception of the film.

Roger Ebert of Chicago Sun-Times stated that Moore "has the superficial attributes for the job: The urbanity, the quizzically raised eyebrow, the calm under fire and in bed". He felt though that Moore wasn't satisfactory in living up to the legacy left by Sean Connery in the preceding films. He rated the villains "a little banal" , adding that the film "doesn't have a Bond villain worthy of the Goldfingers, Dr. Nos and Oddjobs of the past." BBC Films reviewer William Mager praised the use of locations, but said that the plot was "convoluted". He stated that "Connery and Lazenby had an air of concealed thuggishness, clenched fists at the ready, but in Moore's case a sardonic quip and a raised eyebrow are his deadliest weapons" Movie reviewer Leonard Maltin reviewed the film with two and a half stars out of four stating the film was "barely memorable, overlong James Bond movie seems merely an excuse to film wild chase sequences".

IGN ranked Solitaire as 10th in a Top 10 Bond Babes list. In November 2006, Entertainment Weekly listed it as the third best Bond film.

Year Result Award Recipients

1974 Nominated Academy Award for Best Original Song

Paul & Linda McCartney

1974 Nominated Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture

Paul & Linda McCartney

1975 Won Evening Standard Best Picture

Guy Hamilton

1. IGN: Top 10 Bond Babes

2. Benjamin Svetkey and Joshua Rich (2006-11-15). "Ranking the Bond Films". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 2008-09-20.

Trivia For Live and Let Die 1973

2008-11-23T21:35:00.000-05:00

* Sean Connery turned down the then astronomical sum of $5.5 million to play James Bond.

* Tenth James Bond movie and the eighth in the EON Productions official film series. First James Bond film to star Roger Moore as James Bond.

* "Live And Let Die" was the second James Bond novel written by Ian Fleming. It was first published in 1954. Its working title was "The Undertaker's Wind" which also provided the name of the seventeenth chapter. Story elements from the novel have also been used for the James Bond films For Your Eyes Only (1981) and Licence to Kill (1989).

* The producers made a conscious decision to make Roger Moore's Bond significantly different from Sean Connery's. For example, Bond never orders a vodka martini but drinks bourbon whiskey instead; the mission briefing occurs in his flat not the office (only the second time Bond's apartment is featured in the films after an appearance in Dr. No (1962)); Bond does not wear a hat; and he smokes cigars instead of cigarettes. In time, as Moore grew into the role, a lot of these differences were relaxed.

* The High Priestess Tarot card was deliberately designed to resemble Jane Seymour.

* The first Bond film to be set in a fictional country. The next one to do this would be Licence to Kill (1989) in 1989.

* The first Bond film which does not feature Q. The character did appear in Dr. No (1962) but under his real name of Major Boothroyd (he wasn't played by Desmond Llewelyn in that film either).

* Among the actors to test for the part of Bond were Julian Glover, John Gavin and Jeremy Brett. Frontrunner was Michael Billington. Although he lost the part to Roger Moore, Billington remained on the top of the list in the event that Moore would decline to come back for the next film. Billington ultimately played a brief villainous role in the pre-credit sequence of The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

* The first Bond film in which 007 has a liaison with an African American woman, Rosie Carver, played by Gloria Hendry. This meant that when the film was released in South Africa, all Hendry's love scenes were removed because of the apartheid policies of the South African government.

* The first of two films to feature Louisiana Sheriff J.W. Pepper, played by Clifton James. He returned in the following Bond film, The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).

* The first of two film appearances in the Bond series for David Hedison, playing Felix Leiter. Hedison reprised the role in Licence to Kill (1989), becoming the only actor to have played the character more than once.

* The first Bond film to feature adult language. The old woman whose flying lesson is hijacked by Bond clearly utters the word "shit" (although this was dubbed out by US networks for showings on television). Sheriff Pepper also begins to say the word "fuck" but is cut off when Bond jumps over him in a speedboat.

* Bond's speedboat jump made it into the Guinness Book of World Records, a record that stood for three years. Clifton James' spontaneous character acting in that scene was kept in the final print.

* One of the actors to be considered for the part of Bond at an early stage was Burt Reynolds. This idea was quickly scotched when it was decided that he was too short and he was not British.

* The film encountered numerous problems and accidents during production, enough to make some of the crew and stuntmen believe that the film was cursed. The voodoo plotline was attributed to this nervousness.

* Geoffrey Holder choreographed his own dance sequences.

* ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine accused Paul McCartney of selling out to the establishment when it was announced that he would be providing the theme song to the next Bond film. As it transpired, McCartney became the first artist to be nominated for an Academy Award for a Bond theme.

* Sean Connery gave Roger Moore his personal seal of approval for inheriting his role, calling him "an ideal Bond".

* This marks only the second time in the film series that the pre-titles sequence does not feature James Bond (with 1963's From Russia with Love (1963) being the first, as it featured an agent impersonating Bond).

* The first time in the Bond franchise that a rock song was used as the theme.

* Geoffrey Holder hated working snakes. As he was playing Baron Samedi, he was called upon to handle lots of them. He was particularly against having to play the scene where his character falls into a coffin full of them. However, he was obligated to perform the scene without raising too much of a complaint because Princess Alexandra was visiting the set the day the scene was being filmed, and he didn't want to lose face in front of royalty.

* Paul McCartney paid for the orchestra featured in the title song from his own pocket.

* When 007 is held captive in a chair by Tee Hee, Roger Moore's quip "Butterhook" was improvised.

* Roger Moore was actively discouraged from raising his eyebrow as that was a trademark of his previous successful character, Simon Templar of "The Saint" (1962) fame.

* The boat chase through the bayous was originally written in the script as just "Scene 156 - The most terrific boat chase you've ever seen".

* Clifton James wore a padded stomach to make him more rotund.

* Early in the production, Roger Moore was hospitalized with kidney stones.

* Ross Kananga (credited as "stunt coordinator") was the owner of the crocodile farm in which Bond escapes some hungry reptiles. Kananga did this stunt by himself wearing Roger Moore's clothes and shoes made of crocodile skin. The crocodile shoes was a fun idea of Roger Moore. It took five attempts to complete the stunt. During the fourth attempt, one of the crocodiles snapped at one of the shoes as it went by. The producers (while scouting locations) first took notice of Ross Kananga's farm from the sign out front which read: "WARNING; TRESSPASSERS WILL BE EATEN". This sign can be seen in the finished film. They liked Ross Kananga so much that the movie's villain, Dr. Kananga, was named after him.

* The tarot cards seen on the movie's main poster were "the Devil", "Death", "the Lovers" and "Fortune". There is actually a fifth card on the poster but James Bond's torso blocks any possible name of the card. There is also actually no tarot card called "Fortune" in the set of cards used for the film. This title of the "Fortune" card is the product of a bit of artistic license. The title is basically an abridgment of the actual "Wheel of Fortune" tarot card.

* "The James Bond 007 Tarot Book" was released to coincide with the movie. It included most of the tarot cards seen in the film, these being the Major Arcana Cards. The tagline on the book's dust-jacket read: "The only complete and authentic illustrated guide to the spreading and interpretation of the popular James Bond 007 tarot fortune-telling deck with card designs based upon Fergus Hall's unique paintings."

* The tarot cards say 007 on the back. Ironically, this reverse which has the 007 numbering on a red background cannot be seen in the "James Bond 007 Tarot Book". The tarot card "The High Priestess" was intended to be the likeness of Jane Seymour who played Solitaire.

* The Tarot cards used by Solitaire are the "Tarot of the Witches" deck and was created specifically for this movie by Fergus Hall.

* The main title song "Live and Let Die" by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney has been covered twice by other artists. The first was by Guns N' Roses and can be heard on their 1991 "Use Your Illusion I" album. The second was by Chrissie Hynde of the The Pretenders, the group who sang two songs for the The Living Daylights (1987) James Bond movie. This version of the "Live and Let Die" song can be heard only on the David Arnold's Bond song compilation album, "Shaken and Stirred: The David Arnold James Bond Project".

* The name of Q Branch is named in the movie as the Special Ordinance Branch. It is the only Bond film that does not feature Q as played by Desmond Llewelyn during his tenure as Q between From Russia with Love (1963) and The World Is Not Enough (1999). Fans demanded his return in the next film, The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).

* James Bond's gadget watch's ability to attract metal objects was due to a hyper-intensified magnetic field.

* The name of the address of the Fillet of Soul Restaurant was Dacca Street.

* First of two times to date that James Bond has been seen hang-gliding in the EON Productions official James Bond series. Very popular as a new sport in the 1970s, Roger Moore is the only actor to ever play James Bond and be seen hang-gliding. The second time was in Moonraker (1979).

* After this movie, the Felix Leiter character would not appear again in the EON Productions official series until The Living Daylights (1987), a gap of fourteen years.

* CIA Agent Rosie Carver's weapon was a Custom .38 Smith & Wesson gun with corrugated 3 inch stock and no serial number.

* Jamaica was used as the filming location for the fictitious country of San Monique. It was not called Jamaica as that country had already been used as a setting for Dr. No (1962). Jamaica is also a setting in the Ian Fleming James Bond novel "The Man With the Golden Gun" and the short stories "For Your Eyes Only" and "Octopussy".

* Product placements, brand integrations and promotional tie-ins for this movie include Pan American World Airways; Rolex Watches, particularly the Rolex Submariner 5513 watch; Bell Helicopters; Cadillac; Panasonic; Bollinger Champagne, beginning its relationship with the series; Pulsar Watches, particularly the Pulsar LED watch; General Motors Corporation (GMC) and its Chevrolet Motor Division; Jim Beam Bourbon; Arcana Cards / Agmueller and Cie / Games Systems; Budget Rent-A-Car; AMF Inc.; the Harley Davidson Motor Co. Ltd; the Glastron Boat Company whilst a video-game Live and Let Die (1988) (VG) was later published by Mindscape.

* Mr. Big / Dr. Kananga's main henchmen were Tee-Hee, Adam, Whisper and Baron Samedi.

* This is the only James Bond movie to ever have a supernatural theme.

* The Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney main title song charted in the USA on 7 July 1973 and peaked at the No. #2 spot where it stayed for three weeks. In the UK it debuted on 9 July 1973 and went to No. #9. The album charted in the USA on 28 July 1973 and topped at No. #17.

* Ian Fleming based the Bond Girl Solitaire's name on the Jamaican Solitaire bird. Her actual full name in the novel is Simone Latrelle but this is never mentioned in this movie.

* Timothy Dalton was one of the actors considered to be the new James Bond after the last Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever (1971), which was Sean Connery's last Eon Productions Bond movie, but Dalton considered himself too young for the part.

* In New Orleans Bond uses taxicab, which has a label 'bonded drivers' on its back.

* On the set, one of the crocodiles at the Crocodile Farm was called "Old Albert" - named after one of the producers, Albert R. Broccoli.

* Roger Moore had to undertake very quick crash course in bus driving so as to be able to drive a double-decker bus for the motorbike/bus chase sequence.

* The title song by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney was the first song from an EON Productions James Bond movie to be nominated for an Academy Award (Oscar). The first song to be nominated from any James Bond movie was for "The Look Of Love" by Burt Bacharach and Hal David from Casino Royale (1967)

* Around the time Roger Moore got the part of James Bond, his home telephone number ended in the digits OO7.

* The character of Quarrel, Jr. is a direct reference to the first Bond film, Dr. No (1962) which also featured a character named Quarrel. The original novel takes place before Dr. No (in which, as in the movie version, Quarrel is killed) and features the first appearance of the character.

* Vehicles included a green blue yellow white London AEC Regent III RT type double-decker bus pursued by two 1973 Chevrolet Novas police motorbikes; a Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter; white Coronado; Mini Moke; Ford US sedans; yellow New York taxis; 1973 Chevrolet Impala convertible; Cessna 172 light aircraft; Quarrel Jnr's boat; Glastron GT-150 speedboat, Billy-Bobs Glastron-Carlson CV21 Jet Boat. A Glastron Carlson CV19 Jet Boat; 1973 Chevrolet Bel Air; 1972 Dunham converted Cadillac El Dorado coupe; white 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood Pimpmobile and a Les Dunham Coach Corvorado i.e. a Chevrolet Corvette with Cadillac Eldorado body panels / fiberglass molding.

* The registration number of the Dr. Kananga's poppy field helicopter was FH 3.

* United Artists wanted an American to play Bond: Burt Reynolds, Paul Newman and Robert Redford were all considered. Producer Albert R. Broccoli, however, insisted that the part should be played by a Briton and put forward Roger Moore.

* The Tarot card deck used by Solitaire features contemporary paintings by Fergus Hall, "Courtesy of the Portal Gallery Limited, London, England". A duplicate set was published in Switzerland by Agmueller and Cie, distributed worldwide by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. New York. The cards in the film had a red, patterned background featuring the "007" emblem, but the commercial set is blue instead (same pattern).

* Roger Moore should not have been available for the part since at the time he was committed to "The Persuaders!" (1971), but when the show flopped in the U.S. he was prematurely released from his contract. Moore was author Ian Fleming's original choice for Bond, but he was committed to "The Saint" (1962) when the earlier films were in production.

* All of Moore's contracts include an unlimited supply of hand-rolled Monte Cristo cigars (in one 007 movie the final bill comes to 3176.50 pounds).

* This is the first 007 score not to involve John Barry; former Beatles producer George Martin did the job instead.

* The power-boat jump over the causeway set the world record for distance: 110 feet. The second boat was not scripted to collide with the police car, but after this happened while shooting the stunt, the script was changed to accommodate it.

* In an attempt to shift the focus away from Bond's gadgetry, Q does not appear.

* Roger Moore becomes the first actor to perform the gun-barrel sequence without a hat.

* Roger Moore had been in the running to play Bond as early as 1962, but was considered too young looking, even though he was older than Sean Connery.

* We see Bond's apartment for the second and (to date) final time in the series. Among the fixtures is a machine for making coffee that is treated as a gadget. Today's audiences will easily recognize it as either an espresso or cappuccino machine, which were uncommon in 1973.

* Among other actors considered for the role of Bond: John Gavin, Simon Oates, John Ronane, Michael McStay and Michael Billington.

* Gayle Hunnicutt was signed to play Solitaire, but had to pull out when she became pregnant.

* Roger Moore and Jane Seymour caught dysentery while shooting in Jamaica.

* The character of Baron Samedi was rumored to make a return in a future Bond film, which explains his appearance on the front of the train at the end of the film.

* The first Bond film to be filmed 'flat' (i.e. with spherical lenses rather than using the Panavision anamorphic widescreen process) since Goldfinger (1964).

* The white "pimpmobile" is actually a Chevrolet Corvette fitted with the fiberglass molding of a Cadillac Eldorado - the vehicle was marketed as the "Corvorado" by Dunham Coach of Boonton, New Jersey. Other Dunham conversions featured in the film included a Cadillac Fleetwood and Eldorado (seen parked in front of the Fillet of Soul restaurant). Les Dunham stated that he kept possession of the Corvorado after the film was completed; it has been modified several times for appearances in other films and/or car shows. He claimed that the car was used in the film Super Fly (1972).

* Diana Ross was considered for the role of Solitaire.

* According to Paul McCartney, after the director heard the title song, complete with orchestra and all, he said "Yeah, that's good for a demo but when are you going to do the real record!"

* Madeline Smith, who played Miss Caruso said that additional awkwardness of a bedroom scene was created by Roger Moore's overprotective wife who was on the set during the filming.

* In order to establish the effect of Bond unzipping Miss Caruso's blue dress with his magnetic watch, a thin wire was attached to the zipper from the watch to create the effect.

* Roger Moore was 45 when he made his debut as 007, making him the oldest actor to do so. The youngest was George Lazenby who made his debut at age 29.

* The license plate of the car that picks up Bond in New York and his luggage ticket were the same, 545-BBB.

* Solitaire's supernatural power of second sight was called Obeah.

* The billboard sign during the boat chase read: "Louisiana - The Sportsman's Paradise Welcomes You".

* The license plate of the white "pimpmobile" was 347-NDG.

* The address on the registration of the white "pimpmobile" was 33 E. 65th St., New York, NY 10021.

* Bond's bungalow in San Monique was # 12.

* Bernard Lee was very ill during filming, causing the producers to consider replacing him as M with Kenneth More.

* Robert Dix is dubbed by Shane Rimmer.

* At one stage, the Bond girl character of Honey Rider from Dr. No (1962) was considered returning in this movie but this idea was withdrawn.

* In the original novel, there is a scene in which Felix Leiter is taken and tortured by sharks, and his body (still alive albeit badly injured) is taken and left with the note "he disagreed with something that ate him." This scene was not used in the film version, but was used in Licence to Kill (1989)

* The literal translations of some of this film's foreign language titles include: The Dead Slave / It Is Them To Die (Japan); Live And Leave To Die (France); Allow To Leave Alone To Die (Poland); To Live And Let Die (Norway) and With 007 You Live And Let It Die (Brazil).

* On his DVD audio-commentary, Roger Moore considers Live and Let Die (1973) to be his second best Bond picture after The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

* Roger Moore's mother was a great fan of silent star Richard Dix. Moore was able to get Dix's son a small part in "Live and Let Die". He plays the agent who is murdered at his own New Orleans funeral in the pre-credits teaser.

* Special security was added for the shooting of the scenes in New York's Harlem District.

* This was the first ever James Bond movie that was seen by Daniel Craig, the sixth actor to play Bond in the official series.

* A number of titles of movies and TV shows went on to spoof or reference this film's title after it was released. These include Die and Let Live (2006); Live and Let Live (2008); Live and Let Ride (2000); whilst the working title for Spy Hard (1996) was "Live and Let Spy". TV episodes of various series have known to be called "Live and Let Go"; "Give and Let Give"; "Live and Let Live"; "Love and Let Love"; "Live and Let Kai!"; "Love and Let Die"; "Live and Let Diet"; "Lib and Let Lib"; "To Live and Let Diorama"; "Shiv and Let Die"; "Live and Let Breathe"; "Live and Let Spy"; "Live and Let Dynamo "; "Live and Let Dye" and "Live and Let Fly".

>>> WARNING: Here Be Spoilers <<<

Trivia items below here contain information that may give away important plot points. You may not want to read any further if you've not already seen this title.

* SPOILER: The first Bond film in which 007 commits a political assassination, Kananga being a head of state.

* SPOILER: First ever actor in a James Bond movie to be play two villain characters in the one film. Yaphet Kotto played the two villains, both Mr. Big and Dr. Kananga. They are technically one person but are two separate characters. Later in the series, Sean Bean would play both Janus and Agent 006 Alec Trevalyan in GoldenEye (1995). And in Die Another Day (2002), Toby Stephens and Will Yun Lee would play the two-in-one Gustave Graves and Colonel Moon respectively.

* SPOILER: The cities where three Mi6 agents were killed at the start of the movie were New York City, New Orleans and the capital of the fictitious country San Monique.

History of Bond

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Background

The James Bond novels, penned by Ian Lancaster Fleming, first appeared in 1953, with Casino Royale. Fleming wrote a total of fourteen novels and short stories about his character, until his death in 1964. Fleming was educated at Eton and became a journalist until the war. During WWII Fleming served as the Personal Assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence, where he gained much of the knowledge he applied to the Bond stories.

Fleming was responsible for devising the plan ‘Operation Ruthless’ where a team of British soldiers would crash a German aircraft in the English Channel, with the intention of killing their German rescuers and stealing their Enigma equipment. The plan was never executed, but demonstrated Fleming’s flair for espionage. Fleming, however, was frustrated at his life behind a desk and was referred to as the 'Chocolate Sailor' as he never left Whitehall.

Fleming stated that he wrote the novels to help him cope with the stress of becoming married at the age of 43, though it is more likely that he was spurred on to publish a novel after his brother, Peter Fleming, published a satirical novel criticising the security services. Most of the novels were conceived from his intelligence experience and travels abroad, with the novels being written at his Jamaican house, Goldeneye, and published annually from 1953 to 1966, two years after he died.

Birth of a Legend

The Bond adventures, written by Fleming, were successful in Britain, but not so much in the larger US market until President Kennedy named From Russia With Love as one of his top-ten bedtime reading books. The novels did not become phenomenally successful until the 1960s after they were adapted to film. Although the Fleming legacy was to become a very lucrative one, Fleming did not, initially, make a great deal of money from the sale of the film rights. He sold the rights to his first novel for a measly $1000 dollars - he would get 100 times more in 1961. Fleming always wanted to have his novels adapted to the screen, to fulfil his urge to become famous, and he was to get his chance shortly after Casino Royale was published. The first appearance of Bond on screen was not in 1962, as played by Sean Connery, but was as a live broadcast of Casino Royale shown as part of CBS's Climax Mystery Theatre season. This series of dramatisations featured Fleming's novel, but was condensed into around fifty minutes.

This first outing for Bond, Jimmy Bond, as he was then, is still available, though is a patched together version. Jimmy Bond is created American in this early version (broadcast on October 21st 1954) and is assisted by Clarence Leiter of the British Secret Service. In the light of the massive hype and expense of the Bond films we are all familiar with, it is fascinating to see such a low budget and strangely acted version of Bond.

From Novel to Screen

The first major appearance of Bond was to come in 1962 when Dr No was released. This, however, was not intended to be the first film of the series. Harry Saltzman owned the options on the remaining Fleming novels, with Casino Royale having already been sold to another producer (Charles Feldman). Time was running out on Saltzman's option and another producer, Albert "Cubby" Broccoli was interested. Broccoli and Saltzman hammered out a partnership deal and Arthur Krim, of United Artists, agreed to back the first film. Broccoli intended for this to be Thunderball, published in the same year, but a legal battle ensued between Ian Fleming, Kevin McClory and Jack Whittington, the latter two claiming that the novel was based on an earlier screen idea developed by the three. As a result of this, with the rights to the novel and film of Thunderball being fought over in court, Dr No became the first ever Bond adventure to reach the cinema.

The early Bond films, produced on an annual basis, were successful in Britain but, like the novels, initially did not really succeed at first in the massive American markets. It was not until the huge success of Goldfinger that the American market opened up for James Bond. The films were generally very well received on both sides of the Atlantic. However, Richard Whitehall, reviewing Dr No for the film journal Films and Filming, branded Dr No as "morally corrupt", heralding an age of "fascist cinema". Goldfinger, however, broke all British box office records and established the series as a long-term cinematic phenomenon.

Saltzman and Broccoli went on to produce a new film on average every two years, until their partnership ended in 1975. Broccoli went on to continue producing the films by himself, while grooming his stepson, Michael Wilson, and daughter, Barbara Broccoli, to take over from him. The films now form the most successful series in cinematic history and never fail to break records on their release. they have been parodied and imitated countless times, yet the original formula seems to get more and more popular each time.

Bond is now a famous household name, with "Bond...James Bond" apparently being one of the most recognisable quotes in the world. The trademark "Vodka Martini...shaken, not stirred", the Aston Martin DB5, beautiful women and high-octane action are all familiar traits today.

Chronology of Bond Novels

Year Title

1953 Casino Royale

1954 Live and Let Die

1955 Moonraker

1956 Diamonds Are Forever

1957 From Russia, with Love

1958 Dr No

1959 Goldfinger

1960 For Your Eyes Only (Collection of Short Stories)

A View to a Kill

For Your Eyes Only

Quantum of Solace

Risico

The Hildebrand Rarity

1961 Thunderball

1962 The Spy Who Loved Me

1963 On Her Majesty's Secret Service

1964 You Only Live Twice

1965 The Man with the Golden Gun

1966 Octopussy & The Living Daylights

Chronology of Bond Films

Official Films

Year Title

1962 Dr No

1963 From Russia, with Love

1964 Goldfinger

1965 Thunderball

1967 You Only Live Twice

1969 On Her Majesty's Secret Service

1971 Diamonds Are Forever

1973 Live and Let Die

1974 The Man with the Golden Gun

1977 The Spy Who Loved Me

1979 Moonraker

1981 For Your Eyes Only

1983 Octopussy

1985 A View to a Kill

1987 The Living Daylights

1989 Licence to Kill

1995 Goldeneye

1997 Tomorrow Never Dies

1999 The World is Not Enough

2002 Die Another Day

2006 Casino Royale

2008 Quantum of Solace (unreleased)

"Shaken Not Stirred"

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For other uses, see Shaken, not stirred (disambiguation).

"Shaken, not stirred" is a famous catch phrase of Ian Fleming's fictional British Secret Service agent, James Bond, and his preference for how he wished his martini prepared. The phrase first appears in the novel Diamonds Are Forever (1956), though Bond does not actually say the line until Dr. No (1958). It was first uttered in the films by Sean Connery in Goldfinger in 1964 (though the villain Dr. Julius No offers this drink and utters those words in the first film, Dr. No in 1962) and was used in numerous Bond films thereafter, with the notable exception of You Only Live Twice, in which the drink is offered stirred, not shaken and Casino Royale (2006 film), in which he replies "Do I look like I give a damn?"

This phrase has become a recognizable catchphrase in western popular culture, and has appeared in any number of films,^[1] television programs^[2] and video games^[3] for its cliché value. Roger Moore used the phrase in one episode of The Saint, eight years before he played James Bond himself.^[4] Ironically, while playing Bond, Moore never ordered a martini, although he received one in The Spy Who Loved Me.

The American Film Institute honoured Goldfinger and the phrase on July 21, 2005 by ranking it #90 on a list of best movie quotes in the past 100 years of film.

Preparation

Novels

Bond first ordered a drink to be shaken in Fleming's novel Casino Royale (1953) when he requested a drink of his own invention which would later be referred to as a "Vesper", named after the Bond girl, Vesper Lynd. After just meeting his CIA contact Felix Leiter for the first time, Bond orders the drink from a barman while at the casino.

'A dry martini,' he said. 'One. In a deep champagne goblet.'

'Oui, monsieur.'

'Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?'

'Certainly monsieur.' The barman seemed pleased with the idea.

'Gosh, that's certainly a drink,' said Leiter.

Bond laughed. 'When I'm...er...concentrating,' he explained, 'I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold, and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink's my own invention. I'm going to patent it when I think of a good name.'

— Casino Royale, Chapter 7: Rouge et Noir^[5]

A Vesper differs from Bond's usual cocktail of choice, the martini, in that it uses both gin and vodka, Kina Lillet instead of vermouth, and a lemon peel instead of an olive. In the same scene Bond gives more details about the Vesper telling the same barman that vodka made from grain instead of potatoes makes the drink even better. Russian and Polish vodkas were also always preferred by Bond if they were in stock. Although there is a lot of discussion on the Vesper, it is only ordered once throughout Fleming's novels and by later books Bond is ordering regular vodka martinis, though he also drinks regular gin martinis. In total Bond orders 19 vodka martinis and 16 gin martinis throughout Fleming's novels and short stories.^[6]

[edit] Film

The Vesper was reused in the 2006 film version of Casino Royale, while Bond is playing poker to defeat Le Chiffre. The shaken Martini is mentioned twice in the first Bond film Dr. No (1962.) Once when Bond had presumably ordered a drink from Room Service to his hotel room, it is mixed by a waiter, who says "one medium dry vodka martini mixed like you said, sir, but not stirred" (a slice of lime was in the bottom of the glass.) And again when Dr. No presents Bond with a drink and says "A medium dry martini, lemon peel. Shaken, not stirred." Bond did not vocally order one himself until Goldfinger (1964). However, in the 1967 film You only Live Twice, Bond's contact Henderson, prepares a martini for Bond and says "That's, um, stirred not shaken. That was right, wasn't it?" To which Bond replies politely, "Perfect." Since then, each Bond has himself ordered the drink, except for two.

Roger Moore's Bond has barely ordered more than three, although he has received one in the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me. Daniel Craig's Bond ordered the drink in Casino Royale, when the barman asks whether he would like a martini shaken or stirred, the younger and less experienced Bond snaps, "Do I look like I give a damn?"

Why shaken, not stirred?

Scientists, specifically biochemists, and martini connoisseurs have investigated the difference between a martini shaken and a martini stirred. According to a study at the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Western Ontario in Canada to determine if the preparation of a martini has an influence on their antioxidant capacity, the shaken gin martinis were able to break down hydrogen peroxide and leave only 0.072% of the peroxide behind, versus the stirred gin martini which left behind 0.157% of the peroxide.^[7] The study was done at the time because moderate consumption of alcohol appears to reduce the risk of cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and stroke, none of which afflict the fictional James Bond.

Andrew Lycett, an Ian Fleming biographer, believed that Fleming liked his martinis shaken, not stirred because Fleming thought that stirring a drink diminished its flavour. Lycett also noted that Fleming preferred gin and vermouth for his martini.^[8] It has also been said that Fleming was a fan of martinis shaken by Hans Schröder, a German bartender.^[9]^[10]

Some connoisseurs believe that shaking gin is a faux pas, supposedly because the shaking "bruises" the gin (a term referring to a slight bitter taste that can allegedly occur when gin or vodka is shaken). Others contend that Bond was only shaking because of the vodka it contained. Prior to the 1960s, vodka was, for the most part, refined from potatoes (usually cheaper brands). This element made the vodka oily. To disperse the oil, Bond ordered his martinis shaken; thus, in the same scene where he orders the martini, he tells the barman about how vodka made from grain rather than potatoes makes his drink even better. This does not explain why Bond in the films still preferred his drink to be shaken rather than stirred, because beginning mostly in the 1960s vodka refined from potatoes was virtually replaced by vodka refined by grains such as corn and wheat or by other ingredients such as grapes and soybeans.

Other reasons for shaking tend to include making the drink colder or as Bond called it, ice-cold. Shaking allows the drink to couple with the ice longer thus making it far colder than if it were to be stirred. Shaking is also said to dissolve the vermouth better making it less oily tasting.^[11]

While properly called a Bradford,^[12] shaken martinis also appear cloudier than when stirred. This is caused by the small fragments of ice present in a shaken martini.

In the episode named "Stirred" of The West Wing, President Jed Bartlet criticises James Bond for 'ordering a weak martini and being snooty about it':

President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet: Can I tell you what's messed up about James Bond?

Charlie Young: Nothing.

President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet: Shaken, not stirred, will get you cold water with a dash of gin and dry vermouth. The reason you stir it with a special spoon is so not to chip the ice. James is ordering a weak martini and being snooty about it. ^[13]

Other 007 drinking habits

007's drinking habits mirror those of his creator, Ian Fleming. Fleming as well as Bond throughout the novels had a preference for bourbon. Fleming himself actually had a fondness for gin, drinking as much as a bottle a day; however, he was converted to bourbon at the behest of his doctor who informed him of his ever failing health.^[14]

In contrast, James Bond in the films has a fondness for vodka that is normally accompanied by product placement for a brand. For instance, Smirnoff was clearly shown in 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies in which Bond sits drinking a bottle while in his hotel room in Hamburg. Other brands featured in the films have included Stolichnaya and Finlandia. Bond is also seen in Quantum of Solace drinking bottled beer when meeting with Felix Leiter in a Bolivian bar.

Outside of alcoholic beverages, Bond is said to favour Yin Hao, the highest traditional grade of jasmine tea and Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.

Alan's Martini

2008-11-22T22:56:00.002-05:00

For the record if you read this far I prefer my martini prepared like this:

Add to a large metal shaker:

Ketel One Vodka 2 pours
Crushed Ice
Splash of olive juice "dirty"
Smallest pour of dry vermouth

Chill very very well "Shaken Not Stirred"

Strained and poured over:

Multiple hand stuffed Blue Cheese Queen Spanish Olives
In a classy over sized blue cut crystal Martini glass
NIIIICEEEE!!!!!! Enjoy!

James Bond Webring

2008-11-20T09:38:00.000-05:00

This site is a member of WebRing.

To browse visit
Here.

"Shaken Not Stirred" 1972 Glastron GT150 Restoration

My Project

"The Jump" from Live and Let Die with a stock '72 Glastron GT150 & 135 hp eng was landed 10/16/72. It set a World Record of 110ft. It stood for 3 yrs.

Please Sign My Guestbook It Will Be Included In The Time Capsule In The Boat

FRIENDS OF 007 BOAT PROJECT DONATION JAR

Live and Let Die Boat Chase/Jump

Special Recognition

MIA

1 Down 1 To Go

Shake, Rattle 'N' Roll

3-2-1 Nothing!!!

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!

Amazing Transformation

Here's Johnny !!!

Revenge of the Power Washer

Double Trouble

Rain Rain & More Rain!

Its Christmas! Or at least for me!

Hood Tinkering

Esnipe Rules!

Engine Rebuild Begins.

Price To Pay

One step forward and two steps back

ALIVE!!

Franks & Beans

1973 Evinrude 135hp Starflight Found! "THE" jump engine!

Facebook Badge Added

FIberClassics Boats - Buy a "NEW" GT150 today!

Dogs Are Great!

Woodson & Me

The best-selling "Marley & Me" author shares the secret of his "celebrity" puppy.

SNOWED IN!

Livorsi Marine Mock Up Gauges Which One Do You Like?

Finally Done but Picasso I am not!

New Bow Emblem has Arrived!

Time Capsule

Houston we have "Liftoff"

Original Seating Repair

"Holy Grail Found?"

Sunday Tear Out

Newbie Screwups

OOPS!! Didn't mean to do that! Hope I can fix it. Anyone need a cheap GT150? LOL

Steerng wheel, partial floor and controls are now gone!

I need to get this engine off next so I can work easier.

Winshield removed and stored carefully.

A poster from another forum actually had the Ad for the holy grail LOL a Evinrude Starflight 135hp engine The engine they used in the movie jump.

Livorsi Marine is hooking me up with some items at cost! Sweet!

What do you think about this switch control? Pushbutton Ignition and two cool looking self Destruct toggle switches lol!

I will use this steering wheel as it's the most accurate of the era.

A restored GT150 my goal in the end!

Pre Restoration Pictures

Front Starboard View

Bow View

Front Port View

Port View

Interior View

Stern View

Bow View

This is the record setting boat from the movie. It was restored in 1996 I believe and was bought for the Ian Fleming Foundation

This gives a good look at the interior note the center mount steering wheel that was moved to balance the boat for the jump

The Bond Girl was Jane Seymour as "Solitaire"

The names Bond... James Bond

Is this not cool or what?

Official movie poster & movie info

Trivia For Live and Let Die 1973

History of Bond

Background

Birth of a Legend

From Novel to Screen

Chronology of Bond Novels

Chronology of Bond Films

Official Films

"Shaken Not Stirred"

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Contents

Preparation

Novels

[edit] Film

Why shaken, not stirred?

Other 007 drinking habits