James Bond (ornithologist)
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| James Bond | |
| Born | January 4, 1900 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,  United States |
|---|---|
| Died | February 14, 1989 (aged 89) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Ornithologist |
| Known for | Caribbean Ornithology, namesake for Ian Fleming's James Bond |
James Bond (January 4, 1900 – February 14, 1989) was a leading American ornithologist whose name was appropriated by writer Ian Fleming for his fictional spy, James Bond.
[edit] Biography
Bond was born in Philadelphia and worked as an ornithologist at the Academy of Natural Sciences in that city, rising to become curator of birds there. He was an expert in Caribbean birds and wrote the definitive book on the subject: Birds of the West Indies, first published in 1936 and, in its fifth edition, still in print (ISBN 0-618-00210-3).
Bond won the Institute of Jamaica's Musgrave Medal in 1952; the Brewster Medal of the American Ornithologists Union in 1954; and the Leidy Medal of the Academy of Natural Sciences in 1975. He died in the Chestnut Hill Hospital in Philadelphia at age 89.
[edit] Fictional namesake
Ian Fleming, who was a keen bird watcher living in Jamaica, was familiar with Bond's book, and chose the name of its author for the hero of Casino Royale in 1953, apparently because he wanted a name that sounded 'as ordinary as possible'. Fleming wrote to the real Bond's wife, "It struck me that this brief, unromantic, Anglo-Saxon and yet very masculine name was just what I needed, and so a second James Bond was born." He also contacted the real James Bond about using his name in the books and Bond replied to him, "Fine with it." At some point during one of Fleming's visits to Jamaica he met with the real Bond and his wife as shown in a made for DVD documentary about Fleming. A short clip was shown with Fleming, Bond and his wife. Also in his novel Dr. No Fleming referenced Bond's work by basing a large Ornithological Sanctuary On Dr. No's island in the Bahamas.
Sometime before 1964, Fleming gave Bond a first edition copy of You Only Live Twice signed "To the real James Bond, from the thief of his identity" as a final thanks.[1]
In the 2002 Bond film Die Another Day, the fictional Bond (played by Pierce Brosnan) can be seen examining Birds of the West Indies in an early scene that takes place in Havana, Cuba. The author's name (James Bond) on the front cover is obscured. Also, when first meeting the Halle Berry character, Jinx, Bond introduces himself as an ornithologist.
[edit] References
- ^ Use the profit, Luke! Lightsaber used by Luke Skywalker in Star Wars sold for £133,000 Accessed 13 December 2008.
- The Associated Press. "James Bond, Ornithologist, 89; Fleming Adopted Name for 007." The New York Times. February 17, 1989. p. D19.
- Kenneth C. Parkes. "In Memoriam: James Bond." Auk. Vol. 106. p. 718. (Available as a pdf here, with a photograph).
- Mary Wickham Bond. "How 007 Got His Name." London, Collins. 62 p., ill., 2 b/w pls. 1966.
- Andrew Walker (19 April 2002). "BBC NEWS : In Depth : Newsmakers : Ian Fleming: The man behind Bond - and Chitty". BBC News profiles unit. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/in_depth/uk/2000/newsmakers/1939697.stm. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
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