Billing

Barbel · February 2018

One thing I've always been interested in is the billing in films, and of course particularly the James Bond films. Naturally the actor playing 007 gets top billing* and usually this is above the title. Only three times did the actor playing Bond receive "Starring" billing below the title (Connery in DN and FRWL, Lazenby in OHMSS).

As far as I know, the Bond films started the practice where the second actor listed gets billed as "Starring" rather than "Co-starring" or "With". This began with GF- Connery is billed above the title, then (originally depending on which location the film was being shown in) "Starring Honor Blackman" or "Starring Gert Frobe".
This has continued to the present day- after the title, the name of the actor playing either the villain or the female lead is preceded by "Starring"- eg

"Albert R. Broccoli & Harry Saltzman present

ROGER MOORE as JAMES BOND 007

in Ian Fleming's

THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN

Starring
CHRISTOPHER LEE"

Other films have since followed this practice- eg

"PETER SELLERS in

Blake Edwards'
THE TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER

Starring DAVID NIVEN"

but as far as I know it was invented by the Bond films.

As a side issue, since Brosnan took over as Bond the posters have generally downplayed the name of the actor and boosted the size of the "007" logo.

* I can only think of one instance where this hasn't happened (not counting CR67, of course), and it wasn't in a film- anyone care to make a guess?

heartbroken_mr_drax · February 2018

I've always found this interesting too in particular how long winded they get, as in your TMWTGG example. There's also the swapping of the placement of Ian Fleming.

AS IAN FLEMING'S JAMES BOND 007

or

ACTOR AS JAMES BOND IN IAN FLEMING'S FILM

Barbel wrote:

* I can only think of one instance where this hasn't happened (not counting CR67, of course), and it wasn't in a film- anyone care to make a guess?

Think I might need more of a clue on this one?

Barbel · February 2018

heartbroken_mr_drax wrote:

Think I might need more of a clue on this one?

In the recent past.

Firemass · February 2018

Very interesting.

I am curious why some actors will randomly have their character name included in the title sequence. Not sure if this has happened in the Bond series but for example could be like: Starring Lynn Holly Johnson as Bibi Dahl.

Barbel · February 2018

It's tradition for the M actor to have "as M" after his/her name (except for Robert Brown, curiously) but for anyone else it's usually a contractual arrangement to give their name prominence- for example, Curt Jurgens billing in TSWLM recognises his long and distinguished movie career by not simply placing his name after the relative newcomer Barbara Bach but giving him what is known as a special credit: "And Curt Jurgens as Stromberg".

CoolHandBond · February 2018

One thing I have always noticed is that the gun barrel sequence in OHMSS is the same as in DN in that the producers names are displayed when the white dots are moving across the screen - the only times this happens I believe - I think it was because it was the start of a new era with a new actor as Bond and they wanted to mark the occasion as such.

Barbel · February 2018

heartbroken_mr_drax wrote:

I've always found this interesting too in particular how long winded they get, as in your TMWTGG example. There's also the swapping of the placement of Ian Fleming.

AS IAN FLEMING'S JAMES BOND 007

or

ACTOR AS JAMES BOND IN IAN FLEMING'S FILM

Yes, I find this interesting too. Fleming's credit was first moved to before Bond's name for TSWLM, which at the time I thought was because the film was (and was well publicised as being) not based on the novel. There was another change at this point too, with Saltzman's name vanishing and Broccoli becoming the sole presenter.
Fleming's credit was back in its usual position for the next film, then returned to before Bond's name for FYEO and has remained there since. I suppose it could be argued that Fleming's name only precedes the actual title when the film is based on a novel, however loosely, but then it should have been back in that position for CR in 06 which I grouched about here at the time.

When Walt Disney died, his company just added the word "Productions" after his name to their opening credits- "Walt Disney presents" became "Walt Disney Productions present". On Cubby's death Eon did similarly, but included their own name so "Albert R. Broccoli's Eon Productions present" is the current formula.

philpog · February 2018

I remember being surprised that Halle Berry didn't receive star billing over the title along with Brosnan, even though she had won an Oscar just prior to the release of DIE ANOTHER DAY.

Barbel · February 2018

Her Oscar win did temporarily boost her billing in the X-Men series:

(that came out a bit smaller than I hoped, as the bishop said to the actress)

though not that in DAD.

heartbroken_mr_drax · February 2018

Barbel wrote:

but as far as I know it was invented by the Bond films.

Blue Hawaii 1961 did so with Elvis. Lost a bet!

Barbel · February 2018

No it didn't, hmd. The co-stars are billed as "Co-starring", not "Starring".

Firemass · February 2018

heartbroken_mr_drax wrote:

Barbel wrote:

but as far as I know it was invented by the Bond films.

Blue Hawaii 1961 did so with Elvis. Lost a bet!

I remember Blue Hawaii featured a drowning scene very similiar to the OHMSS pre-title sequence.

There is a TMNT movie where Splinter wears a lampshade on his head and does an impersonation of Elvis in Blue Hawaii. However, I still do not get the reference.

Anyway...

heartbroken_mr_drax · February 2018

Barbel wrote:

No it didn't, hmd. The co-stars are billed as "Co-starring", not "Starring".

Whoops sorry mate, took it for the lead actor. Oh well, I owe my mate a beer. And you! {[]

Barbel · February 2018

No worries. On the subject of Elvis, I believe he's the only actor* to have been billed by his first name alone (not counting people who only use a first name professionally) but I may be wrong there.

* I know many will argue that he was an actor at all, of course, but he was. Just not a good one. (And I say that as a lifelong fan of his singing.)

Manxman · February 2018

There are also some other notable oddities within Bond billing.

You Only Live Twice is the only Bond film to credit nobody other than the actor playing Bond on the poster — even the well-known Donald Pleasence didn't get a mention. Oddly, Tetsuro Tamba is listed below Akiko Wakabayashi in the opening credits and also below Mie Hama in the closing credits, despite having a much larger role than either of them (and despite none of their names meaning anything to Western audiences).

Similarly, some Bond films have credits that bear little resemblance to the size of people's roles. The credits of Thunderball and OHMSS are scrupulously fair, but in Diamonds Are Forever Lana Wood and Bruce Cabot get their names in the "also starring" category despite very little and virtually no screen time respectively, whilst Bruce Glover, Putter Smith and Norman Burton, all of whom had much larger roles, are buried among the also-rans.

That's the most egregious example I can think of, but in The Spy Who Loved Me Caroline Munro did well to get equal billing with Richard Kiel despite a tiny part, whilst the prolific Shane Rimmer, who has quite a bit more dialogue, is buried in both the opening and closing credits.

Thunderbird 2 · February 2018

In the end, where someone is credited is based on negotiations.
This is true of television as well.

RE Caroline Munro and Shane Rimmer, Ms Munro would probably have negotiated, because at that time she was still pushing for publicity in relation to the work she was doing. Mr Rimmer has done far more behind the scenes and with voice work, as well as the stage. A smaller credit would not be a problem due to the fact a certain puppet series and his writing had raised his profile. To some actors getting a credit makes a difference. What happened to Jeremy Wilkin? He is in TSWLM, he has minimal dialogue, but he was in the film.
I believe Ed Bishop and Mr Rimmer, and David Healy were uncredited in YOLT and DAF respectively as well.
Yet both Ed Bishop in DAF and Mr Rimmer in their later roles were credited.

Talking of billing, Barbel Pussy asked me to give you this.
(TB2 hands over a piece of paper with the SABS logo. It says "Barbel's bar bill" on it.)

Barbel · February 2018

(Reads bill, looks alarmed, and hurriedly writes a cheque signed "Sir Miles".)

Sir Miles · February 2018

Barbel wrote:

(Reads bill, looks alarmed, and hurriedly writes a cheque signed "Sir Miles".)

I wonder why my Bank Manager is calling me...? ?:)

Dirty Punker · February 2018

To speak of you about the monies.

Thunderpussy · February 2018

I went to the Bank manager and asked him "How do I stand for a loan ?"
He said " You don't stand son, you grovel !"

( An Old Les Dawson joke ) -{

Barbel · February 2018

Well off-topic, but...

I was in the bank yesterday and wanted to speak with the manager about changes coming up in my financial arrangements*. I rather expected to be taken to an office but we had to talk in the open which I found very off-putting.

* Ok, so I'm old- it was to do with my pension.

Dirty Punker · February 2018

Top marks on service and professionalism.

heartbroken_mr_drax · February 2018

But banks are all about light hearted and welcoming conversation in an open environment now!

Barbel · February 2018

Back on topic.

Manxman wrote:

some Bond films have credits that bear little resemblance to the size of people's roles

Yes, though that's true for all films and depends on an actor's perceived box-office draw and negotiations, as TB2 says above.

CoolHandBond · February 2018

For decades the billing on the titles went: writers - producers - director. Over the last few years this has reverted to: producers -writers - director EXCEPT for the Bond movies which have kept the original format.

Lenny Ledesma 007 · March 2018

About billings, in the early years the producers were generally credited in this order: Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli.

But that was not the case in all the films, as well as the posters, the soundtrack albums, the cinema trailers and the radio promotional spots.

FILMS:

- Saltzman and Broccoli names appeared twice in each film introduction, first as presenters and later as producers, until Harry left the partnership and Cubby remained as the sole owner of the production company.

- Generally, in those nine films Salztman was credited before Broccoli both as presenters as well as producers; and also in the non-Bond film CALL ME BWANA.

- The only exception to that rule was GOLDFINGER, in which Broccoli was credited as presenter before Saltzman (but later in the main title credits the order reversed to Saltzman and Broccoli as producers).

- In the case of THUNDERBALL, Saltzman and Broccoli (in that order) were credited only as presenters, with Kevin McClory as producer.

- When Broccoli continued without Saltzman, the credits in some new copies of those films were changed so Cubby's name appeared before Harry's.

POSTERS:

- All posters credited Saltzman and Broccoli in the same order as the respective film. So, Harry's name was always first except in GOLDFINGER, where it said: "Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman present"... and later said: "Produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli". Also, in THUNDERBALL Saltzman and Broccoli were mentioned only as presenters, with Kevin McClory credited as producer.

In the non-Bond film CALL ME BWANA the presenters were Harry Saltzman and Harry Broccoli (in that order) but later in the credits Cubby was the only credited as producers whereas Harry was credited as associate producer (together with Stanley Sopel).

- From 1976 onwards some of the posters of those nine films reverse the order so Broccoli was always mentioned before Saltzman.

SOUNDTRACK ALBUMS:

- The credits in the album covers showed the same order as in the films and posters. That original credits order was kept in later re-releases of those albums.

CINEMA TRAILERS:

- DR, NO, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER and THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN credited Saltzman and Broccoli (in that order) both as presenters and as producers.

- GOLDFINGER credited Broccoli and Saltzman (in that order) as presenters, but reversed the order as producers.

- THUNDERBALL credited Saltzman and Broccoli (in that order) only as producers, and Kevin McClory as producer.

- YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and LIVE AND LET DIE credited Broccoli and Saltzman (in that order) both as presenters and as producers.

RADIO PROMOTIONAL SPOTS:

- Generally the radio spots mentioned "Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli" as presenters and/or producers.

- YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and LIVE AND LET DIE were exceptions to the rule, where Broccoli was mentioned before Saltzman.

- The only other exception was THUNDERBALL, where only producer Kevin McClory was mentioned.

MilleniumForce · March 2018

Out of my own interest, I've decided to type up the opening credits (title and actors only) to make for easier comparisons.

Dr No:

Harry Saltzman & Albert R.Broccoli present

Ian Fleming's Dr No

Starring
Sean Connery

Ursula Andress
Joseph Wiseman
Jack Lord

Bernard Lee
Anthony Dawson
John Kitzmiller
Zend Marshall
Eunice Grayson

Michael Mok
Lois Maxwell
Peter Burton
Yvonne Shima
Louis Blaazer
Reginald Carter
WM. Foster-Davis
Margaret Le Wars

FRWL:

Harry Saltzman & Albert R.Broccoli present

Ian Fleming's From Russia With Love

Starring
Sean Connery

Also Starring
Pedro Armendariz
Lotte Lenya

And
Robert Shaw
Bernard Lee as "M"

And Introducing
Daniela Bianchi

With
Eunice Grayson
Walter Gotell
Francis De Wolff
George Pastell
Nadja Regin
Lois Maxwell
Aliza Gur
Martin Beswick
Vladek Sheybal
and Leila

Goldfinger:

Albert R.Broccoli
Harry Saltzman
Present

Sean Connery

In
Ian Fleming's
Goldfinger

Starring
Honor Blackman
As Pussy Galore

Also Starring
Gert Frobe
As Goldfinger

With
Shirley Eaton
Tania Mallet
Harold Sakata
Bernard Lee as 'M'

And
Martin Benson
Cec Linder
Austin Willis
Lois Maxwell
Bill Nagy

Thunderball:

Harry Saltzman and
Albert R.Broccoli
Present

Sean Connery

In Ian Fleming's

Thunderball

Starring
Claudine Auger
Adolfo Celi
Luciana Paluzzi
And
Rik Van Nutter

With
Bernard Lee as 'M'
Martine Beswick
Guy Doleman
Molly Peters

And
Desmond Llewelyn
Lois Maxwell
Roland Culver
Earl Cameron
Paul Stassino

YOLT:

Harry Saltzman
And
Albert R.Broccoli
Present

Sean Connery

In Ian Fleming's

You Only Live Twice

Starring
Akiko Wakabayashi
Tetsuro Tamba
Mie Hama
Teru Shimada
And
Karin Dor

With
Lois Maxwell
Desmond Llewelyn
Charles Gray
And
Bernard Lee as M

And
Donald Pleasance

OHMSS:

Harry Saltzman & Albert R.Broccoli present

Ian Fleming's

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

Starring
George Lazenby

Diana Rigg
Telly Savalas

Gabrielle Ferzetti
Ilse Steppat

With
Angela Scoular
Lois Maxwell
Catherina Von Schell
George Baker
And
Bernard Lee as 'M'

And
Bernard Horsfall
Desmond Llewelyn
Yuri Borienko
Virginia North

DAF:

Harry Saltzman and Albert R.Broccoli present

Sean Connery

In Ian Fleming's

Diamonds Are Forever

Starring
Jill St. John
Charles Gray

Lana Wood
Jimmy Dean
Bruce Cabot

With
Lois Maxwell
Joseph Furst
Putter Smith
Laurence Naismith
Sid Haig
Norman Burton
Bruce Glover
Marc Lawrence
David Bauer
Desmond Llewelyn
and Bernard Lee as M

LALD:

Harry Saltzman and Albert R.Broccoli present

Roger Moore
as James Bond - 007

In
Ian Fleming's

Live and Let Die

Starring
Yaphet Kotto

And Introducing
Jane Seymour

Featuring
Clifton James
Julius W Harris
Gloria Hendry
Geoffrey Holder
David Hedison
Lois Maxwell
and
Bernard Lee as 'M'

With
Tommy Lane
Lon Statton
B.J Arnau
Earl Jolly Brown
Roy Stewart
Ruth Kempf

TMWTGG:

Albert R.Broccoli and Harry Saltzman present

Roger Moore
as James Bond - 007

In Ian Fleming's

The Man With The Golden Gun

Starring
Christopher Lee

Britt Ekland

Maud Adams

Herve Villechaize
as Nick Nack
Clifton James
as J.W Pepper

With
Richard Loo
Soon-Taik Oh
Marc Lawrence
Lois Maxwell
Marne Maitland
Desmond Llewelyn
James Cossins
Chan Yiu Lam
and
Bernard Lee as 'M'

TSWLM:

Albert R.Broccoli
Presents

Roger Moore

as
Ian Fleming's
James Bond 007
in

The Spy Who Loved Me

Starring
Barbara Bach

and
Curt Jurgens
As
Stromberg

With
Richard Kiel
Caroline Munro

Featuring
Geoffrey Keen
Edward De Souza
George Baker
Lois Maxwell
Walter Gotell
Vernon Dobtcheff
Desmond Llewelyn
Michael Billington
Bernard Lee as 'M'

and
Shane Rimmer
Bryan Marshall
Sue Vanner
Bob Sherman
Sydney Tafler
Valerie Leon
Nadim Sawalha
Eva Rueber-Staier
Olga Bisera as Felicca

Moonraker:

Albert R.Broccoli
presents

Roger Moore

as
James Bond 007

in Ian Fleming's

Moonraker

Starring
Lois Chiles

Michael Lonsdale
as Drax

Richard Kiel
as Jaws

and
Corrine Clery

Featuring
Emily Bolton
Toshiro Suga
Irka Bochenko
Geoffrey Keen
Lois Maxwell
Nicholas Arbez
Bernard Lee as 'M'

And
Desmond Llewelyn
Anne Lonnberg
Jean Pierre Castaldi
Blanche Ravalec
Michael Marshall
Leila Shenna

FYEO:

Albert R.Broccoli
presents

Roger Moore

as
Ian Fleming's
James Bond 007

in

For Your Eyes Only

Starring
Carole Bouquet

Topol

Lynn-Holly Johnson

and
Julian Glover

Featuring
Cassandra Harris
Michael Gothard
Jill Bennett
Jack Hedley
Walter Gotell

and
James Villiers
Desmond Llewelyn
John Moreno
Geoffrey Keen
Lois Maxwell
John Wyman

Octopussy:

Albert R.Broccoli
presents

Roger Moore

as
Ian Fleming's
James Bond 007
in

Octopussy

Starring
Maud Adams

Louis Jordan

Kristina Wayborn

Kabir Bedi
Steven Berkoff

Featuring
David Meyer
Paul Hardwick
Robert Brown
Tony Meyer
Douglas Wilmer
Walter Gotell

Desmond Llewelyn
Geoffrey Keen
Lois Maxwell
Albert Moses
Michaela Clavell
and introducing
Vijay Amritaj

AVTAK:

Albert R.Broccoli
presents

Roger Moore

as Ian Fleming's
James Bond
007
in

A View to a Kill

Starring
Tanya Roberts

Grace Jones

Patrick MacNee

and
Christopher Walken

With
Patrick Bauchau
David Yip

Desmond Llewelyn
Robert Brown
Lois Maxwell
Walter Gotell
Geoffrey Keen

Willoughby Gray
Alison Doody
Manning Redwood
Papillon Soo Soo
and
Fiona Fullerton

TLD:

Albert R.Broccoli
presents

Timothy Dalton

as
Ian Fleming's
James Bond
007
in

The Living Daylights

Starring
Maryam d'Abo

Joe Don Baker
as
Whitaker

Art Malik

John Rhys Davis

and
Jeroen Krabbe

Andreas Wisniewski
Thomas Wheatley
Julie T Wallace

Desmond Llewelyn
Robert Brown
Caroline Bliss
Walter Gotell
Geoffrey Keen

Virginia Hey
John Terry
Nadim Swalha
John Bowe

LTK:

Albert R. Broccoli
presents

Timothy Dalton

as Ian Fleming's James Bond
in

Licence to Kill

Starring
Carey Lowell

Robert Davi

Talisa Soto

Anthony Zerbe

Everett McGill
Frank McRae

Desmond Llewelyn
Robert Brown
Caroline Bliss
Anthony Starke
Grand L. Bush

Benecio Del Toro
Alejandro Bracho
Guy De Saint Cyr
Diana Lee-Hsu
Rafer Johnson

David Hedison
Don Stroud
Priscilla Barnes
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagwa

Pedro Armendariz
as President Lopez
Wayne Newton
as Professor Joe Butcher

GoldenEye:

Albert R. Broccoli
presents

Pierce Brosnan

as
Ian Fleming's
James Bond
007
in

GoldenEye

Starring
Sean Bean

Izabella Scorupco

Famke Janssen

Joe Don Baker

Robbie Coltrane

Tcheky Karyo
Gottfried John

Alan Cumming
Michael Kitchen
Serena Gordon

Desmond Llewelyn
Samantha Bond

and
Judi Dench
as M

TND:

Albert R. Broccoli's
Eon Productions Limited
Presents

Pierce Brosnan

as
Ian Fleming's
James Bond
007
in

Tomorrow Never Dies

Starring
Jonathan Pryce

Michelle Yeoh

Teri Hatcher

Joe Don Baker

Ricky Jay
Gotz Otto

Desmond Llewelyn
Vincent Schiavelli

Geoffrey Palmer
Colin Salmon
Samantha Bond

and
Judi Dench
as 'M'

TWINE:

Albert R. Broccoli's
Eon Productions Limited
presents

Pierce Brosnan

as
Ian Fleming's
James Bond
007
in

The World Is Not Enough

Starring
Sophie Marceau

Robert Carlyle

Denise Richards

Robbie Coltrane

Desmond Llewelyn
Maria Grazia Cucinotta

Samantha Bond
Michael Kitchen
Colin Salmon
Serena Scott Thomas

Ulrich Thomsen
Goldie
John Seru
Claude-Oliver Rudolph

and
Judi Dench
as 'M'

DAD:

Albert R. Broccoli's
Eon Productions Limited
presents

Pierce Brosnan

as
Ian Fleming's
James Bond
007
in

Die Another Day

Starring
Halle Berry

Toby Stephens

Rosamund Oike

Rick Yune
Kenneth Tsang

Will Yun Lee
Emilio Echevarria

Samantha Bond
Colin Salmon
Michael Gorevoy
Lawrence Makoare

John Cleese

and
Judi Dench
as M

CR:

Albert R. Broccoli's
Eon Productions Ltd.
presents

Daniel Craig

as
Ian Fleming's
James Bond
007
in

Casino Royale

Starring
Eva Green

Mads Mikkelsen

Giancarlo Giannini

Caterina Murino
Simon Abkarian
Isaach De Bankole

Jesper Christensen
Ivana Milicevic

Tobias Menzies
Claudio Santamaria
Free running stunts performed by Sebastien Foucan

With
Jeffrey Wright

and
Judi Dench
as M

QoS:

Albert R. Broccoli's
Eon Productions Limited
presents

Daniel Craig

as Ian Fleming's
James Bond 007 in

Quantum of Solace

Starring
Olga Kurylenko

Mathieu Amalric

Giancarlo Giannini

Gemma Arterton
Anatole Taubman

Jesper Christensen
David Harbour

Rory Kinnear
Tim Pigott-Smith
Joaquín Cosio

with
Jeffrey Wright

and
Judi Dench
as M

Skyfall:

Albert R. Broccoli's
Eon Productions Ltd.
Presents

Daniel Craig

as
Ian Fleming's
James Bond
007
in

Skyfall

Starring
Javier Bardem

Ralph Fiennes

Naomie Harris

Berenice Lim Marlohe

Ben Whishaw

Rory Kinnear
Ola Rapace

with
Albert Finney

and
Judi Dench
as M

SPECTRE:

Albert R. Broccoli's
Eon Productions Ltd.
Presents

Daniel Craig

as
Ian Fleming's
James Bond
007
in

Spectre

Starring
Christoph Waltz

Lea Seydoux

Ben Whishaw

Naomie Harris

Dave Bautista

Andrew Scott

Rory Kinnear
Jesper Christensen

With
Monica Bellucci

and
Ralph Fiennes
as M

Barbel · March 2018

That's a lot of work, MF, well done!

An interesting point is that "as James Bond 007" is introduced with Roger Moore's first appearance- Connery didn't ever have that after his name.

MilleniumForce · March 2018

So, interesting things I've learnt from typing all of that up:

- Martine Beswick is credited as "Martin" in From Russia With Love
- Desmond Llewelyn doesn't make it into the opening credits until Thunderball
- Going against tradition, Yaphet Kotto becomes the first actor to play the main villain and receive top billing after the Bond actor, although this is probably because Bond girl Jane Seymour is given an "Introducing" credit
- Despite his most prominent appearance as Q being in LTK, Desmond Llewelyn receives his highest billing in The World Is Not Enough, at 6th.
- Cubby is listed before Saltzman in presenting credits for TMWTGG, their last film together. Usually it was the other way around, he only exception being Goldfinger.

DavidJones · May 2018

For some strange, unknown reason, I'm always a bit excited when I see a special credit ('and', 'as', 'with').

Billing

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