John Payne as James Bond 007

Catherine Payne

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Feb 14, 1998, 3:00:00 AM2/14/98

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It is "not a very well known fact" that the late American actor, JOHN
PAYNE, held a film option on Ian Fleming's MOONRAKER. Soon after the
book's publication, Mr. Payne thought James Bond would make a hot movie
franchise! John Payne, a native of Roanoke, Virginia, is best remembered
as a 20th Century-Fox movie star of the forties who appeared in MIRACLE
0N 32nd STREET and many other films opposite Tyrone Power, Don Ameche
and Alice Faye. In the l950's, Mr. Payne appeared in the popular
"western" THE RESTLESS GUN as Vint Bonner on NBC-TV. Tall, dark and
rugged, Mr. Payne played many "swashbuckling" roles , often as a pirate
opposite Maureen 0"Hara, whom he secretly hoped to cast as policewoman
Gala Brand opposite himself as 007 in MOONRAKER. The project did not
come to fruition in 1956 "because of studio rejection of the James Bond
character." The studio did not agree with Mr. Payne's "high opinion
of James Bond as an action character that could sustain one movie, less
an entire series." John Payne, finding no takers for Bond in Hollywood,
sadly let his option on MOONRAKER expire. In l962, while crossing a
rainy street in Manhattan, John Payne was struck down by a New York
taxi. He survived, but his career, thereafter was greatly changed. He
can be seen in the many re-runs of his movies on cable (particularly
AMC) and an excellent episode of COLUMBO in which he appears opposite
Janet Leigh, who murders her husband, Sam Jaffe, in order to resume her
Hollywood dancing career. He died in Malibu, California in l989.
Ronald Payne, president, 21st Century Artists Film Corporation,
Richmond, Virginia.

Icebreaker

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Feb 14, 1998, 3:00:00 AM2/14/98

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Catherine Payne wrote:
>
> It is "not a very well known fact" that the late American actor, JOHN
> PAYNE, held a film option on Ian Fleming's MOONRAKER.

At one time, how many different people had rights to Ian's work? There
was Casino Royale that got optioned out, Moonraker, and the troubles
with McClory. Was Fleming not "street smart" when it came to business
dealings?
--
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Icebreaker
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"The difference between insanity and genius is success."
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Dan Hartung

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Feb 17, 1998, 3:00:00 AM2/17/98

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Icebreaker <icebr...@mindspring.com> wrote in article
<34E631...@mindspring.com>...

> At one time, how many different people had rights to Ian's work? There
> was Casino Royale that got optioned out, Moonraker, and the troubles
> with McClory. Was Fleming not "street smart" when it came to business
> dealings?

I'm not sure that's a fair assessment. Before the success of _Dr. NO_ there
was no reason to believe in the future of Bond as a film franchise. (Heck,
Broccoli would probably have been happy with a successful run of six
films!) Before EON struck their deal, Fleming story options probably
floated around Hollywood along with hundreds of other identical
options on successful novels (or even novel series).