Q (Desmond Llewelyn) :: Allies :: MI6 :: The Home Of James Bond 007 Place of Birth: Newport, South Wales, UK "Remember, if it hadn't been for Q Branch, you'd have been dead long ago." Pleased To Meet You James Bond first meets with Major Boothroyd, head of Q-Branch , at MI6 before being dispatched to Istanbul. The soon-to-be familiar gadget-master gives an impatient 007 a detailed rundown on his latest creation: a nasty bag of tricks in the form of a sleek brown attaché case . Personality Boothroyd is a genuinely kind and resourceful man who has spent over 35 years of his life in public service. Having replaced his superior as the head of his department shortly before the " From Russia With Love " mission, the Major quickly earned his nickname 'Q', after his department. The name stuck and the man became a frequent asset to the secret service inner circle. In demeanour Q is the stereotypical boffin with an answer to everything.

"Inside the case you'll find an AR7 folding sniper's rifle, .25 caliber, with an infrared telescopic sight." He clashes wits with 007 regularly, and finds the agent's reckless regard for government property - and his painstaking work in particular - completely exasperating. Nonetheless, Bond almost always gets his way, with Q allowing Bond to field-test some of his most precious gizmos. It may first appear that Q has no time for practical jokes or humour, but this is not the case. He is, however, serious about his work and expects others to treat his creations with due respect. Involvement Q's work is simply too varied and his department's achievements too numerous to list in any detail. However, this dossier will give a broad overview of Q-Branch inventions utilised by 007 as well as the Major's involvement in James Bond 's missions. The gadget-man would quickly become accustomed to working in the field - first assembling a makeshift laboratory in the Bahamas at 007's request, when the spy was tailing Largo on the " Thunderball " mission.

Q has supplied equipment to Bond in the field numerous times since, including work on location in: Japan, Hong Kong, Sardinia, Rio de Janeiro , India, Isthmus and Germany. Notably, Q went behind the back of his superiors on the " Licence To Kill " mission in order to provide 007 with anther infamous Q-Branch bag of tricks; this time including Dentonite Toothpaste , X-Ray Polaroid camera and a portable Fingerprint Signature Gun . The Major also gets involved in 'field work' - not for the first time - driving the Tug for 007 as he stows away onboard the Wavekrest and together with CIA pilot, Pam Bouvier , Q traces Bond's movements as he infiltrates Sanchez 's drug smuggling racket. Although he is unable to brief 007 in person on the " Live And Let Die " mission, the only documented case of this occurrence, Q-Branch issues Bond (via M) with an updated Rolex watch complete with magnet and buzz saw. Q is clearly shaken by the death of his Indian colleague, Vijay , whilst on watch duty for the " Octopussy " affair.

The gadget-master is unaccustomed to the stark realities of the field and it is finding his partner's masticated body that deters Q from frequent fieldwork. "Look, 007, I've had a long and tiring journey, probably to no purpose, so I'm in no mood for juvenile quips." The department is particularly able at turning out 'fully loaded' customised sports cars - namely Aston Martin and BMW marques - that serve as company cars for MI6's highest profile agents. Q is often called into briefings in order to explain the technical elements of a mission to 007 or another of his colleagues. He describes the revolutionary submarine tracking system as 'quite simple' in " The Spy Who Loved Me ", and is frequently able to rattle off an explanation for the latest technology, much to the bemusement of M and others. "Don't touch that! That's my lunch." The work of Boothroyd and his department is widely known and respected - often too widely - by the intelligence community. This is demonstrated by Russian Agent Anya Amasova 's working knowledge of Q's pride and joy, a Lotus Esprit submarine, dubbed 'Wet-Nellie' .

Incidentally, the codename (Little) 'Nellie' , was first used years earlier by Q-Branch for a light-weight flying craft, technically known as an auto-gyro, that served 007 on the " You Only Live Twice " mission. In his senior years, Q began to train an apprentice - although reports seem to suggest that the gadget-master found his assistant less than adequate. Dubbed ' R ' by James Bond , prior to departing on the " World Is Not Enough " mission, the apprentice would take over the management of Q-Branch after Boothroyd's retirement. Quotes Bond: Ejector seat? You're joking! Q: I never joke about my work, 007. Q: Right. Now pay attention, 007. I want you to take great care of this equipment. There are one or two rather special accessories... Bond: Q, have I ever let you down? Q: Frequently. Q: I've been saying for years, sir, that our special equipment is obsolete. And now, computer analysis reveals an entirely new approach: miniaturization. For instance, radioactive lint. When placed in an opponent's pockets, the anti-personnel and location fix seems fairly obvious.

"Oh and they missed you, what a pity!" Q: Now, this I'm particularly proud of - behind the headlights, stinger missiles! Bond: Excellent, just the thing for unwinding after a rough day at the office. Q: Need I remind you, 007, that you have a license to kill, not to break the traffic laws. Vijay: Is he still there? Q: You must be joking! Double-0 seven on an island populated exclusively by women? We won't see him till dawn! Q: Something we're making for the Americans. It's called a "Ghetto Blaster". Q: I've always tried to teach you two things. First, never let them see you bleed. Bond: And the second? Q: Always have an escape plan. Q: It has not been perfected, out of years of patient research, ENTIRELY for that purpose, 007. And incidentally, we'd appreciate its return, along with all your other equipment, INTACT for once, when you return from the field. Bond: Well, you'd be surprised the amount of wear and tear that goes on out there in the field.

Bond: [handing Q his coat] Do you think you can help me? Someone seems to have stuck a knife in my wallet. Q: Oh, and missed you, did they? What a pity! Bond: Well, that takes care of the normal wear-and-tear. Is there any other protection I need? Q: Only from me 007, unless you bring that car back in pristine order. Minister of Defence: My God, what's Bond doing? Q: I think he's attempting re-entry, sir. Biography Desmond Wilkinson Llewelyn was born on September 12th, 1914. At age 9, Desmond attended the Priory preparatory boarding school before enrolling at Radley College, a Church of England boy's school in Oxfordshire. Llewelyn earned a small-time job at the local theatre as a stage hand before a friend convinced him to try out for a new production at the theatre - this time for an on-stage role. After his debut he worked on and off with the Forsyth Players before joining the priesthood. He quickly discovered that lifestyle was not for him and his gregarious personality enamoured Desmond with the ladies he met.

On 16th May 1938, Desmond married his high school girlfriend Pamela Pantlin and the pair would remain together until Desmond's passing. Llewelyn was accepted into RADA but not before he would have to serve a stint in the army, as the Second World War saw a halt in his acting career. In 1946 Desmond was cast in a screen adaptation of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and followed this up with a role in the mini-series "My Wife Jaqueline". Llewelyn's big-screen debut would not come until the '50s. The film was a war-drama, "They Were Not Divided", directed by Terence Young . He was quickly cast in the second of many James Bond films to come, by its director (Young) but it was not until " Thunderball " that his character, Q, would earn the famous nickname. The role of Q was one that required hours of preparation for Desmond. Throughout his career on the Bond pictures - appearing in 18 out of 19 consecutive adventures - Llewelyn would battle with the outrageously complicated dialogue he was required to deliver.

With the commercial success of " Goldfinger ", Llewelyn and his fellow Bond filmmakers were flung into stardom. His scenes quickly became something of a feature of each film and Q became a favourite of Bond fan's. His scenes were always eagerly awaited by cinemagoers. "Fully loaded I think is the term." Between 1971 and 1974 Desmond was performing as one of the regulars in English drama "Follyfoot". The show ran for three seasons and Llewelyn's character of Geoffrey Maddocks appeared in all but two. With Llewelyn busy with his regular "Follyfoot" commitments, the Bond producers took the opportunity to experiment with a different form of Bond, when they introduced Roger Moore as 007 in "Live and Let Die". Llewelyn never shared the spoils of having a film contract, nor did he receive bonuses based on the series' success so it was on the receiving a larger part in the "Licence To Kill" story that Llewelyn remarked it was the first time he had made any real money out of Bond.

"The World Is Not Enough" saw Q hand over to R (John Cleese) in preparation for Llewelyn's retirement from the Bond films. It was to be his last Bond film, whether he truly intended this or not. On the 19th of December 1999, exactly a month after the opening of "The World Is Not Enough", Llewelyn was driving home from a book-signing of "Q: The Biography of Desmond Llewelyn" when his vehicle collided with another on the A27 in East Sussex. The other driver was seriously injured and Desmond passed away in hospital a few hours later - he was 85. At his memorial service, friends and family from throughout his life and career appeared to pay tribute. His sons spoke as well as many of his Bond colleagues, including Roger Moore, who delivered the eulogy. Q (Desmond Llewelyn) | James Bond Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia "I never joke about my work, 007." ― Q (Desmond Llewelyn). [src] Major Boothroyd (also known by the initial "Q") was the fictional quartermaster of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS/MI6).

The character was portrayed by actor Desmond Llewelyn and appeared in the James Bond film series from From Russia With Love (1963) to The World Is Not Enough (1999). The character was also featured in the 2005 video-game adaptation of From Russia with Love , with the likeness of Desmond Llewelyn and voiced by Philip Proctor . Llewelyn is the second of four different actors who have filled the role of Q in the EON Productions series of films, with a further two appearing in video-games and unofficial productions. He was succeeded in the role by John Cleese , who became the new Q after his predecessor's implied retirement in 1999. Contents Film biography From Russia with Love Q (standing for Quartermaster), like M , is a job title rather than a name. He is the head of Q Branch , the fictional research and development division of the British Secret Service . Replacing actor Peter Burton , who portrayed Major Boothroyd in the first James Bond film Dr. No (1962), Llewelyn's quartermaster makes his first appearance in From Russia with Love (1963) and provides James Bond with a standard issue attaché case .

He explains how the case functions and notes its hidden features, such as a throwing-knife, anti-tampering mechanism with a magnetised tear-gas cartridge (disguised as a tin of talcum powder), and fifty gold sovereigns concealed in the lining of the case. Also included was an Armalite AR-7 folding sniper-rifle with an infrared scope and .25 ACP ammunition. Notably, real-life AR-7s fire a .22 Long Rifle cartridge. It is quite possible that Q has modified a normal Armalite AR-7 to accept .25 ACP cartridges. Goldfinger 007 is briefed by Q in the Q Branch lab, as seen in Goldfinger (1964). In Goldfinger , Q replaces 007's Bentley 3½ Litre with an Aston Martin DB5 , implying that the vehicle had been provided by Q Branch, rather than being Bond's personal vehicle as per the Ian Fleming series of novels. The DB5 was equipped with bullet-proof windows, revolving number plates, smoke screen projector, oil slick dispensers and twin Browning machine guns; all operated via a set of trigger switches hidden under the arm rest.

Notably, he also reveals the vehicle's most fantastical feature - a passenger ejector seat, triggered by a switch concealed in the gear-stick. Bond is incredulous, remarking that the quartermaster must be joking. With complete seriousness, Q famously replies "I never joke about my work, 007." Thunderball In Thunderball , Q - dressed in an outlandish blue Hawaiian shirt with pineapples - makes his first appearance in the field, travelling to the Bahamas to personally outfit Bond with his equipment. He demonstrates a modified Breitling Top Time wristwatch and an underwater camera (both containing built-in Geiger counters), an underwater propulsion unit (with harpoon-launcher), a compact flare pistol, a radioactive homing pill (designed to be ingested), and a miniature rebreather which provides Bond with four extra minutes of air whilst diving. You Only Live Twice Q demonstrates Little Nellie's improved features to Bond, as seen in You Only Live Twice (1967). In 1967's You Only Live Twice , Q makes his second appearance in the field to supervise assembly of the Little Nellie auto-gyro.

Frustrated with 007's remarks, the quartermaster retorts that his journey to Japan has been long and tiring, probably pointlessly so, and consequently he is not in the mood for the spy's quips. He implies that Bond has used the auto-gyro before off-screen and notes that Q Branch have made some improvements in the interim. Judging from Q's briefing and Bond's reactions, the aircraft's weapon systems appear to have been the subject of the changes; with machine guns, flamethrowers, aerial mines, rockets and heat-seeking missiles equipped for 007's recconaisance of On Her Majesty's Secret Service An unusually avuncular Q congratulates the married couple, as seen in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). Q briefly appears in the pre-title sequence of On Her Majesty's Secret Service , during which he attempts to pitch to M the idea of improving the Secret Service's obsolete equipment via miniaturisation. As an example, he presents radioactive lint, which he notes could be utilised for antipersonnel and tracking purposes.

M, however, is more distracted by 007 's lack of progress on Operation Bedlam and wants to know his present location. Q: "Look, James, I know that we haven´t always exactly seen... Well, don´t forget, if there´s anything you need..." James Bond: "Thank you, but this time I have the gadgets and I know how to use them." ―Q congratulates Bond during the wedding. [src] At the end of the film, Q is seen in attendance at James and Tracy 's wedding. He congratulates him and confesses that he had thought him rather irresponsible in the past, but on this occasion he has no reason to complain. Giving him a friendly pat on the back, Q notes that while they haven't always seen eye-to-eye, he offers his assistance if Bond ever needs anything. As the married couple depart, Q walks over to the teary Moneypenny and dusts off the hat which Bond had thrown her in a parting gesture, noting that he "never had any respect for government property." Diamonds Are Forever In Diamonds Are Forever Bond assumes the identity of diamond smuggler Peter Franks with the help of Q, who provides him with false fingerprints off-screen.

Bond telephones Q after meeting with his contact in the diamond-smuggling pipeline, Tiffany Case and voices his appreciation. The quartermaster informs 007 that Franks has killed his captors and escaped, leaving Bond to run after Franks without hanging up. Later, Q joins Bond in Las Vegas and provides him with a voice alteration machine for mimicking Blofeld 's deputy and casino manager, Bert Saxby . Bond remarks that the inventor had surpassed himself, although Q admits that he had constructed a similar device as a plaything for his children the previous Christmas. While Bond rescues Whyte House owner Willard Whyte , Q makes use of the casino's slot machines to test an electromagnetic RPM controller ring which he had been aching to try out. The Man with the Golden Gun Q and Colthorpe examine the bullet Bond has recovered, as seen in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974). The character did not make an appearance in 1973's Live and Let Die , aside from a brief mention when Moneypenny hands Bond his magnetic wristwatch, which Q had repaired off-screen.

His next appearance would be in The Man with the Golden Gun , where he identifies the golden bullet which Bond recovered from Saida and gives him the name of its manufacturer: a gunsmith named Lazar . Later, Q travels to Hong Kong , along with M and Professor Frazier . The three prepare to meet with rogue solar energy scientist Gibson on-board the wreck of the RMS Queen Elizabeth to discuss his return to Britain . However, before they can meet, the scientist is shot by assassin Francisco Scaramanga . Brought on-board the ship, Bond is briefed by the men and suggests infiltrating likely culprit Hai Fat 's mansion by posing as Scaramanga. To facilitate this, 007 asks Q to create a prosthetic third nipple to match the assassin's deformity. After a fellow operative, Mary Goodnight , is kidnapped by Scaramanga and Nick Nack in Thailand , Bond returns to the Queen Elizabeth. During the debriefing, M incredulously mocks the fact that Scaramanga escaped in a flying car; prompting Q to explain that, not only is is plausible, but Q Branch is actually developing a similar vehicle. He is promptly told to shut up.

Bond also mentions that Q's homing device has failed to locate Goodnight and Q, frustrated at the criticism of his equipment, cuts him off by asserting that they simply need to step up the reception sufficiently, only to be told by M to shut up again. The Spy Who Loved Me Promotional photograph of Q, Bond and the Lotus Esprit, as seen in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). In The Spy Who Loved Me , Q temporarily operates out of a hidden workshop in Egypt where he is trialling several gadgets, including a metal tea tray capable of decapitating a dummy. Bond and Soviet agent Anya Amasova seek out his assistance when their recovered microfilm plans turn out to be incomplete. Analysing the film, Q and his team determine that one of its plans was drafted in Italy and further analysis by Bond reveals a partially concealed stamp of the Stromberg Shipping company, narrowing the search to Stromberg 's marine laboratory in Sardinia . On arriving in Sardinia, Q delivers Bond's new Lotus Esprit by ferry and is greeted by Anya as "Major Boothroyd".

He cautions Bond and attempts to explain the vehicle's features to him, but is promptly cut off in mid-sentence by the spy's "Q, have I ever let you down?". As he throws the Esprit into gear, the frustrated quartermaster slams the driver's door shut, retorting "frequently!" Later, at the end of the film, Q was among M and KGB General Gogol to see 007 and Amasova in the escape pod's bed; the first of several awkward moments in the film series. Moonraker During the initial briefing scene in 1979's Moonraker , Q presents aerial footage of the Moonraker crash site and notes that no trace of the shuttle itself was found among the wreckage of its transport. He provides James with a wrist-mounted dart gun, triggered by flexing the wrist muscles. Bond, in typically cavalier fashion, tests it out in M's office by firing a dart into a nearby painting; prompting a frustrated "be careful, will you?". Later in the film, Q is present at a Q-Branch workshop concealed in a Brazilian monastery.

Bond finds him in the courtyard trialling a pair of explosive bolas; prompting a puzzled "Balls, Q?" double-entendre from the spy. The pair meet with M, where Q explains that the toxin 007 had found in Venice comes from a rare orchid indigenous to the Amazon jungle. Presumably he provides Bond off-screen with the boat he subsequently uses to search for Hugo Drax 's base of operations. At the end of the film, Q is present in the mission control centre in Houston and assists with establishing an audio-visual link with Bond and Dr. Goodhead 's shuttle.

Unaware that the pair are making love on the screen behind him, Q innocently responds to the Minister of Defence's disgusted "My God, what's Bond doing?" with "I think he's attempting re-entry, sir." For Your Eyes Only Q also appeared in For Your Eyes Only , where an assistant named Smithers tests an arm cast battering ram when Bond comes in, wanting to identify a man who payed Melina Havelock's parent's killer and when 007 observes an umbrella that can bring out stings when wet, Bond jokingly asks "Stinging in the rain?" Which Q doesn't find funny. Bond was also amazed at how Q Branch managed to get Bond a new Lotus after the old one was destroyed. They head into the identification room and Q was annoyed when 007 pressed a few buttons on the code after finding it catchy. During the identifying, Q makes the nose look bigger making Bond say "A nose, not a banana, Q" which Q apologises and also accidentally makes the lips to small. This took several hours and he told the last assistant to go home, saying he will lock up. After the description, they manage to identify him as Emile Leopold Locque .

After Bond and Melina managed to escape from Aristotle Kristatos , Bond went to a church where Q, disguised as a reverend surpirses Bond by removing his fake beard and informs him where Kristatos might be. After Milos Columbo killed Kristatos, Q managed to contact Bond, who was about to go skinny dipping with Melina, via his watch and connected him to the Prime Minister, but Bond left the watch on Melina's pet parrot's perch and the parrot insulted the Prime Minister. Thinking Bond went mad, they try to contact him but the parrot throws the watch in the ocean. Octopussy Q appears in the field in Octopussy , very unhappy because of Bond as India has no proper facilities. 007 asks Q to fix his dinner jacket and give him a new gun, which he has his assistants do. Q shows him and Vijay a rope that could extend skyward when a button was pressed, but it malfunctions. After observing Smithers' successful demonstration of a thorn laced door, He puts a homing device and hearing piece in the Faberge egg and gives Bond a pen that can dissolve all metals and hear into the device.

He was furious when Bond played with a camera on a lab tech. After getting his jacket back, Q had work to do and Vijay asks if he can help him and accepts. He observes Octopussy's island while Bond was on it and Vijay took over while Q took a break. By the time Q came back, he found Vijay wounded and before he died, Vijay managed to inform Q it was Kamal 's men. He later aids Bond in infiltrating Octopussy's old compound in a hot air balloon, although he is left behind to be kissed by girls that he saved from a henchman with a gun and when Bond departs to save Octopussy . Q being kissed by Octopussy 's girls A View to a Kill Q appears again in A View to a Kill . At the film's conclusion, he uses a portable camera device to find Bond when he was presumed dead, eventually finding him in the shower with Stacey Sutton , Q contacting M to inform him that Bond has been discovered but requests that they leave Bond alone for the moment. The Living Daylights In The Living Daylights , Q helps (false) defector Georgi Koskov by getting him into a plane and back to London.

After a failed attempt to find the sniper that Bond doesn't kill, he shows him and Moneypenny a gadget that Q Branch is making for the Americans "It's called a ghetto blaster!" Q, Bond and Miss Moneypenny observe the ghetto blaster test. After Koskov was 'captured' by Necros , Bond comes down to Q who gives him a key ring finder which beeps when Bond whistles. The key ring can give off stun gas when Bond whistles 'Rule Britannia' and can explode if Bond does a wolf whislte. Before 007 could do the wolf whistle, Q stops him and before he went off after being called by Moneypenny, Q shows the key ring has a lock pick that can open 90% of the world's locks. Q and Bond observe Q's new sofa, that swallows a tech Along the way, Q has a tech to sit down on a couch and when the tech sits down, the couch soon swallows him and turns around to look like nothing was on it.

After finding the identity of the sniper, Bond ran out as Q came in, taking the Aston Martin V8 Vantage with him and tried to warn Bond that the car "just had a new coat of paint." Licence to Kill In Licence to Kill , Moneypenny asks Q to go to Isthmus, under the pretense of being on leave and assist James who went rogue after being fired from MI6. He went to 007's hotel, posing as James' uncle. When James and former pilot Pam Bouvier , posing as Ms. Kennedy, came back from Franz Sanchez ' casino and going in the hotel elevator, Pam gives James one of her Beretta 950 Jetfires and when James rings the doorbell, Q prepares to open it and Bond barges in and pushes Q into a chair and as Q gets up and explains his reasons, Q shows James some plastic explosive and when the door opens, Pam comes in waving another gun and James introduces her to Q as his cousin and Q kisses her on the cheek.

He soon shows them a signature gun, disguised as a camera that can only take Bond's palm print and Pam soon gets out a camera and Q tries to warn her not to "use the flash!", but it was too late and a laser appears and hits a picture and Q soon grabs it from her and scowls her for fiddling with the camera. Bond soon tries to get into the master bedroom with Pam but when she closes the door, Bond goes into the other room with Q and says "I hope you don't snore, Q." Posing as Bond's driver, Q waited while 007 sets the plastic explosive onto Sanchez' office window and soon drove him to the vantage point and was forced to leave him. After James was captured by the Hong Kong Narcotics and was rescued by Sanchez, James soon escaped Sanchez' place with the help of Sanchez' girlfriend Lupe , Q was told to try and leave but soon after Pam and James talked about her mission and soon helped Bond by putting back the $5 million that Bond stole and frames Milton Krest for the theft and after being dropped off by Bond, Q and Pam left to head back to the hotel.

The next morning, Q and Pam were informed by Lupe that Sanchez has hired Bond and takes him to his drug factory. Q informs Pam, via a rake with a radio, posing as a Mexican gardener and after informing Pam, he tosses away the rake and walks away. Q, disguised as a Mexican Then after Bond killed Sanchez and was reinstated into MI6, Q also attends the party and when Pam ran down to the pool side and Bond jumps in after her, Q looks at the two and soon just finishes his drink, scowling before he goes back to the party. GoldenEye In GoldenEye , James comes down to Q Branch to see Q in a wheelchair with a cast on his left leg and asks if it was skiing but Q soon fires a rocket from the cast into a wall and grins as he replies "Hunting." Q in a wheelchair, later revealed to be a gadget. He shows James a BMW Z3 and after Bond joked about the Stinger missiles, Q reminded him that he has "a licence to kill, not to break the traffic laws." He also shows 007 a leather belt that has a rappelling cord designed only to support Bond's weight.

During the belt gadget talk, Bond played with a laptop and soon closes it as Q asked if he was finished and they soon see a tech getting squished in an airbag payphone booth. He also shows James an x-ray document scanner, disguised as a dinner tray. Q then showed James a pen which is a Class 4 grenade, three clicks arms the four second fuse, another three disarms it. When Bond pressed it three times, he jokingly asks "How long did you say the fuse was?" which Q soon snatches the pen back and disarms it while saying "Oh, grow up, 007." He shows the pen's demonstration and after it explodes and Q warns Bond not to say the joke, Bond just says "The writing's on the wall?" Which Q soon laughably replies "Along with the rest of him." After they witness a tech get airborne by and ejector seat, Q asks James to return some of the equipment in pristine order and soon discovers James touching a sandwich roll, Q takes it from him, saying "Don't touch that!

It's my lunch!" Tomorrow Never Dies In Tomorrow Never Dies , Q, posing as a car rental salesman, appears to Bond to sign the insurance damage waiver and after being told about the dangers, Q tells him to bring the car back to him. Q soon shows him a BMW 750iL and tells him about the car's weaponry and also added a female guide voice and showed him a phone to drive the car. After accidentally denting the back of the car while using the phone remote, Q gives the phone to James who drives the car out of the warehouse and back and slows it down in front of Q and James thinks that they understand each other and Q just says "Grow up, 007" and walks away. The World Is Not Enough Q groans as 007 steals his boat.

Bond: "You're not thinking of retiring any time soon, are you?" Q: "Now pay attention 007, I've always tried to teach you two things: first, never let them see you bleed." Bond: "And the second?" Desmond Llewelyn - Biography - IMDb Desmond Llewelyn Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trivia (21) | Personal Quotes (5) Overview (4) 6' 2" (1.88 m) Mini Bio (1) Desmond Llewelyn was born in South Wales in 1914, the son of a coal mining engineer. In high school, he worked as a stagehand in the school's productions and then picked up sporadic small parts. His family would not give up their effort to prevent him from a life on stage, so an uncle who was a high ranking police officer arranged for Llewelyn to take the department's physical exam. "Thank God, I flunked the eye test, and they wouldn't take me.

I suspect the inspector had a hangover because he also failed this other chap I knew, who went out the same day and passed the physical for the Royal Navy, which had a lot tougher test." After failing the police exam, Llewelyn thought about becoming a minister, realizing after a week-long retreat of quiet and meditation that the ministry "was definitely not for me." Llewelyn persevered in his acting quest, and was accepted to the Royal Academy for the Dramatic Arts in the mid 1930s. The outbreak of World War II in September 1939, halted his acting career, and Llewelyn was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the British army. He was assigned to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and was sent to France in early 1940. In a short time, his regiment was fighting the Germans, and Llewelyn's company was holding off a division of German tanks. Llewelyn explained that "eventually, the tanks broke through and many of us jumped into this canal and started swimming down it to the other side, figuring that our chaps were still over there.

But the Germans were the only ones there," and Llewelyn was captured, and held as a prisoner of war for five years. At one prison camp, the prisoners had dug a tunnel and were planning to escape the next morning. Llewelyn was down in the tunnel doing some maintenance work in preparation of the escape when the Germans found out about the tunnel and caught him down in it, a crime that earned Llewelyn 10 days in solitary, which Llewelyn called "a blessing of sorts. After spending every day of several years sleeping in a room with 50 other people, the quiet and privacy was rather nice." After the war, Llewelyn returned to London and revived his career, eventually being cast as his trademark Q in From Russia with Love (1963). Since 1963, Llewelyn has appeared as Q in every Eon Productions Bond film, except Live and Let Die (1973). Llewelyn was omitted from Live and Let Die (1973) because producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli felt that too much was being made of the gadgets and they would play it down.

Llewelyn said he "was quite disappointed" at being left out of Live and Let Die (1973). Fans, however, missed Q, and Llewelyn got a call shortly after the release of Live and Let Die (1973) telling him that he would be in the next Bond film, The Man with the Golden Gun (1974). Llewelyn, who admits that his mechanical abilities in real life are virtually nil, is geared up for the next Bond movie. "I'd love to be in the next one," Llewelyn said. "Of course, if you consider my age, they should have put me out to grass a long time ago." - IMDb Mini Biography By: Darin Sorrell <darin007@juno.com> Spouse (1) (1938 - 19 December 1999) (his death) (2 children) Trivia (21) He appeared in the The Big Breakfast (1999) in early December 1999. He died after he was driving home from a booksigning to promote his autobiography in East Sussex and his car collided head-on with another.

Ironically, he admitted on Ireland's Gerry Ryan Radio Show in May 1999 that despite playing MI6 gadget master Q, he, Llewelyn, personally detested gadgets. On why he disliked Americans: In World War II, Desmond was rescued from a German POW camp by an American GI. When he told the soldier he'd been there for five years, the American replied, "Aw, cut it out. War's only been on for three years," forgetting that it was only the United States that had been at war for three years. Upon telling his story to Ian Bulloch , an American stuntman on the set of Thunderball (1965), Bulloch replied, "Maybe the Yank should've left you there!". Attended almost every Bond premiere in Norway. Died shortly after the release of The World Is Not Enough (1999). Despite being the longest recurring actor in the 007 franchise, appearing in 17 films, his on screen time is only a little more than 30 minutes in total. Llewelyn was not the first choice for the role of "Q." Actor Peter Burton played the role of Major Boothroyd (later known as "Q"), in Dr.

No (1962), the first in the '007' series. Burton was unavailable when the second movie From Russia with Love (1963) was filmed. The part went instead to Llewelyn and remained his for 16 more productions until his death in 1999. Llewelyn did not play "Q" was in Live and Let Die (1973). Producers felt too much attention was being paid on the gadgetry so they downplayed it by cutting his role. However, audiences enjoyed the role of "Q" so much that Llewelyn was brought back indefinitely. He did not appear in Never Say Never Again (1983) with Sean Connery , as this was not an official EON production. The part of "Q" was played by Alec McCowen instead. The DVD of "Doctor Who - Tomb Of The Cybermen" reveals that he was unsuccessfully sought for the role of Prof Parry (played by Aubrey Richards ). Holds the distinction of being in more James Bond movies than anyone else: he appeared in his role as "Q"/"Major Boothroyd" in 17 James Bond movies.

Coincidentally, Q is also the 17th letter of the modern English alphabet. Is the only actor to have worked with the first 5 official James Bonds. Before his death, he had stated that he thought Timothy Dalton was the closest to Ian Fleming 's vision of Bond. His largest role as Q was in Licence to Kill (1989). Father of Justin Lewellyn . Had intended to retire from acting with The World Is Not Enough (1999), since he was 84 at the time of filming. Over the years, he created his own back story for the character of 'Q' by wearing different ties belonging to various clubs and institutions. Accordingly, 'Q' was educated at Radley (as was Llewelyn), where he excelled in rugby, cricket and rowing. Afterwards he attended Trinity college in Cambridge (like one of Desmond's sons), before settling down in Gwent. Furthermore, 'Q' played cricket for the MCC, rugby for Newport and became an honorary member of the Fire Service College at Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.

In Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), while posing as an Avis car representative in Hamburg, Germany, Q's name badge reads 'Quinten Quigley'. His widow Pamela Mary Llewelyn died in East Sussex in 2001 at the age of 88. BBC News | UK | Bond actor killed in crash Sunday, 19 December, 1999, 22:03 GMT Bond actor killed in crash Desmond Llewelyn appeared in all but two Bond films Actor Desmond Llewelyn, famous for his role as Q in the Bond films, has been killed in a head-on car crash. Mr Llewelyn, 85, from Bexhill, East Sussex, was killed in the crash on the A27, near Firle, East Sussex. He had been at a book signing event at nearby Drusillas Park before the fatal smash involving his blue Renault Megane and another car. A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said he was airlifted from the scene by the Sussex Police helicopter and taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital, where he died from his injuries on Sunday evening. He was the sole occupant in his car, the spokeswoman added.

Mr Llewelyn's son was with him at the hospital. Family 'devastated' Ivor Llewelyn said: "We are just devastated because like any car crash it is totally unexpected and sudden. "We were expecting him to come back and have supper with us tonight. We are very close. "You can't describe it when something like this happens out of the blue. "He ate with us every evening when he was at home. He was so pleased to have done the last James Bond film and as an actor he liked to be working, he was such a very active man." He added: "Really what you saw in the films was what he was. "He was a very kind man, very loveable man." The actor, as the caustic gadget-minded Q, featured in all but two of the Bond films. With a 30-year history in the classic spy movies he had become one of its institutions and was immensely popular with Bond fans. Crowd-puller Despite his advancing years, he was still proving a big crowd-puller after completing his 17th Bond film The World is Not Enough.

On Monday he was due to sign copies of Q, The Biography of Desmond Llewelyn, at Forbidden Planet in New Oxford Street, central London. Derek Malcolm, film critic for The Guardian newspaper, said: "The thing about him was that he was very likeable on screen despite the fact that he was evil, creating these terrible things to give to Bond to kill his enemies. "Now he has died I don't think Bond will be the same again, because he was just so good at it. "He was actually a very kind and gentle man, he did a lot of work outside of films. "But it was because of the Bond films that he really got known." 'Massive' injuries A police spokeswoman said that Mr Llewelyn had suffered "massive" internal injuries. The other car involved in the crash was a bronze Fiat Bravo company car driven by a 35-year-old man, who was seriously injured. He was also taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital with his female companion, in her thirties, who suffered from minor injuries. The man is said to be stable and they have both requested their details are not released, the police spokeswoman said.

Search BBC News Online h2g2 - Q Section and Desmond Llewelyn - Edited Entry Q Section and Desmond Llewelyn Content from the guide to life, the universe and everything Q Section and Desmond Llewelyn Created 4 Conversations In every single incarnation of Ian Fleming's hero James Bond film 'Q Section' is responsible for all the gadgets that James will use throughout the film. Somehow all of these new gizmos become of lifesaving importance on the mission to follow. As 007 (Bond) and Q (known as Major Boothroyd in the novels) are talking there is usually some unfortunate research assistant in the background who has suffered from some highly explosive mishap. Q has been played in all the films (except Live and Let Die, Dr No (Q/Boothroyd was played by Peter Burton) and Never Say Never Again 1 ) by Desmond Llewelyn despite being a self-confessed technophobe. Q always sighed 'Do be careful, 007', and every fan knew that was the last thing Bond would be.

Although Q section is based in London, Q himself has been known to fly to Bond's location with an extra piece of gadgetry which suddenly is needed to successfully complete the mission. On the odd occasion Q comes to the rescue of Bond himself. Q section was supplemented in The World is Not Enough (1999) by 'R', played by John Cleese 2 . This is believed to be because 85-year-old Desmond Llewelyn had insisted they had better get someone ready to take over. Desmond said at the launch of The World is Not Enough that he would continue to play Q until the directors didn't need him or the Lord did. It seems that the latter called time first - Desmond Llewelyn unfortunately died in a car crash on 19 December, 1999. 1 Although not played by Llewelyn, this film does have one of the funniest lines said by Q, this time played by Alec McCowen - 'Good to see you again Mr Bond. Let's get back to some gratuitous sex and violence , I say.' 2 Of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame.

Desmond Llewelyn; Actor Played Q in Bond Films - latimes Desmond Llewelyn; Actor Played Q in Bond Films December 20, 1999 |MYRNA OLIVER | TIMES STAFF WRITER Desmond Llewelyn, best known as "Q," the faithful and canny supplier of trick cars, reverse-firing guns, exploding toothpaste and other spy-baiting toys through 17 of the 19 James Bond films, died Sunday of injuries suffered in a car crash. He was 85. Llewelyn was returning home from autographing books about his life in the town of Firle in East Sussex south of London when his car slammed head-on into another auto. Sussex police said the actor died of massive multiple internal injuries after he was airlifted to a hospital. Three people in the other car were said to be in stable condition, and no cause was given for the accident. Llewelyn was driving alone. Even as the actor portraying the suave British secret agent changed from Sean Connery to George Lazenby to Roger Moore to Timothy Dalton to the current Pierce Brosnan, Llewelyn endured.

His most recent Bond caper, "The World is Not Enough," is now in theaters. Aging wisely in the current film, Llewelyn is shown trying to train an apprentice--the comic John Cleese--for the day he ultimately might retire. But in real life, the actor had no intention to ease out of the franchise that brought him his greatest fame, cinematic status and, at long last, modest wealth. "I will play Q as long as God lets me. I have no inclination to stop," he told a newspaper shortly before the opening of the current film, which introduces Cleese, designated "R," moving into the gadget department. Less than a month ago, Llewelyn told CBS News that he hoped to be on board for the 20th Bond installment scheduled for release in 2002. Meanwhile, in existing footage, Llewelyn continues to devise new miracle gadgets for Bond, ever hopeful that his prize material may survive the mayhem-prone agent's deployment.

In the 1997 "Tomorrow Never Dies," Llewelyn's first line to Brosnan as Bond was a cautionary "Now pay attention, 007." His last of the film, after Bond's usual field day of explosive action, was: "Oh grow up, 007." On board from the second Bond film, "From Russia With Love" in 1963, Llewelyn resisted the director's instruction that he use a Welsh accent, although he was born in South Wales, the son of a Welsh coal mining engineer. "My interpretation of the character was that of a toffee-nosed English," Llewelyn said. "At the risk of losing the part and with silent apologies to my native land, I launched into Q's lines using the worst Welsh accent, followed by the same in English." The actor's version, now a part of motion picture history, won out. Llewelyn missed only the first Bond film, "Dr. No" in 1962, and the 1973 "Live and Let Die," Moore's first outing as 007. The Q character, formally named Maj.

Boothroyd, was nicknamed "Q" for Quartermaster, a position in the British army that specializes in sciences for the military. No such character existed in the Ian Fleming novels creating James Bond, although the written Bond did receive equipment from Q Branch. Ironically, Llewelyn said that absent the Bond cinematic magic, he was "allergic to gadgets" and couldn't even manipulate a hotel key card correctly. His comfortable home in Bexhill, England, has no computer or cell phone. Asked repeatedly to name his favorite Bond gadget and his favorite Bond, Llewelyn hedged. Didn't have favorites, he would say, but then concede he particularly liked a grenade fountain pen from the 1995 "Golden Eye." As for the actors, he clearly liked and admired Connery and Moore, noting that Moore simply gave Bond a lighter style.

He always dismissed Lazenby with "He wasn't an actor," and called Dalton "tough, the nearest to Fleming's Bond." But he rated Brosnan "terrific," credited him with reinventing Connery's 007 and bluntly predicted that Brosnan "will be the definitive Bond." As a youth in Wales, Llewelyn envisioned careers as a clergyman or accountant. But at 17, he spent a religious retreat perusing Film Weekly magazine instead of praying. So he focused on acting, beginning as a stagehand in high school, and studied with the Royal Academy for the Dramatic Artists. Llewelyn spent his entire career as a character actor in supporting roles and achieved fame only in his 50s as Q. His first film was the 1939 "Ask a Policeman." When World War II intervened, Llewelyn joined the Royal Welsh Fusiliers of the British army. He was captured in France and was a German prisoner of war for five years. After the war, he toured in small repertory theater troupes before resuming his film career in 1950.

In addition to a dozen or so non-Bond films, Llewelyn appeared on several television series, including 1979 episodes of PBS' "Masterpiece Theater." The actor is survived by his wife of 61 years, Pamela, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease; two sons, Ivor and Justin, and two grandchildren. MORE:

Question: Which was the last film in which Desmond Llewelyn played Q?
Answer: The World Is Not Enough