London (AFP) – Guy Hamilton, director of four James Bond films including classics “Goldfinger” and “Diamonds Are Forever”, has died at the age of 93, former Bond actor Roger Moore said Thursday.
Writing on Twitter, Moore — who was directed by Hamilton in “Live and Let Die” and “The Man with the Golden Gun” — said he was “incredibly, incredibly saddened to hear the wonderful director Guy Hamilton has gone to the great cutting room in the sky. 2016 is horrid.”
Ken Adam, the designer of many of the Bond films’ elaborate villainous lairs as well as 007’s Aston Martin ejector seat, also died last month, aged 95.
Hamilton died on Tuesday at his home on the Spanish island of Majorca, according to British press reports.
His other credits include “The Battle of Britain”, “Evil Under the Sun” and “The Mirror Crack’d”.
He was born in Paris in 1922, where his father was the press attache to the British Embassy, but he attended school in England.
Hamilton launched his career in the French cinema industry in the 1930s, starting out as a tea boy before the looming outbreak of World War II forced him to escape to North Africa.
He served in the Royal Navy during the conflict as part of a unit that attempted to rescue British servicemen caught in France, once enlisting the help of the Resistance after becoming stranded on a Breton beach in 1944.
“Quite simply, if was not for the Resistance I would not be alive,” he once said.
After the war, he become a director and took over Bond duties in 1964 with “Goldfinger” starring Sean Connery.
Hamilton is credited with accentuating many of the elements associated with Bond, including the films’ dramatic theme tunes, 007’s luxury toys and his coterie of female admirers.
“Don’t take a train when you can take a plane, and if you’re going to take a plane, take the newest one around,” Hamilton said of the Bond image.
He is survived by his second wife, French actress Kerima.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.