Claire Tole-Moir
Head of Department
The Jack Whittingham Collection Part II
The following four lots are offered by the daughter of acclaimed British playwright and screenwriter Jack Whittingham. Featuring documents, screenplays and treatments surrounding the production of a proposed first James Bond film. Ian Fleming in collaboration with producer and director Kevin McClory and screenwriter Jack Whittingham intended to produce a new Bond story that they would transfer onto the big screen.
The venture for this original production began in 1958, and predates the first released James Bond film 'Dr. No' by four years. Fleming agreed with McClory that he would compose a new James Bond story, in the form of treatments that Jack Whittingham would work from to transform into a script for film. Whittingham worked very closely with Fleming taking his initial plot outline, which was originally titled 'James Bond and the Secret Service' into a fit for filming story 'Longitude 78 West'. This title was later changed again by Fleming and registered by McClory in 1960 as 'Thunderball'. Whittingham not only reworked and elaborated the plot, he was also instrumental to the characterisation of James Bond, making him a more endearing character for the audience to resonate with.
Due to disagreements between Fleming and McClory this production was later shelved. Nevertheless, in March 1961 Ian Fleming published his eighth James Bond novel 'Thunderball', bearing no credit acknowledgement to Whittingham or McClory in the published Jonathan Cape edition. This created a bitter plagiarism law battle at the High Court. The majority of the documents included in this collection are copy paperwork which was submitted during the court proceedings between Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham and Ian Fleming. The out of court ruling stipulated that future publications of the book must be credited to 'Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham and Ian Fleming' in that order and awarded the film writes for any future production to McClory. When 'Thunderball' was finally made, in 1965, under Executive Producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, Kevin McClory was given the role as the film's Producer.
The following four lots are offered by the daughter of acclaimed British playwright and screenwriter Jack Whittingham. Featuring documents, screenplays and treatments surrounding the production of a proposed first James Bond film. Ian Fleming in collaboration with producer and director Kevin McClory and screenwriter Jack Whittingham intended to produce a new Bond story that they would transfer onto the big screen.
The venture for this original production began in 1958, and predates the first released James Bond film 'Dr. No' by four years. Fleming agreed with McClory that he would compose a new James Bond story, in the form of treatments that Jack Whittingham would work from to transform into a script for film. Whittingham worked very closely with Fleming taking his initial plot outline, which was originally titled 'James Bond and the Secret Service' into a fit for filming story 'Longitude 78 West'. This title was later changed again by Fleming and registered by McClory in 1960 as 'Thunderball'. Whittingham not only reworked and elaborated the plot, he was also instrumental to the characterisation of James Bond, making him a more endearing character for the audience to resonate with.
Due to disagreements between Fleming and McClory this production was later shelved. Nevertheless, in March 1961 Ian Fleming published his eighth James Bond novel 'Thunderball', bearing no credit acknowledgement to Whittingham or McClory in the published Jonathan Cape edition. This created a bitter plagiarism law battle at the High Court. The majority of the documents included in this collection are copy paperwork which was submitted during the court proceedings between Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham and Ian Fleming. The out of court ruling stipulated that future publications of the book must be credited to 'Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham and Ian Fleming' in that order and awarded the film writes for any future production to McClory. When 'Thunderball' was finally made, in 1965, under Executive Producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, Kevin McClory was given the role as the film's Producer.
Lot 26
Kevin McClory / James Bond: a collection of copy correspondence to Kevin McClory and ian Fleming relating to the casting of principal character 'James Bond', 1959 - 1960,
12 June 2019, 13:00 BST
London, Knightsbridge£700 - £900
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Kevin McClory / James Bond: a collection of copy correspondence to Kevin McClory and ian Fleming relating to the casting of principal character 'James Bond',
1959 - 1960,
an inciteful collection of approximately 85 typescript copy letters, the majority in response to the Daily Express article 'Inside Show Business', published 11 June 1959, that discussed the prospect of Ian Fleming and Kevin McClory searching for their 'James Bond'; actor suggestions from the public include - Trevor Howard, Robert Beaty, Stanley Baker, Guy Rolfe, William Holden, Richard Burton, James Garner and Richard Todd, others included readers' sons or their husbands; with attached court reference document,
an inciteful collection of approximately 85 typescript copy letters, the majority in response to the Daily Express article 'Inside Show Business', published 11 June 1959, that discussed the prospect of Ian Fleming and Kevin McClory searching for their 'James Bond'; actor suggestions from the public include - Trevor Howard, Robert Beaty, Stanley Baker, Guy Rolfe, William Holden, Richard Burton, James Garner and Richard Todd, others included readers' sons or their husbands; with attached court reference document,
