You Only Live Twice Released: June 13, 1967 Starring:

Sean Connery as James Bond

Akiko Wakabayash as Aki

Donald Pleasence as Blofeld

Karin Dor as Helga Brandt Directed by: Lewis Gilbert Running Time: 116 minutes Related Links:

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Aki's convertible Toyota was Japan's first convertible car.





The only reason Kissy's name is known is because it is in the novel. Her name is never mentioned in the movie except during the ending credits.





Little Nellie was an actual helicopter that could fly up to 130 mph.





The men in Blofeld's base who flew through the air after being hit by a grenade were actually propelled by trampolines.





Blofeld's base was a fully working set with a monorail, elevators, heliport and a full-sized rocket that rose 50 feet.





When Mie Hama came down with poor health for a few days, Sean Connery's wife, Diane Cilento, doubled for her in a diving sequence.





When filming some of the fisherman scenes, the producers paid $100,000 to local fishermen to keep their boats onshore during the duration of filming.





Jan Werich had the job of Blofeld before becoming ill, forcing the assignment to Pleasance. This might attribute to his less-than-legendary acclaim for his portrayal.





While the helicopter battle scenes of You Only Live Twice were being filmed, one of the black "enemy" helicopters was forced into the camera helicopter by an updraft. The rotor blade of the black helicopter nearly severed cameraman Johnny Jordan's leg. Doctors in Japan were able to save the leg for a while, but it was later removed. Jordan returned to the 007 series in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, equipped with an artificial leg.





You Only Live Twice was planned to be the last Bond film. It makes even more sense when you think of what went on in the movie: Bond is married, Bond dies and we finally see Blofeld's face Besides, Sean was getting really tired of typecasting due to his role as Bond.





The scene where Henderson offers Bond a martini, "stirred, not shaken" has never been confirmed as an error. It could be a mistake, or they could have been showing that Bond was too polite to tell someone who was helping him out on a case that he gave Bond the wrong drink. Personally, I think it is the latter as Bond seems to make a slight face when Henderson gives him the incorrect drink.





When Blofeld's base is under attack watch his cat closley. Towards the end it is in hysterics and is clawing Blofeld.





When the USSR space craft is taking off, the flames are going up instead of down.

The katana-wielding thug Bond battles in Osato's office is played by Peter Fanene Maivia, grandfather of Fast & Furious actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. (photo below)



