Overview (4)

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 James Bond 007 - Liebesgrüße aus Moskau (1963). Since 1963, Llewelyn has appeared as Q in every Eon Productions Bond film, except James Bond 007 - Leben und sterben lassen (1973).



Llewelyn was omitted from James Bond 007 - Leben und sterben lassen (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 James Bond 007 - Leben und sterben lassen (1973).



Fans, however, missed Q, and Llewelyn got a call shortly after the release of James Bond 007 - Leben und sterben lassen (1973) telling him that he would be in the next Bond film, James Bond 007 - Der Mann mit dem goldenen Colt (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)

Pamela Mary Pantlin (1938 - 19 December 1999) ( his death) ( 2 children)

Trivia (28)



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 James Bond 007 - Feuerball (1965), Bulloch replied, "Maybe the Yank should've left you there!".

Attended almost every Bond premiere in Norway.



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.





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.

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 James Bond 007 - Der Morgen stirbt nie (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.



In real life he wasn't gadget conscious and couldn't even put a shelf up.



He made his film debut as a policeman in the Will Hay film 'Ask a Policeman'.



His favourite of the Bond gadgets was the original Aston Martin in 'Goldfinger'.



The accident in which he died happened near Firle in East Sussex.



Despite his role as gadget expert Q in the Bond films, away from the film sets he was at a complete loss with gadgets.



Educated at Radley, he trained as an accountant but dropped out and went to RADA after which he started acting in rep in 1936.



On the out break of war he joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers but was captured before Dunkirk.



Married Pamela in 1938 and had 2 sons.



Personal Quotes (5)

When asked by People Magazine, shortly before his death, how long he intended to continue with the Bond series: "As long as the producers want me and the Almighty doesn't."



Yes, I know 'Q' is beloved. But, for God's sake, don't make him some kind of sentimental grandfather. That's what I am in real life.



You must keep fantasy with Bond, and not only fantasy, but pure relaxation, enjoyment. What you see on the screen is something that you don't have in this world today. You can just sit back and enjoy it.



I am hopeless with gadgets. I can't even get a ticket to work in one of those confounded machines on the London Underground. And I can hardly put on a kettle, let alone set a video.





[on George Lazenby ] Poor old Lazenby. I mean, he just wasn't an actor. But he wasn't bad... if he'd just behaved properly, he would have been a good Bond. Like an idiot, some fool told him, 'You are now a star, behave like one.'

Salary (1)