Henry Hemming is the author of six works of
non-fiction, including M: Maxwell Knight, MI5’s
Greatest Spymaster (Preface Publishing, 2017)Fleming’s nephew was
being bullied by two boys –
Blofeld and Scaramanga
Fleming may also have had
revenge in mind (though of a
different type) when creating
Auric Goldfinger, the gold-
smuggling antagonist of the
eponymous novel and film
(released in 1959 and 1964
resp ectively). Like many postwar
Londoners, Fleming was not fond of the work
of Ernö Goldfinger, one of the modernist
architects responsible for the efflorescence of
tower blocks across the capital. The real-life
Goldfinger was furious at the use of his name
and tried to halt publication – without success.
During his career as an intelligence officer,The new James Bond film, No Time to
Die, is in cinemas from 3 AprilThe cover feature in the April edition of
BBC History Revealed magazine (on sale 19 March)
explores the history of Cold War spiesFlat reception
Hungarian architect Ernö
Goldfinger beside one of
his creations in London.
Fleming was not a
fan of his workSchool of
hard knocks
Christopher Lee as
Scaramanga, left,
and Charles Gray
as Ernst BlofeldFleming crossed paths with a succession of
large-than-life personalities, but surely none
were more extravagantly weird than Aleister
Crowley. And it was Crowley – sadomasochist,
occultist and “wickedest man in the world” –
who is thought to have inspired Fleming to
create Le Chiffre, the mathematical genius
with the blood-weeping eye, who appeared in
the first Bond novel, Casino Royale (1953) and
the 2006 film of the same name.
Fleming would have known about Crowley
anyway, but the occultist came to the author’s
attention personally after the unexpected
arrival in Britain, in 1941, of the senior Nazi
Rudolf Hess. As Fleming and others wondered
what to do with the German, Crowley –
who knew that Hess was fascinated by the
occult – offered himself as an interlocutor.
Although the idea was not as mad as it
sounds, it came to nothing.
Shortly before the Second World War,
Fleming met a naval officer with a moniker for
the ages: Admiral Sir Reginald Aylmer Ranfurly
Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax. It was from this
extraordinary collection of titles that the author
came up with Hugo Drax, the villain who
plotted Bond’s downfall in the 1955 novel and
1979 film Moonraker. Drax failed, of course,
and – as he’s been doing since Fleming first
brought him to life in 1952 – the world’s most
celebrated spy lived to die another day.The villains
How Fleming got back
at the bad guysIf Bond, Q, M and Moneypenny were
composites of people Fleming had encoun-
tered in real life, so too were his villains. But
in this case, the emotion firing the author’s
imagination wasn’t so much admiration as
a thirst for revenge. This certainly appears to
have been the case in the creation of Ernst
Blofeld and Francisco Scaramanga – the
former, Bond’s nemesis in no fewer than
nine films (including No Time to Die); the latter,
the brilliant assassin in 1974’s The Man With
the Golden Gun.
So why the names Blofeld and Scara-
manga? The most convincing explanation
is centred on Fleming’s nephew, Nichol
Fleming, who told his uncle shortly before Ian
began work on the novels that he was being
bullied at school by two prefects. One of these
bullies was called Blofeld – a relative of the
legendary cricket commentator Henry – while
the other was called Scaramanga. It turned
out that Scaramanga senior had been at
school with Fleming, where they had had
several fights. Fleming, it seems, decided it
was time to get even in print.WATCH
READ
GETTY IMAGES/ALAMY
HenryHemming is the author of six works of
nonfiction, including M: Maxwell Knight, MI5’s
GreatestSpymaster (Preface Publishing, 2017)Fleming’snephewwas
beingbulliedby twoboys–
BlofeldandScaramanga
Flemingmayalsohavehad
revenge inmind(thoughof a
different type)whencreating
Auric Goldfinger,the gold-
smugglingantagonistof the
eponymousnoveland film
(released in 1959 and 1964
resp ectively).Likemanypostwar
Londoners,Flemingwasnotfondof thework
of Ernö Goldfinger,one of the modernist
architects responsiblefor the efflorescenceof
tower blocksacrossthecapital.Thereal-life
Goldfingerwas furiousat the use of his name
and tried tohalt publication– withoutsuccess.
Duringhis careeras an intelligenceofficer,The new James Bond film, No Time to
Die, is in cinemas from 3 AprilThe cover feature in the April edition of
BBCHistory Revealed magazine (on sale 19 March)
explores the history of Cold War spiesFlat reception
Hungarian architect Ernö
Goldfinger beside one of
his creations in London.
Fleming was not a
fan of his workSchoolof
hardknocks
ChristopherLee as
Scaramanga,left,
and CharlesGray
as ErnstBlofeldFleming crossed paths with a succession of
large-than-life personalities, but surely none
were more extravagantly weird than Aleister
Crowley. And it was Crowley – sadomasochist,
occultist and “wickedest man in the world” –
who is thought to have inspired Fleming to
create Le Chiffre, the mathematical genius
with the blood-weeping eye, who appeared in
the first Bond novel, Casino Royale (1953) and
the 2006film of the same name.
Fleming would have known about Crowley
anyway,but the occultist came to the author’s
attentionpersonally after the unexpected
arrivalin Britain, in 1941, of the senior Nazi
RudolfHess. As Fleming and others wondered
whatto do with the German, Crowley –
who knew that Hess was fascinated by the
occult– offered himself as an interlocutor.
Althoughthe idea was not as mad as it
sounds,it came to nothing.
Shortly before the Second World War,
Flemingmet a naval officer with a moniker for
theages:Admiral Sir Reginald Aylmer Ranfurly
Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax. It was from this
extraordinary collection of titles that the author
cameupwith Hugo Drax, the villain who
plottedBond’s downfall in the 1955 novel and
1979 filmMoonraker. Drax failed, of course,
and – as he’s been doing since Fleming first
broughthim to life in 1952 – the world’s most
celebrated spy lived to die another day.The villains
How Fleming got back
at the bad guysIf Bond, Q, M and Moneypenny were
composites of people Fleming had encoun-
tered in real life, so too were his villains. But
in this case, the emotion firing the author’s
imagination wasn’t so much admiration as
a thirst for revenge. This certainly appears to
have been the case in the creation of Ernst
Blofeld and Francisco Scaramanga – the
former, Bond’s nemesis in no fewer than
nine films (including No Time to Die); the latter,
the brilliant assassin in 1974’s The Man With
the Golden Gun.
So why the names Blofeld and Scara-
manga? The most convincing explanation
is centred on Fleming’s nephew, Nichol
Fleming, who told his uncle shortly before Ian
began work on the novels that he was being
bulliedat schoolbytwoprefects.Oneof these
bullieswascalledBlofeld– a relativeof the
legendarycricketcommentatorHenry– while
theotherwascalledScaramanga.It turned
outthatScaramangaseniorhadbeenat
schoolwithFleming,wheretheyhadhad
severalfights.Fleming,it seems,decidedit
wastimeto getevenin print.WATCH
READ
GETTY IMAGES/ALAMY