James Bond's top five Scottish connections
Last week saw Sam Mendes, the director of the next James Bond film, Skyfall, announce that Daniel Craig's latest adventure will be partly shot "in the wilds of Scotland" (thought to be Duntrune Castle in Argyll).
Following this news, it seemed the perfect time to take a look at five more connections between 007 and Scotland.
5. James Bond's father
As Ian Fleming, James Bond's creator, noted in his 13th novel, 'You Only Live Twice', James Bond was born of a Scottish father, Andrew Bond of Glencoe, and a Swiss mother, Monique Delacroix.
Like his son, Andrew Bond attended Fettes school in Edinburgh and later became a foreign representative of the Vickers armaments firm. Tragically, both Andrew and Monique were killed in a climbing accident in the Aiguilles Rouges above Chamonix.
4. MI6's Scottish Headquarters in The World is Not Enough
It was in 1999's The World is Not Enough that MI6's London Headquarters became the venue for an attack on Sir Robert King (David Calder), leading to 007 (Pierce Brosnan) engaging in a lengthy boat chase along the Thames. The attack led to the organisation relocating to their Scottish HQ as they planned their next course of action.
Exterior scenes of the castle base were filmed at Eilean Donan Castle in the Scottish Highlands, a favourite location for Hollywood following appearances in films such as Highlander (1986) and Made of Honor (2007).
3. Argyll stands in for Turkey in From Russia with Love
The James Bond films may be reknowned for their glamorous locations, but even Bond has to stick to a budget. That was the case in 1963's From Russia With Love, which saw the less-than-exotic Crinan in Argyll stand in for Turkey in an explosive boat chase featuring Sean Connery as Bond.
2. James Bond is briefed at Royal Navy HQ in The Spy Who Loved Me
The 10th James Bond film adaptation, 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me, found 007 (Roger Moore) being briefed at a submarine base for his next mission. That base was the Faslane Naval Base in Argyll, the largest military base north of the border.
1. Sean Connery as James Bond
Born on 25 August 1930 in the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh, Thomas Sean Connery would take on jobs as a milkman, coffin polisher and bodybuilder before he found himself performing in a touring version of South Pacific.
Following small roles on TV and in low budget films, Connery was cast as Ian Fleming's hero for the first James Bond movie, 1962's Dr. No. Connery would go on to portray 007 in six more official Bond films and 1983's Never Say Never Again.