Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli was a very special person to me and my entire family. Everyone I have talked to who worked on the Bond films feels the same way. When we traveled around the world promoting the 007 films with “Cubby” and Dana it always felt like we were a part of the family. Our two oldest were very young children and he was like a grandpa to them as well. This was special for me because my Dad died when I was 19, before movies and James Bond, therefore my children never met him so it was nice for them to have a grandfatherly figure in their life.
When “Cubby” decided to film an alternative ending to The Spy Who Loved Me where I live instead of die (in case they wanted to bring me back), it meant staying over in England another month as they shot that last. My wife, Diane was pregnant with Jennifer and was going to be in her last month when we finished. The production company wanted her to either fly home a month before I finished or stay and have the baby in London but Diane wanted me to be with her when Jennifer was born and also wanted to be home when she gave birth.
“Cubby,” being the kind, fatherly person that he was flew his personal doctor with us first-class to be there during the flight in case Diane went into labor. The doctor never left the airport in Los Angeles as he got right back on a flight to London.
“Cubby” and I had a disagreement regarding who would play my girlfriend Dolly in Moonraker. Production had tentatively cast a 7′ 7″ woman to do this role and although I thought it would be good for a quick laugh it didn’t appeal to me at all as I have always been attracted to the small, very feminine types. They ended up casting Blanche Ravalec, a petite French actress, and when “Cubby” saw the dailies he said in front of a journalist and loud enough for me to hear that, “Richard and I had a disagreement about that scene and I must say that Richard was absolutely right.”
It took a big man to say that and “Cubby” was just that, a big man. He used to send his driver with his personal Rolls Royce to pick us up when we were in London for an event and when our son Bennett was born he made sure that the production company presented him with a sterling silver cup with his name and the date he was born on it.
When we traveled all over the world promoting The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker we took our children with us and we always flew first-class and stayed in the finest hotels. Like I said, he always treated us and our children like part of his family and gave us some wonderful memories that we will never forget.
Lastly, “Cubby” took his James Bond films seriously and always tried to make each one bigger and better than the ones before. He always gave the moviegoers more than their moneys worth and tried to make each film an original. A Bond film meant seeing exotic places all over the world, watching incredible stunts and meeting dozens of gorgeous Bond girls. The scenery, gadgets and stories were always fun and satisfying because of his personal quest to make the moviegoers happy with his films.
Diane and I will never forget this great man who was always a friend to our family.
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Richard Kiel, February 7, 2009
Jaws – The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) & Moonraker (1979)
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