From 1989 until last year when Quantum of Solace was released, Mr. Hedison had the distinct honor of being the only man to play Felix Leiter in two seperate films (Live and Let Die & Licence to Kill). Today, he and Jeffrey Wright share that honor, however, Hedison is still many Bond fans’ favorite Felix Leiter.

If you don’t already own Licence to Kill on home video, I suggest buying the Ultimate Edition DVD or Blu-ray because (1) it’s one of the best James Bond films and (2) it features James Bond’s brother from Langley (although the film shows Leiter liaising with the Drug Enforcement Administration)!

Welcome to…

The David Hedison FLc Interview

Hunter Graybeal: In your extended biography located in chapter two of The Fly at Fifty, it says that you were in the theatre company for the 1951 season at Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. Being from nearby Bristol, Tennessee, I’d love to know what it was like for you to live there that summer, being a vastly different region than your native New England.

David Hedison: Barter wasn’t my first time living in the South. I spent a year in Jacksonville, Florida in 1945-46 as a seaman second class in the US Navy. I like the South. It may be different than New England, but people are people no matter where you go. I have always enjoyed Southern hospitality whenever and wherever it is offered.

HG: Also in your biography, it says that you appeared in A Month in the Country alongside your own teacher, Ms. Uta Hagen, and under the direction of Sir Michael Redgrave. As a young professional actor, what was it like to be on the stage with such heroes and heroines of the acting world?

DH: I learned a lot. It was great experience. I really could relate to the tutor, Belieav, and that came out in my performance. Hagen believed in my talent, which helped immensely. I gave that part everything I had.

Redgrave was an excellent director. It showed in the reviews we got and in the awards I won. I knew I needed to do well in this part. It was my first real break after almost a year of trying to make it on the stage in New York, so I went for it. And I ended up in Hollywood making movies, but that’s another story!

HG: If another The Fly remake were to be greenlit and produced again, would you be interested in playing a part in it?

DH: Not sure what I’d play now, but if the part was right for me, and they asked me to do it, I’d certainly say yes.

Chris Wright: July 14, 2009 will mark the 20th anniversary of Licence to Kill. Can you tell us what your fondest memory is from filming your second Bond film?

DH: I loved the Key West location. In particular, winding down beside the hotel pool in the evening after a hard day’s work, with my wife, Bridget, and Benicio del Toro, who is a lovely, warm person, nothing like Dario. Del Toro was not well known then, but I could see he had talent. There was a boat there and my wife and I would go out sailing.

CW: What did you think when you read the script and it said your character was going to get married and maimed in the film?

DH: I was coming down to the set from another job – a play called Return Engagements – and my advance script got lost in the mail. So I arrived for my first day of shooting with no script. Barbara Broccoli was kind enough to lend me hers to get me through the day, until they could get me one, so I really didn’t know what I was doing, at first.

CW: Do you wish you had been asked to do more Bond films as Felix Leiter?

DH: I certainly would have played the part if someone had asked me to, but no one did. They took Roger’s Bond in a direction that did not include Felix until his last film and then they decided “Felix” should be an Asian. I never complained about them casting me in the two films they did. Felix in the Fleming books is supposed to be blond and from Texas, and I am neither.

CW: Can you tell us about any of your current or future projects?

DH: I plan to make some personal appearances later this year, but the dates are not announced yet. They will show up on my website, DavidHedison.com, when they are set. I’m still working at the Actors Studio West and I enjoy that very much.

HG & CW: FelixLeiter.com would like to thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview.

DH: My pleasure.

THE FLc INTERVIEW WILL RETURN…

Earlier this month, BlackVoices.com posted an interview with Jeffrey Wright discussing Cadillac Records, which was released in US theaters on December 5. As always, Jeffrey Wright gives some great answers!

BlackFilm.com has ten clips from the film as well as a photo gallery which I highly recommend checking out if you’re interested in Cadillac Records. 

CLICK HERE FOR INTERVIEW

CLICK HERE TO VIEW CLIPS

CLICK HERE TO VIEW GALLERY

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“I do try to bring, particularly to the first one (Casino Royale), my own thing to it,” Wright said of the influence past Bond movies had on “Quantum’s” production. “For me, Jack Lord sprung to mind. I mean the shades. And outside of Miles Davis, he was the coolest cat on the planet. And I was just very excited to bring some fresh life into the character and into the series to the extent that I could.”

Wright continued, “I think we are influenced only in that there is a previous history to these films. It’s a Bond film. There is an element of style and slickness. But at the same time, there has always been an intelligence to these films that cuts through as well.”

And what’s next for Felix Leiter, newly appointed section chief of South America?

Felix Leiter’s promotion at the end of Quantum of Solace foreshadows what will hopefully be a much larger role in the next Bond film. Wright continues, “I don’t think anything has been written yet, but I hear some interesting things…rumblings.”

This is probably my favorite Jeffrey Wright interview yet. “For me, Jack Lord sprung to mind. I mean the shades. And outside of Miles Davis, he was the coolest cat on the planet” is one of the coolest quotes ever!

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Related Articles:

Producer Michael G. Wilson Hopes to Have Wright Back for ‘Bond 23′

Wright on Bond & Leiter, Director Marc Forster and a Possible Future Return!

Wright on Leiter/Bond Relationship in ‘Quantum of Solace’

From the mouth of the man himself, Producer Michael G. Wilson has stated that he’s loved having Jeffrey Wright in the role of Felix Leiter and hopes to have him back for ‘Bond 23.’ He made the remark in a recent interview that he gave for CHUD.com.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH INTERVIEW

In the last article posted on FelixLeiter.com relating to Jeffrey Wright, he said that he would love to return if there was a spot for Felix, so it sounds like it’s a win-win situation for fans of Wright’s Felix at this point. Wilson said that they would begin developing the story this upcoming year, so we might see ‘Bond 23′ as early as late 2010 or possibly 2011.

Stay tuned to FelixLeiter.com for the latest updates!

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Related Articles:

Wright on Bond & Leiter, Director Marc Forster and a Possible Future Return!

Wright on Leiter/Bond Relationship in ‘Quantum of Solace’

2 Brand New Leiter Clips Online!

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Felix Leiter Cameo in September CBn Podcast

New Leiter Dialogue in ‘Quantum’ Theatrical Trailer

Leiter Mentioned in ‘Quantum’ IMDb “Review” (Possible Spoilers)

Felix Leiter: Friend or Foe? (Possible Spoilers)

Austrian Airport Analysis (Possible Spoilers)

New Photo of Dominic Greene with Felix Leiter

New Photo of Beam and Leiter Online

SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Felix Leits Up in ‘Quantum of Solace’

‘Quantum of Solace’ Teaser Trailer Online!

Ocean Sky Provided CIA Jet in ‘Quantum of Solace’

Leiter in Haiti with Gregg Beam?

Leiter’s Role in ‘Quantum of Solace’ Minimized 

In a new interview with BlackFilm.com, Jeffrey Wright answers questions about playing Leiter again in Quantum of Solace, what it’s been like to work again with Daniel Craig, his opinions of Marc Forster, and his enthusiasm with the possibility of continuing on as our beloved Felix in future Bond films. Here’s one excerpt to whet your appetite:

“What changes should we expect from Felix in the sequel?”

“Well, Quantum of Solace goes on to develop the relationship between Leiter and Bond. There is a kinship between the two of them that we continue to discover because they are similar in many ways. They are guys who are very much alone in their world. It’s a murky environment in which they operate and there are few people that they trust. They found a trust in one another and we try to explore that further. Outside of MI6, Leiter is Bond’s only consistent ally. He’s played a critical throughout the history of the Bond films.”

CLICK HERE TO READ ENTIRE INTERVIEW

EON Productions’ Quantum of Solace opens nationwide in the USA on November 14th, 2008.

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2 Brand New Leiter Clips Online!

Confirmed: Leiter to Smoke Cigar in ‘Quantum of Solace’

Felix Leiter Cameo in September CBn Podcast

New Leiter Dialogue in ‘Quantum’ Theatrical Trailer

Leiter Mentioned in ‘Quantum’ IMDb “Review” (Possible Spoilers)

Felix Leiter: Friend or Foe? (Possible Spoilers)

Austrian Airport Analysis (Possible Spoilers)

New Photo of Dominic Greene with Felix Leiter

New Photo of Beam and Leiter Online

SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Felix Leits Up in ‘Quantum of Solace’

‘Quantum of Solace’ Teaser Trailer Online!

Ocean Sky Provided CIA Jet in ‘Quantum of Solace’

Leiter in Haiti with Gregg Beam?

Leiter’s Role in ‘Quantum of Solace’ Minimized

The FMOF interview was supplemented with a review of the book which I highly recommend checking out!

The Fly at Fifty is retailing for $19.75 at Amazon.com and $21.95 at BearManorMedia, the publisher’s official website.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE @ AMAZON.COM

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE @ BEARMANORMEDIA.COM

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David Hedison Interviewed by Dr. Sky

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Hedison Coming to Boston in November

David Hedison was interviewed by Dr. Sky last week. I just listened to it here and I highly recommend it! Steve Kates aka Dr. Sky asked a lot of great questions about Mr. Hedison’s career (including questions about The Fly, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Felix Leiter).

During the interview, it is mentioned that the song, “The Movies” by the Statler Brothers, name-checks David Hedison. This is a wonderful tidbit that was news to me. What a nice tribute to Mr. Hedison to be mentioned in a song entitled, “The Movies.”

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO “THE MOVIES”

Listen closely and you’ll hear Dr. No and Thunderball name-checked also. I don’t think I have to remind you that Jack Lord and Rik Van Nutter played Felix Leiter in those films, respectively. What a great song!

Stay tuned to FelixLeiter.com because we will be conducting our very own David Hedison interview very soon…

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Hedison Coming to Boston in November

Becoming the fourth official James Bond novelist was not Raymond’s first foray into the world of James Bond. In 1984, he published a non-fiction book called The James Bond Bedside Companion, which extensively discussed the James Bond novels and films. In 1985, he was the designer and writer of the computer game adaptations of Goldfinger and A View to a Kill. A year later, he wrote the role-playing game, You Only Live Twice II – Back of Beyond, and an unproduced stage play adaptation of Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel, Casino Royale.

Since his departure from the James Bond literary series, Raymond has published four successful original novels, two novels in Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell series, and Metal Gear Solid, the first novelization based on the hit video game series of the same name.

In 2004, CommanderBond.net launched a fantastic four part series of in-depth interviews with Raymond Benson about James Bond. Now Raymond talks to Bond fans about his take on the literary and cinematic versions of our second favorite Fleming character, Felix Leiter. As you probably know, he brought the literary Leiter back in 1998′s The Facts of Death and 2000′s Doubleshot.

Welcome to…

The Raymond Benson FLc Interview

Chris Wright: You were born in Midland, Texas. Since Felix Leiter is a fellow Texan, do you have a greater affinity for him than you do for other Fleming characters?

Raymond Benson: Perhaps. I don’t think I set out as a Bond fan because of the Leiter/Texas connection! Actually, it probably wasn’t until later, when I was an adult and re-read the Fleming novels (for the third or fourth time) that I picked up on the fact that Leiter was a Texan. This was prior to my writing of The James Bond Bedside Companion. Once I realized that, I began to pay more attention to how Fleming actually wrote the character in terms of the way he spoke and stuff.

CW: Was it your idea to reintroduce Leiter in The Facts of Death or did Ian Fleming Publications (IFP) want you to bring him back?

RB: That was my idea. I’ve said in previous interviews that there’s nothing wrong with bringing back characters from the Bond universe. I don’t know why some of the hardcore fans complain about it. It’s done all the time in other franchises—comic book superheros, Star Trek, Star Wars, you name it. It’s all part of the universe that ties back to Fleming.

CW: Did you have any of the actors in mind when writing Leiter or did you go strictly off Fleming?

RB: At the time I was writing the books, I would cast Dennis Quaid as Leiter. He’d be perfect. He’s a Texan and he’s smart. He would have made a good foil for Pierce Brosnan’s Bond. But I tried to write Leiter as Fleming’s Leiter. I probably emphasized a bit more of the Texan in him. There were some things Fleming missed. Leiter isn’t a stereotypical “good ol’ boy” from Texas, but there has to be a little bit of that in him. It comes with the territory!

CW: You put Leiter in an electric wheelchair. Tell us about that.

RB: When you think about what happened to Leiter in the Fleming books, we’re talking about a guy who lost a leg (and an arm) back when medical technology wasn’t so great with prosthetics. Granted, my books were updated to the present, and all the characters are not the age they should have been in the late ’90s had we been following a strict timeline. But still, it just made sense to me that Leiter’s leg(s) would have deteriorated in strength. He can still walk, but he does depend on a wheelchair at times. Glidrose liked the idea, too.

CW: In The Facts of Death you gave Leiter a girlfriend named Manuela Montemayor. Did you ever consider using Della Churchill from 1989′s Licence to Kill instead?

RB: The character of Della is owned by EON, not Ian Fleming Publications. In other words, if a character is created by the films, it can’t be used in an original Bond novel.

CW: Was making Manuela Hispanic a comment on the changing demographics in Texas?

RB: Changing? It was always that way!

CW: Is there any particular reason you chose West Lake Hills, an upscale suburb of Austin, as Leiter’s place of residence?

RB: Because it’s a lovely area and I believe it’s where Leiter and Manuela would want to live. It’s far enough from the hustle and bustle of crowded Austin, yet still has an urban feel. It’s close to the lake and the hills.

CW: You gave Leiter a dalmatian named Esmerelda. Where did that idea come from? Do you own a dog?

RB: I love dogs. At the time I wrote the book, I didn’t have one. Got one in the year 2000, but unfortunately he developed cancer when he was seven and passed away a year and a half ago. Having a dog in that area of Austin just made sense.

CW: John Gardner created Cedar Leiter, Felix’s daughter, for For Special Services. Did you ever consider bringing her back as a CIA contact in any of your Bond novels?

RB: No. My directive from IFP (they were called Glidrose when I began working for them) was that I could use or ignore anything from the other continuation authors, as long as I was faithful to anything Fleming wrote. I wasn’t against Cedar—I quite like For Special Services—but I didn’t see a reason to bring her back. I can’t remember if Bond asks about her. Maybe I had it in and Glidrose cut it. I really can’t remember and haven’t looked at the book in a while.

CW: Who is your favorite actor to portray Leiter onscreen?

RB: Rik Van Nutter. He looks like how I envision Leiter. And he seemed to have some of the good ol’ boy quality but with intelligence and savvy. In my opinion, every other instance of Leiter in the films is a miscast.

CW: What did you think of Jeffrey Wright’s portrayal of the character in 2006′s Casino Royale?

RB: He’s fine. Wright is a great actor. He plays the part that’s written for him. But Felix Leiter is not an African American. But if that’s what EON wants to do, then that’s what they’ll do. M was never a woman, either. I’m not saying I don’t like Judi Dench—she’s absolutely brilliant. I guess it’s a matter of how faithful one wants the Bond films to be to the novels.

CW: I recently purchased an Amazon Kindle, Amazon.com’s revolutionary wireless reading device. As an author, what do you think of this device and would you ever consider getting one?

RB: Back in the year 2000, I was commissioned by a company that wanted to publish electronic books. I wrote a serial novel called Evil Hours that was published in parts on their website (and as a full length e-book). They published other books, too—classics, new books, whatever… and the company tanked. (Evil Hours was eventually published in print in 2004). It’s taking a long time for the publishing industry, i.e., the publishers of “real” books, to come around and recognize that e-books might indeed be a wave of the future. Personally, I think it’s too early to tell. No serious writer I know would want to exclusively publish an e-book without having it as a printed book, too.

CW: You released A Hard Day’s Death and Metal Gear Solid this year. What’s next for you?

RB: An anthology of some of my Bond stuff, entitled The Union Trilogy, will come out in October. It will also contain the unpublished (in English) full length version of the short story “Blast from the Past.” I suppose if this omnibus does well, a second volume may come out the following year. The sequel to A Hard Day’s Death is already written and will be published in spring 2009—it’s called Dark Side of the Morgue. We’re talking about the possibility of doing Metal Gear Solid 2 – Sons of Liberty. I suppose just watch my website RaymondBenson.com for news!

CW: Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer my questions!

RB: You’re welcome!

THE FLc INTERVIEW WILL RETURN…

Discuss this interview in this thread on the FelixLeiter.com Forums, the only place dedicated to the discussion of Felix Leiter on the Internet.

David Hedison recently spoke with AMC about The Fly: The Opera, which just debuted in Paris. It’s a great interview but I found the last paragraph particularly interesting:

Hedison is looking forward to attending Cronenberg’s opera when it debuts in Los Angeles this September, and in the mean time, he’s finishing up a book commemorating the movie’s 50th anniversary. His recollections are startlingly precise when you consider the last time he watched the film. “I haven’t seen it since 1958!” claims the actor. “I don’t like watching old films of mine. I just don’t like looking back.” I have a hunch that come September, both horror and opera fans will be grateful that Cronenberg doesn’t feel the same way.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW

I’ve just been informed that the book will be called The Fly at 50: The Creation and Legacy of a Classic Science Fiction Film and will be published by BearManor Media in October. It was done in collaboration with Diane Kachmar and David Goudsward.

Keep your eyes on the FelixLeiter.com main page for all the latest news on this upcoming commemorative book by David Hedison.

Discuss this David Hedison news in this thread on the FelixLeiter.com Forums, the only place dedicated to the discussion of Felix Leiter on the Internet. Thanks to Diane Kachmar and David Goudsward.

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