Joenoir

Radio 4 marks anniversary with new Dr No
John Plunkett The Guardian 3 May 2008

BBC Radio 4 will mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of James Bond creator Ian Fleming with the first full-length radio adaptation of Dr No, starring Toby Stephens and David Suchet.
The drama, which airs on May 24, will also star Samuel West, John Standing, Martin Jarvis and Peter Capaldi.
It is part of a season of Radio 4 programmes about the author, including a documentary, The Bond Correspondence, following Fleming's niece Lucy on a journey to find out more about her uncle. She goes inside the old Naval Intelligence Unit where her uncle worked in the second world war, and visits his wartime girlfriend Joan Bright Astley, and stepdaughter Fionn Morgan. The season also features James Bond, The Last Englishman, an exploration of what Bond tells us about post-imperial Britain.
Dr No, written in 1958, was the sixth Bond novel and was turned into the first official Bond film starring Sean Connery four years later. The 1963 movie also starred Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder, whose bikini-clad emergence from the water became a famous Bond moment.
Stephens will play Bond with Suchet as Dr No in the story in which 007, recovering from the after-effects of his previous assignment, is sent to Jamaica on what appears to be an easy case.
Standing plays M, Janie Dee is Miss Moneypenny and Lisa Dillon plays Ryder, the exotic shell seeker.
The adaptation was produced by production company Jarvis & Ayres.

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batman

Presumably that's husband and wife team Martin Jarvis and Rosalind Ayres.

I wish I had claws.

Steve Crook

Yes, they produce a lot of the drama on Radio 4. And it's often very good. I don't know if he has a direct hand in it but Jarvis has done so many readings, he really understands the medium

Steve

Windthrop

It is probably the best way to tackle the books now that visual images from the films have saturated popular culture to the extent that they have.

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batman

There was a rather good radio version of 'You Only Live Twice' a while ago with Michael Jayston as 007.

It is one of Fleming's better novels and translated to radio pretty well.

I wish I had claws.

jamesharris

the Jayston one is excellent..does anyone know if the Bob Holness ( no I'm not joking) version of Moonraker exists anywhere?

noglea

According to the Radio Times South Africa did not start keeping a radio archive until 1964 so the Bob Holness version of 'Moonraker' is not thought to exist.

jamesharris

thank you. Hope RT is wrong in this instance

mrs_emma_peel

I thoroughly enjoyed the new thrilling, full cast adaptation of Dr No (Saturday Play - BBC Radio 4 24/5/08)
I thought the performances by the entire cast, and the superb narration and pacey direction by Martin Jarvis were hugely impressive. The first-rate background sound effects further enhanced this audio treat.

I was very pleased that this excellent, beautifully paced adaptation by Hugh Whitemore included all the key points of the book … and that they were uncensored, and splendidly delivered with style, verve and panache.

The world of James Bond was intensely atmospheric: from the opening scenes in M’s office at MI6 - to the brilliance and warmth of the islands of Jamaica and the dangerous beauty of Crab Key. The listener, quickly hooked by the mysterious disappearance of British Caribbean section agent: Commander John Strangways and his attractive secretary Mary Trueblood, is transported from the hail of a cold grey London into the blazing heat of the Caribbean and a classic thriller with Bond, Quarrel and the enchanting Honey.

I thought was Toby Stephens was superb as James Bond, Lisa Dillon absolutely sensational as the gorgeous Honey Rider, David Suchet chillingly sadistic as the maniacal Dr No, and Martin Jarvis and Toby Stephens brilliantly descriptive in their narration and thought.

Congratulations to the cast and production team on a splendidly adapted, dramatized and performed James Bond radio play. Would love to hear more full cast radio adaptations of Ian Fleming’s books

Mrs Emma Peel

batman

Thanks Mrs Peel .. I missed it .. anyone know of any repeat broadcasts or cd release?

I wish I had claws.

EHV_Emmetts

I also listened to this adaption the other week. The highlight for me was the brilliant performance by David Suchet as Dr. No.