If there is a cultural axis to the earth, then it certainly shifted on October 5th, 1962. That's the day two of our major cultural touchstones made their first mainstream releases: Bond and The Beatles! It's hard to overstate the impact that both 007 and The Fabs had on our cultural history. And amazingly, the first big-screen 007 movie and the first Beatles single came out on the same day! What followed was the great Spy Boom, a complete re-invention of popular music, the galvanizing of youth, and a British cultural invasion that continues to reverberate today in every Mini Cooper, well-dressed action hero, and new concept album. Bond and The Beatles spawned generations of imitators and incarnations, and each "brand" continues to produce new projects that expand the fan-base. Their iconography represents so many chapters in the changing climate of the 1960s, yet these monumental creations first arrived in such simple packages. Let's take a brief look!
The Beatles first single, Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You, was released on October 5th, 1962. It arrived in the world in a Parlophone striped paper sleeve and a simple silver-on-red company label. Talking about the song before he passed away, John Lennon said, "Love Me Do is Paul's song. He wrote it when he was a teenager. Let me think. I might have helped on the middle eight, but I couldn't swear to it. I do know he had the song around, in Hamburg, even, way, way before we were songwriters" (All We Are Saying/1980). Paul McCartney apparently remembers a more collaborative creation and he went on to tell Barry Miles about the overall importance of the track to the band's launch: "We loved doing it, it was a very interesting thing to try and learn to do, to become songwriters. I think why we eventually got so strong was we wrote so much through our formative period. Love Me Do was our first hit, which ironically is one of the two songs that we control, because when we first signed to EMI they had a publishing company called Ardmore and Beechwood which took the two songs, Love Me Do and PS I Love You, and in doing a deal somewhere along the way we were able to get them back" (Many Years From Now). A 50th anniversary vinyl reissue was planned in 2012, but the album version (without Ringo on drums) was accidentally used. In a flurry of news, EMI recalled all of the records with plans to scrap them. Some copies found their way to collectors before the corrected version was pressed (I had a copy, but sold it). Beatles insider, Bill Harry, wrote a book about the recording of the first record called Love Me Do. Also, check out Hunter Davies' book collecting the letters of John Lennon. Dr. No continues below. Beatles related posts: Paul at 76, Beatles Pac-Man, Interview: Fab 4 Mania, The Beatles: Mission to India, Sgt. Pepper 50th, The Beatles: The Curious Camera, Revolver At 50, Ringo Rocks At 71, Pattie Boyd Exhibit, Peter Sellers to John Lennon: UK Satire, Ringo Tribute, John Lennon Remembered, Vintage Vinyl, Experimental Beatles, Ivan Vaughan, Essential Ringo, Paul at 72, Notes Behind the Curtain 1, Notes Behind the Curtain 2, Notes Behind the Curtain 3, Notes Behind the Curtain 4, 1960s Overdrive, Make Love in London, George Martin R.I.P., Tony Sheridan R.I.P., Cynthia Lennon R.I.P., Encouragement From Yoko, My Experimental Re-Mix & Film with Yoko, Lennon70 Tribute Film, Home Movies, Sean Lennon Release, Gilbert Taylor R.I.P., Atomic Art, Love Piece, Sean Lennon Scores, Sean Lennon Limited Edition, Fab Fall 2013, George Harrison, New Beatles Fashion, Yellow Submarine 50th.
It was years before author Ian Fleming finally saw his literary creation make it to the big screen. Although "Casino Royale" had been made for TV's Climax in 1954 (starring Barry Nelson and Peter Lorre), it took the combined efforts of producers Salzman and Broccoli, and the creative team of Terrence Young, Richard Maibaum, Peter Hunt, Ken Adam, John Barry, Monty Norman, Syd Cain, Maurice Binder, and Sean Connery to finally bring all the elements into place. Dr. No was eventually chosen as the first story to film and it was released on October 5th, 1962. Despite the success of what became the Bond franchise, building on subsequent films From Russia With Love and, especially, Goldfinger, The UK advance poster, like Love Me Do, arrived in simple attire: black and red titles/graphics on yellow, with a minimal aesthetic that anticipated the Raymond Hawkey designed 007 book covers in the UK. There had been spy movies going back to the beginning of cinema, but Ken Adam's stylized design approach to Dr. No helped to create an atmosphere for the Space Age. Speaking in 2002 with Todd Longwell for the Hollywood Reporter, Adam remarked that his seminal design for the "Tarantula Room" was the result of some resourcefulness late in his schedule: "I think it is one of my favorite sets, because it is so simple and theatrical or stylized. I think it somehow became the basis for some of the later Bond designs and certainly encouraged me to not only stylize Bond films but other films as well with rather simple means. Because this set was an afterthought and I had no money left. I think I had 450 pounds left. So I really had to come up with something very quickly that was very easy to construct and at the same time create a very important effect. It really worked (Longwell)." Adam probably drew from some of his experiences designing bomb shelters in the past to come up with the iconic domed room with asymmetrical ceiling- a reoccurring motif in the Bind film series. Indeed, that set defined the cinematic Bind universe for me. Like that moment Patrick McGoohan's Number 6 enters Number 2's lair in The Prisoner, first-time Bond moviegoers surely knew they were suddenly in unknown territory, both technological and sinister. See Spy Vibe for many James Bond and Ian Fleming posts, including: Bond at Bletchley, Spy Vibe's interview with Fergus Fleming, Ian Fleming Grave, SE Asian 007, Fleming Jamaica Book, Bond Japanese Editions, Fleming Chinese Edition, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50th, Ian Fleming: Mt. Demon Hell Japan, Collecting Fleming, Live and Let Die 60th, Appropriating Bond Exhibit, The Goldfinger Variations, Double 007 Book Designs, Double 007 designs II, rare Ian Fleming edition, Book Design Dopplegangers, Turkish Bond design, Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview.
There were, of course, various connections between these two iconic camps, mostly notably: George Martin produced the Goldfinger single with Shirley Bassey, had signed Matt Monroe to EMI (the singer later recorded From Russia With Love), and later worked with Paul McCartney on their music for Live and Let Die. Bond and Beatles films shared cast members -drawing from the many talented performers in the UK at the time- and shared a location in the Les Ambassadeurs club gaming room. Sean Connery quipped about The Beatles in Goldfinger, The Beatles (and composer Ken Thorne) spoofed Bond in the movie Help!, and both Paul McCartney and George Harrison picked up Aston Martin DB5s (George's sold at auction in 2011 for £350,000.00). Ringo Starr would later marry Spy Who Loved Me actress Barbara Bach. And Swinging London just keeps swinging!
On this anniversary of Bond and The Beatles, try to imagine what it was like to be in that first day in 1962, getting this first taste of new artistic creation. Love Me Do and Dr. No must have seemed fresh and exciting, but surely folks would have wondered if these new bands and movies would catch on. One-hit wonders? So just image you are there. You put the needle down on the record... The lights go down in the theater... and a new world begins... Spy Vibers, my new episode of Cocktail Nation radio is live! Also please check out my new book (over 700 pages!) about one of America's most successful cartoonists. Enjoy!
Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Spy Vibe Radio: Liquidator, Diabolik LP, Fab Dresses, Eurospy Music Collection, Beetle Bailey in West Berlin, Why Mort Walker?, Spy Vibe radio: The Beatles Help!, Avengers Critical Guide, The Spotnicks, Benny Spies, James Pond 0017', Satire Stones, Annette Andre Book, Cat Day, Spy Vibe Radio: Get Smart, Caine: My Generation, Interview: Ian Ogilvy, ITC Elstree Event, Horror of Party Beach, Sylvie Vartan Renown, Ringo At 78, Dark Shadows Strips, Spy Vibe Radio: Flint, Archie Batman 66, Paul at 76, Beatles Pac-Man, Spy Vibe Radio: Jerry Cotton, The Invaders, 007 Horowitz Book Tour, McGoohan/Prisoner Event at Elstree, The Prisoner Interviews Vol 1, British Underground Press, Interview: Fab4 Mania, Bond Cocktail Book, Bond at Bletchley, Spy Smasher, Spy Vibe Radio: Peter Gunn, Agent Zero M, New Prisoner Comic, Dr. No Villains Edition, Spy Vibe Radio: Danger Diabolik, Dr. No 60th, Oy-Oy-Seven, Spy Vibe Radio (UFO), Cold War Comic Strips, Thunderball Event, Mission to India, Mort Walker Celebration, Peter Wyngarde Celebration, Batman 66 Exhibit, Prisoner Fifty Event, Ian Fleming Publications 2017-2018, Interview: Ed Hulse Pulp, Avengers Audio Drama, Interview: Callan At 50, Interview: Playboys, Spies, Private Eyes, TWA Returns, Spy Vibe Radio 8, Interview: Ryan Heshka, Mid-Century Modern Schulz, Agent Werewolf, Mata Hair Exhibit, Johnny Sokko 50th, Interview: Trina Robbins, Eddie Izzard, The Prisoner Capt Scarlet 50th, Hugh Hefner R.I.P., Jack Good R.I.P., Interview: Shaken Not Stirred, Callan 50th, Spy Vibe Radio 7, The Prisoner 50th Event, Spy-Fi Event, Kaho Aso 007, Two Million, Bo Diddley, Carnaby Pop, Le Carre Events, Billy Bragg Skiffle, Elvis 68, Jack Kirby The Prisoner, Casino Royale Concert, Review: The Prisoner Vol 2, Interview: The Prisoner Essential Guide, Maud Russell Mottisfont, Spy Vibe Radio 4, Batman Gallants, Adam West R.I.P., Village Triangle, Roger Moore R.I.P., Spy Vibe Radio 3, Sgt Pepper 50th, Satanik Kriminal OST, 60s Overdrive, Make Love in London, Spy Vibe Radio 2, Spy Vibe Radio 1, James Bond Strips, Propaganda Mabuse, Interview: Police Surgeon, XTC Avengers, 1966 Pep Spies, Batman Book Interview, Exclusive Fleming Interview, Avengers Comic Strips, Robert Vaughn RIP, UNCLE Fashions, Thunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview: Spy Film Guide, Lost Avengers Found, The Callan File, Mission Impossible 50th, Green Hornet 50th, Star Trek 50th, Portmeirion Photography 1, Filming the Prisoner, Gaiman McGinnins Project, Ian Fleming Grave, Revolver at 50, Karen Romanko Interview, Mod Tales 2, Umbrella Man: Patrick Macnee, New Beatles Film, The Curious Camera, Esterel Fashion 1966, Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview, 007 Tribute Covers, The Phantom Avon novels return, Ian Fleming Festival, Argoman Design, Sylvia Anderson R.I.P., Ken Adam R.I.P., George Martin R.I.P., The New Avengers Comics, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review.
Olive Films has just announced their upcoming release of The Road to Hong Kong on Blu-ray. Fans of this classic Bing Crosby/Bob Hope vehicle have noticed the film's absence from various Road series collections over the years. The movie was available briefly in 2002, but has since gone out of print with discs fetching upwards of $50. Released on May 22nd 1962, The Road to Hong Kong is not often highly rated in the series, but it does feature our vaudevillian heroes caught up in a SPY adventure around a secret Russian formula for rocket fuel! With Dr No premiering on October 5th, 1962, Bing and Bob beat Bond in the Cold War movie space race by almost five months. From Blu-ray: "Bob Hope and Bing Crosby star as conmen Chester Babcock and
Harry Turner in their final 'road' comedy collaboration. When Chester loses his
memory, a wacky espionage adventure ensues for the wisecracking duo, taking
them from Sri Lanka to Hong Kong via Tibet - and outer space. Along the way
they become entangled with a beautiful but deadly spy, Diane (Joan Collins),
who will stop at nothing to get her hands on a secret Russian formula for
rocket fuel that Chester has inadvertently memorized. The film features cameo
appearances from stars including Peter Sellers, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and
David Niven." Our sister sites Double O Section and HMS Weblog both reviewed the film in the past and discovered interesting links to the Bond series. The cast/crew on The Road to Hong Kong included 007 set designer Syd Cain, title artist Maurice Binder, and stunt man Bob Simmons. And our Man David Foster of sister site Permission To Kill included The Road to Hong Kong is his top-5 spy set designs- details here. Foster also appeared in our For Your Shelf Only collector series here. Learn more: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Road series.
Selected Spy Vibe posts: Inside Gerry Anderson, Ringo Does Goldfinger, Sixties Beat Wear, SPECTRE Announced, Popular Skullture, New Gerry Anderson Sets, New SECRET AGENT set, Art of Modesty, Avengers Blu-ray update, Tokyo Beat 1964, Polaroid Spy, Modesty Monday, Feraud Mod Fashion, Flint Scores!, Bond Danish, Home Movies, New Richard Sala Book, New 007 Comics, Designing Bond Books, Green Hornet Manga, Margaret Nolan Art, No 6 Festival, Barbarella Returns, 007 Audio Books Return, Designer: Gene Winfield, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Rare Avengers Scripts, Man From Uncle UK Comics, Mattel X-15, Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The 10th Victim German Edition, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.
Today we spotlight another classic Cold War comic from the Spy Vibe collection. Beetle Bailey #38 appeared on the newsstands one year after the construction of the Berlin Wall. The issue featured a memorable cover design that depicted Beetle roasting marshmallows over a campfire and the bold title, Beetle Bailey in West Berlin by Mort Walker. Released in 1962, the same year as Deighton's The Ipcress File and the first 007 film, Dr No, the lead story in the comic addressed themes that would become more popularized later with Le Carre's Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1963), Deighton's Funeral in Berlin (1964), and Trevor's The Quiller Memorandum (1965). Continues below.
Summary: The 8-page story begins with a simple delivery to General Halftrack. As Beetle makes his way through the compound with a box of food, Colonel Grimshaw shows the General a photograph of top Russian spy, Boris Popoffsky. Of course, the enemy agent is a dead ringer for Beetle and our poor hero is quickly arrested and threatened with the firing squad! Luckily the real Russian agent is captured on a jet bound for Germany, and interrogators go to work on him off-screen to get useful information about his operation. With Beetle's identity cleared, the government boys realize they can now use him to trap Popoffsky's network. Beetle finds himself on a mission to Berlin! Continues below.
Beetle's contact man leads him to a secret rendezvous, where the enemy is hiding in a tunnel under the wall. Agent Beetle doses them with tear gas and helps the Secret Service and Military Police capture the spy ring. The story includes some elements that function well as a time capsule, like US agents in black suits and hats, spies in trench coats, Beetle's disguise as a European sailor-type, and early commentary on the quality of life at the Wall. As Beetle looks at an East Berlin checkpoint, sporting the slogan of the so-called "Workers' Paradise" and teeming with barbed wire, water hoses, and a tank, he declares, "It's a mighty grim-looking paradise!" He seems to capture the popular response that many had at the time, suggesting that East Germany couldn't have been such an ideological utopia if its citizens were desperate to escape. See below for additional panels from Beetle Bailey #38 and further information.
Are you interested in the history of comics and about how comics are made? Mort Walker began his cartooning career as a boy in the 1930s and has gone on to become one of the most syndicated cartoonists in the history of the medium. Two of his strips, Beetle Bailey and Hi & Lois, have been seen in comic books and newspapers around the world for over 60 years. My 2005 book, Mort Walker Conversations, features interviews with Walker from 1938-2004, as well as reproductions of rare panels and strips. You can order the book directly by contacting me at spyvibe[at]gmail.com or from Amazon here.
Related posts: Mort Walker's James Bomb, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: TV Avengers & Batman 75th, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen. Learn more: Cold War Museum, Beetle Bailey, Mort Walker, Berlin Wall, Len Deighton, The Lives of Others.
Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: 50th events, Goldeneye US Design, new Fleming books, SE Asian 007, Cumberbatch as Ian Fleming, Fleming Jamaica Book, Bond Japanese Editions, Fleming Chinese Edition, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50th, Ian Fleming: Mt. Demon Hell Japan, Collecting Fleming, Live and Let Die 60th, new poster announced, 007 Audio Books Update, Appropriating Bond Exhibit, Fleming Letters Mystery, The Goldfinger Variations, Double 007 Book Designs, Double 007 designs II, rare Ian Fleming edition, Book Design Dopplegangers, Turkish Bond design, Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.
Recent Spy Vibe posts: Jane Bond Honk Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: TV Avengers & Batman 75th, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Diana Rigg at 76, Gerry Anderson Box Set, Gerry Anderson Doc, Mr. Hulot's Box Set, Rare Avengers Scripts, Man From Uncle UK Comics, Mattel X-15, Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Batman News, Monty Python Fathom Spies, Monty Python Returns!, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, The Spotnicks, Model Secret Agents, Remo Williams Blu-ray, Bunny Yeager and Ursula Andress, Danger Mouse, Lost Avengers Episodes, Big Fun Toys, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Mother's Day (Avengers), Mod Fashion Dolls, Cold War Archie, New Avengers Comic, Ipcress File Blu-ray, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The 10th Victim German Edition, UNCLE Gun, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.
