Wright's Leiter just met Bond in Casino Royale, and was the second meeting in Quantum. So it only makes sense that he was 'cold' and cautious at the start, in a game of international espionage. With the exception of Lord, who had a bigger role in Dr No, Leiter was always a longtime trusted ally of Bond. We're not there yet in Craig's-Wright's relationship, although with No Time to Die we might see it on screen.
@@swan777song ah saw this note - yes I've seen it, and well, it was what it was. TBH I felt it underwhelming. Time will be less kind to the quality of the Craig films overall, except for Casino Royale and Skyfall. At least it's a pretty clean slate now and I'd like to see less of a 'run through brick walls like a linebacker' James Bond and more 'real spy with few gadgets' Bond
My hopes for Bond 25: - new (South Africa or Australia maybe?) or Connery era setting (Japan or Jamaica/Caribbean) - bond in his Navy uniform - Felix being more involved in the action (actually shooting)
Hedison and Moore had been good friends for years; in fact Moore helped talk Hedison into taking the role of Captain Crane in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea; so the chemistry between them was quite real.
Cec Linder was a fantastic actor. Outside the Bond series, he was known for starring in the legendary BBC serial Quatermass and the Pit. It's telling that Lord and Hedison both had long running starring roles on their own TV series in the US. They were very charismatic and engaging actors.
Nick Butterworth he could have been there in the background but we just didn’t see him in a role. But even if Hedison’s portrayal mentions Bond being married then it would be likely that Dalton’s Bond filmed retconned previous the events of previous films in the Connery, Lazenby and Moore eras. My bond timeline theory is that Connery’s Bond is in his 30s in Dr. No and ends with Moore’s Bond in his 50s by AVTAK. Dalton’s Bond films retcon these events if they happened in a different time compared to previous films, even if he’s a younger Bond.
Interesting take! Yeah, even though Dalton and Brosnan were obviously too young to make the timeline work in a linear way, they have clearly been through similar life experiences. I think Dr No to DAD pretty much works as a shifting timeline of one mans experiences. CR onwards is a reboot completely of course. I don't think that Craig's Bond has ever been married for instance.
@@calvindyson I agree I think Honestly I view the Bond Timeline From Dr. No to Die Another Day saying it Chronologically if you would want to start The Bond Canon Timeline you could Start with DC's First 2 Films then go to the Connery Era First being Dr. No then FRWL then Goldfinger on,( as oppose to IGN's Ridiculous Theory of the Timeline to start with Goldfinger Before Dr. No that's stupid) but to me Dr. No Starts the Timeline and it should stay with Dr. No and not with Craig's Casino Royale IMHO but IF you want to follow in Chronological Order then go there.
Well, they're both secret agents, so I'd imagine Bond asked Felix to be his best man, Felix said yes but had to pull out of the wedding party last minute due to a mission. Or, Felix was on a job during the time frame OHMSS covered and he didn't find out about the whole thing till last minute. Or...and this is a dark theory...Felix and Bond were at odds over Bond marrying Tracy - Felix being against his friend marrying a crime boss' daughter - and Bond didn't invite Felix. Things got patched up by Live and Let Die, to explain Moore and Hedison being so chummy...but Connery and Norman Burton in Diamonds are Forever are still somewhat at odds over what happened.
I find it interesting that David Hedieson's Felix Leiter was spared the fate in the original Live And Let Die book only for it to happen in Licence To Kill a film not based on any of Fleming books
My favorite thing about Felix in Casino Royale is how long he's in the game before we learn who he really is. It adds a quality to spies walking among us, which is so integral to the appeal of the Bond franchise. Calvin, I love your videos and they're soothing entertainment as I take my dog for walks. Keep it up.
I agree with you on Felix's irregular chemistry with Bond. In Casino Royale, their interactions were minimal, but impactful and they both acknowledged each other to be thrust into the action well in their own cold way. QoS however, didn't showcase much of that brotherhood. True, the CIA wanted to catch Bond, but his appearances in Quantum seemed hurried and lacked the same depth that the pair had in the previous film Personally, I'm glad he's making a comeback in NTTD. It's as if the filmmakers seemed to notice the issues themselves and I'm madly hoping Felix gets some cool action scenes in the new film. Jeffrey Wright remains to be my favourite "brother from Langley."
Quantum in general was awful mostly because of unfinished and rushed script due to the writer's strike happening at that time. It's screwed the movie royaly, as it pretty much had a glorified white board of loose ideas, that had to be filled in on the fly... Shame and a terrible waste, especially since we only got 5 films in 16 years with Craig which didnt lend that much room for growing that more especially when Spectre and Skyfall had nothing with Felix at all.
I'd disagree with Quantum as Felix tries to cover for Bond when shown his picture, even if he knows it's not going to stick. He also tips him off when the CIA are after Bond later in the film. He's not in the film much but the loyalty is there.
Even though the portrayals of Felix were uneven, it's still sad to think that Felix is probably the only genuine friend that Bond has besides Q and Moneypenny. Which makes his death in No Time to Die all the more tragic.
I think it's time for the films to finally give us the Leiter from (most of) the novels, with the artificial arm and leg. I remember how surprising it was for me when I read the novel Diamonds are Forever when he reappeared, given that I had assumed that he'd been written out of the novels after losing two of his limbs in Live and Let Die. It's honestly really badass as a character trait, it speaks volumes about Felix that he isn't going to keep such a serious maiming from performing his duties to his country, and that he's still eager to continue to assist Bond despite the handicap. Hell, you can leave out the shark business (assuming that we get a rebooted Leiter along with the next Bond actor) and just say he lost his limbs in the line of duty in Afghanistan.
I have read the novels before seeing any of the movies. I recall Felix Leiter, in the novels, being about the same age as Bond. He was ex-military, "street smart", had the gift for gab, and able to make friends and acquaintances rather quickly. A person that can be depended upon and trusted. Leiter gave Bond the money he needed to continue gambling in "Casino Royale" after going bust. The following novel, "Live and Let Die", Felix had more involvement in the story (until he had his right and leg bitten off by a shark). I believe the two characters were friends, and David Hedison came the closest in that relationship. Two men who care about the other watched each other's back.
Great to see you back to doing videos, I've been a life long Bond fan and love your videos.I don't agree with everything you say (Dalton, cough) but I still respect your opinion as a fellow Bond fan. Keep it up!
And here we are, No time to die, and we now have that Jeffery Wright Felix with some good bond comradery. Personally one of my favourite appearances of the character
Just saw No Time to Die and I think Jeffrey Wright may have had his strongest performance there. His chemistry with Craig in that was great. But I do think your last bit about the best Felix is still yet to come in a different Bond and era.
Great ranking Calvin :) I think personally in future bond films we need to see a Felix Leiter who gets a lot more to do and has regular screen appearances , not to overshadow the MI6 regulars but I think your right we need that one actor to play Felix who just inhabits the role and makes him more iconic , great videos as always
Jack Lord was the best,too bad the producers stuffed him around, and he went to Hawaii for the next 30 years. Two actors in Britain at the time,one American and one Canadian, that is Ed Bishop and Shane Rimmer, both would have been excellent as Felix. Possibly at the time they were both involved with Gerry and Silvia Anderson with Thunderbirds and UFO. Both were in the opening sequence of You Only Live Twice, (in the Hawaii tracking station), Ed Bishop had a crappy bit part in Diamonds are forever. Why he was not playing Felix instead of the other dude is beyond me. Shane Rimmer had a fair size part as the US submarine CO in the Spy Who Loved Me. Then in 2 of the Pierce Brosnan films we had Joe Dan Barker as Wade, the CIA contact. The very original TV play of Casino Royale in 1954 had a role reversal where Bond was an American CIA agent played by Barry Nelson and Felix was a MI6 agent played by Australian born actor Michael Pate. Peter Lorre was Le Chife and he just owned the part. A mystery why he was never picked as a villain by Saltzman and Brocholi in the early years.
I love the conversation Hedison's Leiter has with the flight instructor in Live and Let Die. We only hear Felix talking, of course, but I would really like to know what the instructor said to Leiter that made Felix respond, "Any suggestion of that nature should be sent to Washington in writing." LOL!
Oooh another video so soon, nice! Although I can see why people like Felix, I don't usually see him as more of a character other than providing Bond with some convenient exposition. It would be cool if you continued your playthroughs with that From Russia with Love game.
When I first watched all the bonds a month ago, I didn't even recognize Felix as all the same guy because he changed so much until the one where he gets his legs eaten. I never took any note of his name
Easily Hedison for me. Love his bromance with Bond and easily my favorite Bond ally. Agree that we haven't had the definite Felix yet though. Hoping some future African-American actor can fill that bill. Maybe someone like Aldis Hodge.
David Hedison should’ve been the definite and longest serving Felix Leiter from Diamonds are Forever until Licence to Kill or Die Another Day and Jeffrey Wright should’ve more screen time in Quantum of Solace and a bit in Skyfall before No Time to Die. Jack Lord was good in Dr No, props to him for bringing Felix Leiter to life like Sean Connery brought James Bond to life. Cec Linder was poorly casted yet he did a fine job as Felix in Goldfinger. Imagine Jack Lord reappearing in Goldfinger. When it comes to Ian Fleming’s Bondverse and how he wrote Felix Leiter, I felt that Hedison and Wright were both the closest that we would get to an accurate cinematic version of Fleming’s take on the character.
No 6 Rik van Nutter was also famous as Mr Anita Ekberg. She wasn't a Bondgirl but at least Krilencu had an encounter with a poster of her. Bond also approved of her mouth.
His Felix might have been somewhat lacking in Thunderball, but now I feel less sorry for him, knowing that the gorgeous Anita Ekberg was waiting for him at home after work :D
After reading all these comments, it's obvious that David Hedison was considered the best choice, with Jack Lord second. The others aregood actors but, these two fit the part the best. Too bad they couldn't bring Hedison back again. I could think of at least a couple more storylines that would make it more interesting. Thanks for the post.😊 10:48
I think Cec Linder, Norman Burton and David Hediston are my ideal incarnations of Felix. He changes his identity so often that it’s a tad difficult to pick out the best.
I've always loved Felix & Bond's bromance. I hope Leiter gets to play a big role in a future movie like he did in Licence to Kill. Maybe a story where Felix is captured on a covert mission & the CIA disavows him? It'd be really cool to see Bond go rogue & drop behind enemy lines to rescue his friend from the clutches of some brutal dictator!
David Hedison said he had more fun filming Live and Let Die, although he did say Licence to Kill was much more engaging and realistic because of its darkness.
Felix is much bigger part of the books. You really get the sense that him and Bond are buddies. And after the second book he gets a hook hand so thats pretty cool.
i had been waiting for your Leiter ranking for a long time Cal. Next review: can you give me your overall opinion of the 007 Mission In Progress theme, used in Russia, Twice, Thunderball and Moonraker. Should they bring it back in Bond 25????
Jack Lord, David Hedison, Bernie Casey, Cec Linder and Jeffrey Wright are my five favorite interpretations of Felix Leiter. The moment the David Hedison version of Felix gets pistol whipped and fed to the sharks in License To Kill, you know things might get bad for him and then the next time he's seen in his home office and he looks a mess and Bond attempts to take care of him until the paramedics come and the next time you see him, he's on the ventilator and not looking good and you're left to wonder if he's going to pull through, but he does and he looks a lot better at the end of the movie when he's talking to Bond by phone.
I think the reason the press at large don't really care for Felix is because Felix is one of those characters that I doubt many casual viewers who aren't Bond aficionados know about. While M, Q and Moneypenny are always at MI6 and always get an appearance in (well, most of the time anyway), Felix's appearances are much more dependent on the plot of the film - he can only really appear when the CIA get involved. Even then, sometimes he gets ignored, like in 'Moonraker' or 'A View to a Kill'. I doubt the constant recasting did any favours in helping Felix stick in viewer's minds. Which is a shame, it would have been nice if he had more consistent appearances, especially in the Moore and Brosnan eras. Heck, not only did Brosnan not get a Leiter, he got Joe Don 'Mitchell!' Baker instead - insult added to injury. Oh well. Hopefully we'll see Felix in Bond 25. Either way, he got his own spin-off comic, so progress has been made. And now, because I'm a terrible human being, I shall end on a joke: Q: Why did James Bond pump helium into his best friend? A: He wanted to make Felix lighter. I'll get my coat.
Awesome vid! Have you checked out Dynamite Comics' Felix Leiter title? It's an interesting spin-off from their Bond series and gives the character his own adventure as well as some much appreciated backstory.
Only once was Felix Leiter played by the same actor in more than one film until Jeffrey Wright took over in the Daniel Craig Era -- and his appearances were 15 years apart: David Hedison, in Live and Let Die and Licence to Kill. But I still preferred Jack Lord in the original. He was the only one who really had the chemistry with Bond necessary, and if he had returned to the role, he would have been as definitive as Connery in his role. But it didn't happen, and it never really did for anyone else.
I have always loved the Felix Leiter character. I would have love to seen Jack Lord or Bernie Casey reprise the role. My favorites are David Hedison and Jeffrey Wright.
have you ever considered doing a top 10 (or whatever number you like) MI6 scenes (where Bond is briefed or just any scene based around the important characters from MI6)?
Yes, a day early! I thought you would hold out on the Leiter ranking to see if Wright reappeared in Bond 25. I so hope that's happening... For my own list, I think I'd put Wright at the top, closely followed by Hedison. I really liked the bar scene in QoS, and got the intention that they are friends from that scene alone, which is a point of levity before a dramatic scene, so I like it a lot. Obviously Hedison and Moore have great chemistry, but I never felt the same with Dalton. The rest of the list is more or less the same, though I have a soft spot for Van Nutter, so he's probably a bit higher for me, but not above Linder.
Just got a news for all bond fans. David Hedison, actor of Felix Leiter(Live or Let Die and License to Kill) just passed away at the age of 92. May he rest in peace along other late bond actors and actresses😔
Ok legitimately no joke, I genuinely managed to guess your order (except for Bernie Casey because I forgot about him). I have to say I agree completely
1, David Hedison (Live & Let Die, License To Kill) 2, Jack Lord (Dr. No) 3, Jeffery Wright (Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace) 4, Bernie Casey (Never Say Never Again) My top 4 Felixes
I always wondered if Lazenby continued who would be his Felix leiter.... I always had a couple choices in mind 1. Burt Reynolds 2. Roy Scheider 3. Sam Elliott 4. Tom Selleck 5. Steve McQueen
So do you think that once Craig is done as Bond and the role is recast, should the series continue with his timeline, go back to the original, or make a new one?
Ed_ward I think that Bond should be missing in action like the book of YOLT, then in the next film return sugically altered and brainwashed to kill M like the book of TMWTGG.
They'll probably reboot the series again. I hope they return to the more over-the-top comic book stylings of the Connery era. The Kingsman movies are closer in tone to what I want and expect from a Bond film than the Daniel Craig 007s. I think with the popularity of superhero movies, audiences are more than ready for Bond to return to a sense of escapism, and just have a fun action adventure, rather than a gritty drama.
Well, now that we've seen Felix in No Time to Die and we got some warmer moments, I wonder how this list would change.
True, I liked their dynamic in NTTD
Dude, I was so happy to see him back only to be devastated for him to be killed off 30 minuets later .
License to Kill is def one of the most underrated bond films.
Totally agree
Wow, I’ve *never* heard that before.
@@Anon24052 sarcasm
only proves how right I am
Crakatoot I never said you were wrong, just unoriginal
It's definitely my favourite of the two Dalton films.
Wright's Leiter just met Bond in Casino Royale, and was the second meeting in Quantum. So it only makes sense that he was 'cold' and cautious at the start, in a game of international espionage. With the exception of Lord, who had a bigger role in Dr No, Leiter was always a longtime trusted ally of Bond. We're not there yet in Craig's-Wright's relationship, although with No Time to Die we might see it on screen.
So?? What did u think? Have u seen it yet? :-)
Jack Lord had just met Bond as well in Dr. No but the two of them still felt like fast friends by the end of the film.
NTTD definitely did most of the leg work establishing Leiter and Bond’s relationship, loved their scenes
@@swan777song ah saw this note - yes I've seen it, and well, it was what it was. TBH I felt it underwhelming. Time will be less kind to the quality of the Craig films overall, except for Casino Royale and Skyfall. At least it's a pretty clean slate now and I'd like to see less of a 'run through brick walls like a linebacker' James Bond and more 'real spy with few gadgets' Bond
Felix is one my fav in no time to die ,and he actually became what you said
My hopes for Bond 25:
- new (South Africa or Australia maybe?) or Connery era setting (Japan or Jamaica/Caribbean)
- bond in his Navy uniform
- Felix being more involved in the action (actually shooting)
Agreed.
More Navy Bond! Agreed
more gadjets
Michael Cuellar could even see him on one of our nice new carriers
Is craig definitely back because i'd love a much younger bond
Hedison and Moore had been good friends for years; in fact Moore helped talk Hedison into taking the role of Captain Crane in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea; so the chemistry between them was quite real.
Cec Linder was a fantastic actor. Outside the Bond series, he was known for starring in the legendary BBC serial Quatermass and the Pit. It's telling that Lord and Hedison both had long running starring roles on their own TV series in the US. They were very charismatic and engaging actors.
Confirmed - Felix Leiter is an American Time Lord
Angus Gibson lol
His CIA isn't the Central Intelligence Agency. It's the Celestial Intervention Agency.
here's some top 10's you could do
best gadgets
best locations
best bond allies
best badguy deaths
best badguy lines
funniest bond scenes
I'm always wondered why Felix didn't appear at Bonds wedding in OHMSS.
Nick Butterworth he could have been there in the background but we just didn’t see him in a role. But even if Hedison’s portrayal mentions Bond being married then it would be likely that Dalton’s Bond filmed retconned previous the events of previous films in the Connery, Lazenby and Moore eras. My bond timeline theory is that Connery’s Bond is in his 30s in Dr. No and ends with Moore’s Bond in his 50s by AVTAK. Dalton’s Bond films retcon these events if they happened in a different time compared to previous films, even if he’s a younger Bond.
Interesting take! Yeah, even though Dalton and Brosnan were obviously too young to make the timeline work in a linear way, they have clearly been through similar life experiences. I think Dr No to DAD pretty much works as a shifting timeline of one mans experiences. CR onwards is a reboot completely of course. I don't think that Craig's Bond has ever been married for instance.
@@calvindyson I agree I think Honestly I view the Bond Timeline From Dr. No to Die Another Day saying it Chronologically if you would want to start The Bond Canon Timeline you could Start with DC's First 2 Films then go to the Connery Era First being Dr. No then FRWL then Goldfinger on,( as oppose to IGN's Ridiculous Theory of the Timeline to start with Goldfinger Before Dr. No that's stupid) but to me Dr. No Starts the Timeline and it should stay with Dr. No and not with Craig's Casino Royale IMHO but IF you want to follow in Chronological Order then go there.
Well, they're both secret agents, so I'd imagine Bond asked Felix to be his best man, Felix said yes but had to pull out of the wedding party last minute due to a mission.
Or, Felix was on a job during the time frame OHMSS covered and he didn't find out about the whole thing till last minute.
Or...and this is a dark theory...Felix and Bond were at odds over Bond marrying Tracy - Felix being against his friend marrying a crime boss' daughter - and Bond didn't invite Felix. Things got patched up by Live and Let Die, to explain Moore and Hedison being so chummy...but Connery and Norman Burton in Diamonds are Forever are still somewhat at odds over what happened.
He's not in the novel OHMSS and they were sticking pretty closely to that [hence the infamous 'Blofeld not recognizing Bond' incident].
I find it interesting that David Hedieson's Felix Leiter was spared the fate in the original Live And Let Die book only for it to happen in Licence To Kill a film not based on any of Fleming books
I've just realised, LTK's shark scene is based on the LALD novel. Hedison was in the LALD movie. food for thought
My favorite thing about Felix in Casino Royale is how long he's in the game before we learn who he really is. It adds a quality to spies walking among us, which is so integral to the appeal of the Bond franchise.
Calvin, I love your videos and they're soothing entertainment as I take my dog for walks. Keep it up.
I agree with you on Felix's irregular chemistry with Bond. In Casino Royale, their interactions were minimal, but impactful and they both acknowledged each other to be thrust into the action well in their own cold way.
QoS however, didn't showcase much of that brotherhood. True, the CIA wanted to catch Bond, but his appearances in Quantum seemed hurried and lacked the same depth that the pair had in the previous film
Personally, I'm glad he's making a comeback in NTTD. It's as if the filmmakers seemed to notice the issues themselves and I'm madly hoping Felix gets some cool action scenes in the new film.
Jeffrey Wright remains to be my favourite "brother from Langley."
Quantum in general was awful mostly because of unfinished and rushed script due to the writer's strike happening at that time. It's screwed the movie royaly, as it pretty much had a glorified white board of loose ideas, that had to be filled in on the fly... Shame and a terrible waste, especially since we only got 5 films in 16 years with Craig which didnt lend that much room for growing that more especially when Spectre and Skyfall had nothing with Felix at all.
I'd disagree with Quantum as Felix tries to cover for Bond when shown his picture, even if he knows it's not going to stick. He also tips him off when the CIA are after Bond later in the film. He's not in the film much but the loyalty is there.
I think the real reason that they brought back Hedison was because he managed to get through Live and Let die unscathed and wanted to correct that
Even though the portrayals of Felix were uneven, it's still sad to think that Felix is probably the only genuine friend that Bond has besides Q and Moneypenny. Which makes his death in No Time to Die all the more tragic.
I love what Bond says when he lets Logan Ash die.
I think it's time for the films to finally give us the Leiter from (most of) the novels, with the artificial arm and leg. I remember how surprising it was for me when I read the novel Diamonds are Forever when he reappeared, given that I had assumed that he'd been written out of the novels after losing two of his limbs in Live and Let Die.
It's honestly really badass as a character trait, it speaks volumes about Felix that he isn't going to keep such a serious maiming from performing his duties to his country, and that he's still eager to continue to assist Bond despite the handicap. Hell, you can leave out the shark business (assuming that we get a rebooted Leiter along with the next Bond actor) and just say he lost his limbs in the line of duty in Afghanistan.
I have read the novels before seeing any of the movies. I recall Felix Leiter, in the novels, being about the same age as Bond. He was ex-military, "street smart", had the gift for gab, and able to make friends and acquaintances rather quickly. A person that can be depended upon and trusted. Leiter gave Bond the money he needed to continue gambling in "Casino Royale" after going bust. The following novel, "Live and Let Die", Felix had more involvement in the story (until he had his right and leg bitten off by a shark). I believe the two characters were friends, and David Hedison came the closest in that relationship. Two men who care about the other watched each other's back.
Jack Lord had Hawaii 5-0 and David Hedison had Voyage To The Bottom of The Sea.
Both awesome shows.
RIP David Hedison
He pops up in "No time to die" and plays a much more central role than before
So great you’re back into the swing of things after that lengthy break!! Can’t wait for more videos, keep at it Cal!!
Dr No is most smooth
He's BACK. YES. So man can't wait for future videos.
It's good to be back!
Great to see you back to doing videos, I've been a life long Bond fan and love your videos.I don't agree with everything you say (Dalton, cough) but I still respect your opinion as a fellow Bond fan. Keep it up!
Part of the chemistry between Hedison and Moore were that the two were good friends in real life.
Felix has my all-time favorite line from any Bond film: "Get me a make on a white pimpmobile!"
A worthy tribute to the character of Felix. Thanks for this.
Cec Linder plays Leiter as if he could be Bond's uncle!
Very true!
Great video as ever mate I loved this ranking I’ve been waiting for this one for a while now
Thanks, mate! Much appreciated!
And here we are, No time to die, and we now have that Jeffery Wright Felix with some good bond comradery. Personally one of my favourite appearances of the character
Love David Hedison's Felix Leiter! My favourite too.
Have you ever done a top 10 Bond allies ranking?
No but in the process of!
Number 1 needs to be J.W Pepper
Calling it, #1 is the incredibly likable Sharkey.
It's obviously that well-defined and developed blond guy from OHMSS.
Kerim Bey better be #1
This is a countdown I've been waiting a long time for!
Still holding out for that Diamonds Are Forever review though =)
It'll come, it'll come...
Calvin - Bond Reviewer how come it didn’t come after OHMSS review?
I understand it's hard making a review about that weird af movie
I'm sure it'll be worth the wait. Take your time. I know you're busy.
@@calvindyson what you think of Jeff Wright now Cal post-NTTD?!!
Just came back from school and this video is the first thing I see. What a way to start of an afternoon.
Glad to hear "D
Just saw No Time to Die and I think Jeffrey Wright may have had his strongest performance there. His chemistry with Craig in that was great. But I do think your last bit about the best Felix is still yet to come in a different Bond and era.
Hedison and Wright are the only two with any personality
Lord had loads of personality
Fun fact: David Hedison and I are from the same city. Thats so awesome!
David Hedison is also my favorite of the Felix actors. Jack Lord is a close second. Nice list Calvin.
Great ranking Calvin :) I think personally in future bond films we need to see a Felix Leiter who gets a lot more to do and has regular screen appearances , not to overshadow the MI6 regulars but I think your right we need that one actor to play Felix who just inhabits the role and makes him more iconic , great videos as always
Who wants a Felix Leiter Spinoff?
Your prediction about Jeffrey wright was absolutely bang on !
Jack Lord was the best,too bad the producers stuffed him around, and he went to Hawaii for the next 30 years. Two actors in Britain at the time,one American and one Canadian, that is Ed Bishop and Shane Rimmer, both would have been excellent as Felix. Possibly at the time they were both involved with Gerry and Silvia Anderson with Thunderbirds and UFO. Both were in the opening sequence of You Only Live Twice, (in the Hawaii tracking station), Ed Bishop had a crappy bit part in Diamonds are forever. Why he was not playing Felix instead of the other dude is beyond me. Shane Rimmer had a fair size part as the US submarine CO in the Spy Who Loved Me.
Then in 2 of the Pierce Brosnan films we had Joe Dan Barker
as Wade, the CIA contact. The very original TV play of Casino Royale in 1954 had a role reversal where Bond was an American CIA agent played by Barry Nelson and Felix was a MI6 agent played by Australian born actor Michael Pate. Peter Lorre was Le Chife and he just owned the part. A mystery why he was never picked as a villain by Saltzman and Brocholi in the early years.
I agree completely about Shane Rimmer and Ed Bishop... especially Bishop. He SHOULD have been Felix in Diamonds are Forever. No doubt about it.
And the 1954 adaptation called him CLARENCE Leiter.
If Eon had kept Jack Lord in the fold, then I feel like they could have had a little spin-off series.
I've heard that Jeffrey Wright will return in Bond 25. Awesome!
And, he did. The recent trailer for No Time To Die confirms it.
I love the conversation Hedison's Leiter has with the flight instructor in Live and Let Die. We only hear Felix talking, of course, but I would really like to know what the instructor said to Leiter that made Felix respond, "Any suggestion of that nature should be sent to Washington in writing." LOL!
Oooh another video so soon, nice!
Although I can see why people like Felix, I don't usually see him as more of a character other than providing Bond with some convenient exposition.
It would be cool if you continued your playthroughs with that From Russia with Love game.
His relationship with Bond represents Britain's relationship with the states. For that reason, a lot of people love him.
Calvin what do you think about Revisiting Japan for B25 ?
I'm all for it!
Now, it wouldn't work at all in Craig's era, but Tiger Tanaka needs to return. He has to be the best non-recurring Bond ally.
Thank you for this mazing channel!
I like how David Hedison's two appearances as Felix Leiter were Roger Moore's first Bond movie and Timothy Dalton's last Bond movie.
Plus both movies are based on plot elements from the same book, Live And Let Die.
rocketcon yes! I read the book and was surprised to see scenes from licensed to kill and for your eyes only.
Hot damn! Diamonds are Forever is one of my favourite Bond movies and I didn't even remember Felix Leiter was on it
When I first watched all the bonds a month ago, I didn't even recognize Felix as all the same guy because he changed so much until the one where he gets his legs eaten. I never took any note of his name
Easily Hedison for me. Love his bromance with Bond and easily my favorite Bond ally. Agree that we haven't had the definite Felix yet though. Hoping some future African-American actor can fill that bill. Maybe someone like Aldis Hodge.
David Hedison should’ve been the definite and longest serving Felix Leiter from Diamonds are Forever until Licence to Kill or Die Another Day and Jeffrey Wright should’ve more screen time in Quantum of Solace and a bit in Skyfall before No Time to Die.
Jack Lord was good in Dr No, props to him for bringing Felix Leiter to life like Sean Connery brought James Bond to life.
Cec Linder was poorly casted yet he did a fine job as Felix in Goldfinger. Imagine Jack Lord reappearing in Goldfinger.
When it comes to Ian Fleming’s Bondverse and how he wrote Felix Leiter, I felt that Hedison and Wright were both the closest that we would get to an accurate cinematic version of Fleming’s take on the character.
Glad to see the Hedison love here. Like you say, he's a comfortable presence with an edge, though the iconic Leiter performance is like you say, TBD.
No 6 Rik van Nutter was also famous as Mr Anita Ekberg. She wasn't a Bondgirl but at least Krilencu had an encounter with a poster of her. Bond also approved of her mouth.
His Felix might have been somewhat lacking in Thunderball, but now I feel less sorry for him, knowing that the gorgeous Anita Ekberg was waiting for him at home after work :D
Great video Calvin, and am i right in saying at the start of your video on her majestys secret service theme was playing in the background?
My list:
#1 David Hedison
#2 Jack Lord
#3 Jeffrey wright
#4 cec Linder
#5 Rik van Nutter
#6 John terry
#7 Norman Burton
R.I.P. David Hedison
Great review as always Calvin. now do a top ten bond allies video please, there are so many good ones.
Sheriff Pepper - number one
After reading all these comments, it's obvious that David Hedison was considered the best choice, with Jack Lord second. The others aregood actors but, these two fit the part the best. Too bad they couldn't bring Hedison back again. I could think of at least a couple more storylines that would make it more interesting. Thanks for the post.😊 10:48
Felix Leiter is a very underrated Bond alley in my opinion.
Great video as always. You should do a ranking of Bond's allies next, Sharkey, Vijay, Kerim Bey etc
Oh yes that's upcoming!
Kerim Bey would top the list i think. Sharkey wasnt helpful and Vijay was comic relief. About as useful as Chuck Lee or Quarell Junior
I think Cec Linder, Norman Burton and David Hediston are my ideal incarnations of Felix. He changes his identity so often that it’s a tad difficult to pick out the best.
I've always loved Felix & Bond's bromance. I hope Leiter gets to play a big role in a future movie like he did in Licence to Kill. Maybe a story where Felix is captured on a covert mission & the CIA disavows him? It'd be really cool to see Bond go rogue & drop behind enemy lines to rescue his friend from the clutches of some brutal dictator!
Oh my God that would be fantastic!!!!!
RIP David . You are missed.😢😢😢 10:48
Imagine Goldfinger with Jack Lord or David Hedison as Felix. They're both extremely suitable for that particular movie.
David Hedison said he had more fun filming Live and Let Die, although he did say Licence to Kill was much more engaging and realistic because of its darkness.
My boy Leiter is coming back, thank god.
It's interesting about Jack Lord's contract story with Goldfinger. Just a few years later he would play Detective, Steve McGarrett on Hawaii Five O.
Felix is much bigger part of the books. You really get the sense that him and Bond are buddies. And after the second book he gets a hook hand so thats pretty cool.
7:53 oh young Calvin - if you only knew what was coming
i had been waiting for your Leiter ranking for a long time Cal. Next review: can you give me your overall opinion of the 007 Mission In Progress theme, used in Russia, Twice, Thunderball and Moonraker. Should they bring it back in Bond 25????
Jack Lord, David Hedison, Bernie Casey, Cec Linder and Jeffrey Wright are my five favorite interpretations of Felix Leiter. The moment the David Hedison version of Felix gets pistol whipped and fed to the sharks in License To Kill, you know things might get bad for him and then the next time he's seen in his home office and he looks a mess and Bond attempts to take care of him until the paramedics come and the next time you see him, he's on the ventilator and not looking good and you're left to wonder if he's going to pull through, but he does and he looks a lot better at the end of the movie when he's talking to Bond by phone.
After No Time To Die, i think Jeffery Wright have definitely clinched top spot.
Yay new video!! And new thumbnail!
I think the reason the press at large don't really care for Felix is because Felix is one of those characters that I doubt many casual viewers who aren't Bond aficionados know about. While M, Q and Moneypenny are always at MI6 and always get an appearance in (well, most of the time anyway), Felix's appearances are much more dependent on the plot of the film - he can only really appear when the CIA get involved. Even then, sometimes he gets ignored, like in 'Moonraker' or 'A View to a Kill'. I doubt the constant recasting did any favours in helping Felix stick in viewer's minds. Which is a shame, it would have been nice if he had more consistent appearances, especially in the Moore and Brosnan eras. Heck, not only did Brosnan not get a Leiter, he got Joe Don 'Mitchell!' Baker instead - insult added to injury.
Oh well. Hopefully we'll see Felix in Bond 25. Either way, he got his own spin-off comic, so progress has been made.
And now, because I'm a terrible human being, I shall end on a joke:
Q: Why did James Bond pump helium into his best friend?
A: He wanted to make Felix lighter.
I'll get my coat.
7:53 we absolutely got that in No Time To Die and he became my favorite Felix because of it!
Who’s here after no time to die?
Me! I thought it was an amazing portrayal of Felix Leichter
Did Wright go to number 1 after seeing his chummy scenes in No Time to Die?
Awesome vid! Have you checked out Dynamite Comics' Felix Leiter title? It's an interesting spin-off from their Bond series and gives the character his own adventure as well as some much appreciated backstory.
I haven't yet! But I will be doing at some point for sure!
Only once was Felix Leiter played by the same actor in more than one film until Jeffrey Wright took over in the Daniel Craig Era -- and his appearances were 15 years apart: David Hedison, in Live and Let Die and Licence to Kill.
But I still preferred Jack Lord in the original. He was the only one who really had the chemistry with Bond necessary, and if he had returned to the role, he would have been as definitive as Connery in his role. But it didn't happen, and it never really did for anyone else.
I have always loved the Felix Leiter character. I would have love to seen Jack Lord or Bernie Casey reprise the role. My favorites are David Hedison and Jeffrey Wright.
To me, Jeffrey Wright is the best Felix. I actually developed a liking to him, which is hadn’t for any of the other portrayals.
have you ever considered doing a top 10 (or whatever number you like) MI6 scenes (where Bond is briefed or just any scene based around the important characters from MI6)?
7:32 thankfully that’s been fixed
Yes, a day early! I thought you would hold out on the Leiter ranking to see if Wright reappeared in Bond 25. I so hope that's happening...
For my own list, I think I'd put Wright at the top, closely followed by Hedison. I really liked the bar scene in QoS, and got the intention that they are friends from that scene alone, which is a point of levity before a dramatic scene, so I like it a lot. Obviously Hedison and Moore have great chemistry, but I never felt the same with Dalton.
The rest of the list is more or less the same, though I have a soft spot for Van Nutter, so he's probably a bit higher for me, but not above Linder.
I knew there'd be Van Nutter fans out there somewhere!
Just got a news for all bond fans. David Hedison, actor of Felix Leiter(Live or Let Die and License to Kill) just passed away at the age of 92. May he rest in peace along other late bond actors and actresses😔
Yeah wow shocking because we lost a good few bond actors this year, Shane Rimmer and Bryan Marshall to name a few
@@johnkennethwiseman682 Also RIP Roger Moore.
Can you re-do this after No Time to Die, he’s so lighthearted!
Great vid!
Ok legitimately no joke, I genuinely managed to guess your order (except for Bernie Casey because I forgot about him). I have to say I agree completely
7:54 calvin predicted no time to die
Seeing as you included the one from NSNA, any reason why you didn't include the one from the 50s version of Casino Royale?
I totally agree with this list. Great job 👍
We needed more Felix leiter action scenes
A good list, I agree with almost all of your picks but for myself a 55 year old Bond fan I think Jack Lord takes the cake!
Jack has as much screen presence as Connery IMO.
@@jeffcharlton9660 Agreed, I'm a big fan of both actors. I have every season of "Hawaii Five-O" on DVD.
1, David Hedison (Live & Let Die, License To Kill)
2, Jack Lord (Dr. No)
3, Jeffery Wright (Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace)
4, Bernie Casey (Never Say Never Again)
My top 4 Felixes
My personal ranking:
1) Bernie Casey
2) David Hedison
3) Jack Lord
4) Jeffrey Wright
5) Cec Linder
6) Norman Burton
7) John Terry
8) Rik Van Nutter
Great ranking, 100 percent mirrors my own.
Fabulous!
I always wondered if Lazenby continued who would be his Felix leiter....
I always had a couple choices in mind
1. Burt Reynolds
2. Roy Scheider
3. Sam Elliott
4. Tom Selleck
5. Steve McQueen
Screaming Joker Productions those are interesting choices but apart from Lord and Wright, the other actors were lesser known.
So do you think that once Craig is done as Bond and the role is recast, should the series continue with his timeline, go back to the original, or make a new one?
Ed_ward I think that Bond should be missing in action like the book of YOLT, then in the next film return sugically altered and brainwashed to kill M like the book of TMWTGG.
They'll probably reboot the series again. I hope they return to the more over-the-top comic book stylings of the Connery era. The Kingsman movies are closer in tone to what I want and expect from a Bond film than the Daniel Craig 007s.
I think with the popularity of superhero movies, audiences are more than ready for Bond to return to a sense of escapism, and just have a fun action adventure, rather than a gritty drama.