# Q of 007 has died! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 20, 1999, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227 "1999-12-20T07:26:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Heath\_Doolin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Heath\_Doolin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heath_Doolin)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/1 "1999-12-20T07:26:00Z")
I can’t believe it! The great actor Desmond Llewelyn, who played Q in all but 2 Bond films died in a head-on car crash in England today at age 85. Damn! I loved the guy. He was a staple of everything that is good in Bond and one helluva actor. God Speed Mr Llewelyn. You will be missed in this geek’s heart * * * Tyler Durden: You are not your job. You are not the money in your bank account. You are not the car you drive. You are not how much money is in your wallet. You are not your fucking khakis. You are the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/2 "1999-12-20T07:49:00Z")
Sad news. He’ll be missed. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/3 "1999-12-20T13:01:00Z")
Testing the equipment again wasn’t he ? It’s a shame indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/4 "1999-12-20T14:03:00Z")
I wonder who will take his place…R? ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/5 "1999-12-20T14:09:00Z")
I just read a nice little bio on him in People Magazine. How he was hopelessly miscast as Q because he didn’t understand one thing about what the heck the inventions/gadgets were all about. His wife of something like 50 years is suffering from Alzheimers, I believe. How sad that she is left alone. * * * The early bird gets the worm but it’s the second mouse that gets the cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/6 "1999-12-20T15:08:00Z")
Allow me to chime in with with my words of regret over Mr. Llewellyn’s passing. His influence on the world was mostly confined to his performances as Q, but that was enough for me. He was a comfortable constant concept in my mind, and there’s a hole now where the ingenious armorer once was. * * * –Da Cap’n “Playin’ solitaire 'til dawn With a deck of fifty-one.” ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/7 "1999-12-20T15:12:00Z")
When the I heard the news on the radio today, I first thought they were talking about John DeLancie, “Q” on the later “Star Trek” shows (sp)? * * * I looked in the mirror today/My eyes just didn’t seem so bright I’ve lost a few more hairs/I think I’m going bald - Rush ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/8 "1999-12-20T15:15:00Z")
A great loss to Bond Fans everywhere. He died maybe six weeks after the relaese of the last film in which he officially retired (sorry if that spoils the plot for anyone). How many other actors/directors etc. have died immediately after finishing their final film? Stanley Kubrick is the other obvious recent choice. * * * I once lost my corkscrew and had to live on food and water for several days (W.C. Fields) ---
**Author:** ![PurpleCrackwhore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc348/32.png) [@PurpleCrackwhore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleCrackwhore)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/9 "1999-12-20T15:16:00Z")
I was so saddened to hear this. I loved Q! When I saw the last Bond movie and they introduced his assistant, I thought to myself, I hope they aren’t retiring him, as he is so much a part of Bond. Alas, he has been retired by a force bigger than Movieland and for me Bond will never be the same. * * * I really try to be good but it just isn’t in my nature! ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/10 "1999-12-20T15:47:00Z")
Sad news indeed. Although driving at age 85 might be questionable in England’s traffic… a great loss nonetheless. The replacement for Q, in upcoming Bond Movies, is going to be played by… John Cleese. ## And that is worth a smile after all. Coldfire * * * “You know how complex women are” - Neil Peart, Rush (1993) ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/11 "1999-12-20T15:58:00Z")
The NPR report I heard this morning said he had no intention of retiring and would keep doing movies as long as he was asked. They went on to say that adding an assistant was his idea. I will miss him in the movies. He was like a cool old grandpa with a garage full of tools. ---
**Author:** ![melanietarrant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@melanietarrant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melanietarrant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/12 "1999-12-20T17:13:00Z")
darn. ---
**Author:** ![Sassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/13 "1999-12-20T22:47:00Z")
there’s a hole in my world-view that no one else will file – but it was good while it lasted! He outlasted most of the Bond actors! ---
**Author:** ![Inkz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecb155/32.png) [@Inkz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inkz)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/14 "1999-12-20T23:47:00Z")
Surprisingly it didn’t involve an ejector seat. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 1999, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/15 "1999-12-21T00:15:00Z")
I am surprised. He will be missed. He did 17 different Bond movies, more than any other actor. * * * \>\< DARWIN \> \_\_ **L\_\_\_L** ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 1999, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/16 "1999-12-21T19:21:00Z")
Well, hell. I’ll miss the old guy. But then again, he died…at 85…while driving. At least he had a long carrer, and was in realativily good health (not bed ridden). He left behind a ton of people that will alway remember him fondly, even if some of us \< blushes \>, mainly think of him by the name “Q”. R.I.P. ,Desmond. * * * You say “cheesy” like that’s a **BAD** thing. ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 1999, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/17 "1999-12-21T19:23:00Z")
Somebody mentioned he was not in 2 Bond movies. Which ones? I’m thinking _Dr. No_ was one, but I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Boris\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@Boris\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boris_B)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 1999, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/18 "1999-12-21T20:04:00Z")
I can’t figure out which “two” movies he wasn’t in. I heard all this on NPR, so blame them, not me. His first was _From Russia With Love_, the third bond movie. That would imply that _Dr. No_ and _Goldfinger_ were the other two. But they also said he’d been acted alongside four different Bonds: that would include Connery, Moore, Dalton, and the incumbent. Which leaves out Niven and Lasenby, the two one-off Bonds from the late 60s. Which means he wasn’t in _four_ Bond movies. But everyone counts the number of Bond movies differently. I tend to cast my nets more widely than most; lots of people don’t count _Casino Royale_ because it’s a parody, and some people don’t count _On Her Majesty’s Secret Service_ because … because … well I don’t really know why. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 1999, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/19 "1999-12-21T20:31:00Z")
If you want Bond movies that aren’t counted how about _Never Say Never Again_, the embarassing _Thunderball_ remake with Sean Connery and Kim Basinger. Desmond wasn’t in that one. Of course _NSNA_ and _Casino Royale_ were never official Bond movies. FWIW the IMDB list Desmond Llewelyn as appearing in the following Bond movies. _From Russia with Love Goldfinger Thunderball You Only Live Twice On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Lazenby) Diamonds Are Forever The Man With the Golden Gun The Spy Who Loved Me Moonraker For Your Eyes Only Octopussy A View to a Kill The Living Daylights License to Kill Goldeneye Tomorrow Never Dies The World is Not Enough_ I was sorry to see Lois Maxwell let go as Moneypenny. The new one, Samantha Bond, is okay I suppose but has no character. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 1999, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227/20 "1999-12-21T20:45:00Z")
And just to correct a minor error by **BorisB** , _From Russia With Love_ was the second Bond movie, not the third. _Goldfinger_ the third, _Thunderball_ the fourth, etc. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-of-007-has-died/12227.md?page=2)