Bond director Lewis Gilbert passes away at age 97

Film director Lewis Gilbert, who helmed three James Bond films, has died at the age of 97.

Gilbert’s first Bond film was 1967’s You Only Live Twice. Ironically, Gilbert escaped death prior to filming, when he and several members of the production team skipped a BOAC flight from Tokyo to London, after scouting locations. The group stayed for a presentation. Turned out, the BOAC flight crashed soon after take off, when it experienced severe turbulence over Mt. Fuji.

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Gilbert’s other two Bond films were The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979). Both had ties to You Only Live Twice. In many ways, The Spy Who Loved Me was similar in plot structure to You Only Live Twice, with satellites being replaced with submarines . Two years later, Gilbert directed Moonraker, which, like You Only Live Twice, took a Bond film into space.

Gilbert was born in Hackney. As a child, he quickly fell in to acting. In his late teens, he had an uncredited role in the Laurence Olivier film The Divorce of Lady X. One of his early forays into filmmaking occurred when he worked as an assistant on Alfred Hitchcock’s Jamaica Inn.  Gilbert went on to join the Royal Air Force Film Unit, during World War II. It was there that he began making documentary films. His first feature film was Once a Sinner, released in 1950, starring Pat Kirkwood.

Gilbert’s other film credits include Alfie (1966) and Educating Rita (1983), both starring Michael Caine. Alfie was nominated for Best Picture at the 1967 Academy Awards. For Educating Rita both Caine and co-star Julie Walters earned Academy Award nominations. Educating Rita also won the BAFTA for Best Film.