Created in 1953 by Ian Fleming, James Bond has become larger than the British writer ever imagined. There are 39 books now (14 written by Fleming himself), and 25 cannon films by Eon Productions. Understandably, movies tend to be cherished more, and over the years, a few characters (besides Agent 007), have emerged as more popular and influential.
Audiences generally appreciate these individuals more because of their superior characterization. Their arcs also play out in more than one movie, making fans more familiar with them.
Whether villainous or heroic, the characters below deserve as much praise as James Bond for helping the franchise grow. Many were created by Fleming for the books, but they became even better in the movies, thanks, partly, to great performances by the actors who portrayed them. Most of them have also undergone the necessary transformations to fit with the changing times, hence resonating better with modern audiences.
10
Miss Moneypenny
Portrayed by:
- Lois Maxwell (1962 – 1985)
- Barbara Bouchet (1967)
- Pamela Salem (1983)
- Caroline Bliss (1987 – 1989)
- Samantha Bond (1995 – 2002)
- Naomie Harris (2012 – Present)
Miss Moneypenny, later assigned the first name, Eve, is the secretary to M — the head of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). Bond is her favorite coworker and most of her scenes involve flirtatious banter between him and her. She briefly works as a field agent in Skyfall, but after accidentally shooting Bond, so vows to stick to what she knows best.
The Queen of Banter
There’s something magical about romances that are teased but never actualized. Will they? Won’t they? Moneypenny is always open to winks and smiles, but she knows the kind of person Bond is, so she never crosses the line. “Flattery will get you nowhere. But don’t stop trying,” she tells Bond once, much to the playboy spy’s chagrin. Humor is her greatest strength, and thanks to her, audiences get a break from the endless action and case-solving.
9
Q
Portrayed by:
- Peter Burton (1962)
- Desmond Llewelyn (1963 – 1999)
- Geoffrey Bayldon (1967)
- Alec McCowen (1983)
- Ben Whishaw (2012 – Present)
Q (Quartermaster) is in charge of the Q Branch (later Q Division), the fictional research and development division of MI6, which handles oversight of top-secret field technologies. Like M, Q is a job title. According to Bond lore, senior officers in the British Secret Service have been using letters ever since the first director, Captain Sir Mansfield George Smith-Cumming (1859–1923), signed himself with a C.
Gadget Master
Q is a product (or rather the pioneer) of a common spy movie trope where a techie is required to help the field agents. However, he’s much cooler because he does more than just hack into systems and watch cameras. The James Bond franchise would be nothing without its weird gadgets, and all credit goes to Q. From the exploding pen to a remote-controlled car, we’ve seen it all. So important is Q that he has appeared in 22 of the 25 Eon Productions James Bond movies.
8
General Anatoly Gogol
Portrayed by:
- Walter Gottell (1977 – 1987)
General Gogol appears in the Roger Moore movies, The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only, Moonraker, and Octopussy, as the head of the KGB. In Timothy Dalton’s A View to a Kill, he is shown to have changed jobs and is now a post-Glasnost envoy in the Foreign Service.
Cold War Machinations
Many Bond movies came out at the height of the Cold War, so it would have been unwise to ignore the KGB. Gogol represents the kind of leader the West would prefer to deal with. He is more of a Pacifist, hence he is often ready to negotiate and work with Bond to prevent things from getting out of hand. Even when he is plotting against the West, he still comes off as a respectful opponent.
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7
Felix Leiter
Portrayed by:
- Michael Pate (as “Clarence Leiter”) (1954)
- Jack Lord (1962)
- Cec Linder (1964)
- Rik Van Nutter (1965)
- Norman Burton (1971)
- David Hedison (1973 – 1989)
- Bernie Casey (1983)
- John Terry (1987)
- Jeffrey Wright (2006 – 2021)
As exaggerated as the James Bond franchise is, it gets a few things right about the world of espionage. There is a long history of close cooperation between the CIA and MI6, and this is reflected in the friendship James Bond has with Felix Leiter. The laid-back CIA agent appears in 10 Bond movies and six Ian Fleming novels.
Bond’s Most Trusted Ally
Leiter and Bond have one of the best movie friendships, though Bond tends to be the more dominant of the two. Still, Leiter represents American superiority when it comes to intelligence, as he always accesses information before Bond. Additionally, he never lacks the required resources needed to ensure a mission is completed. For example, he comes to Bond’s rescue by providing him with a large sum when his pocket runs out during the casino game against Le Chiffre.
6
Jaws
Portrayed by:
- Richard Kiel (1977 – 1979)
Regarded as the greatest Bond henchman, Jaws appears in the movies A Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker, starting as an unreasonable lackey willing to sink his steel-capped teeth into everything before developing some sense and aiding Bond. A film-exclusive character, Jaws was inspired by Ian Fleming’s description of a lackey named Sol “Horror” Horowitz in the novel version of The Spy Who Loved Me.
The Indestructible Jaws
Great goons ought to have a high level of endurance and Jaws is exactly like that. He survives an Egyptian structure’s collapse on top of him, being knocked by a van, being thrown from a moving train, a car crash where the vehicle veers off a cliff and lands in a house below, a battle with a shark, the destruction of Stromberg’s lair, falling thousands of feet after accidentally disabling his parachute, and, a crash through a building inside a runaway cable car. No matter what kind of beating he takes, he always stands up, dusts off his coat, and walks away.
Jaws’ cultural impact cannot be understated either. Comical versions of him have appeared in over 20 movies and TV shows, making him one of the most spoofed characters of all time.
5
Bill Tanner
Portrayed by:
- Michael Goodliffe (1974)
- James Villiers (1981)
- Michael Kitchen (1995 – 1999)
- Rory Kinnear (2008 – 2021)
Bill Tanner is M’s chief of staff. He appears infrequently in the books, and only appeared twice in the movies during the Connery and Moore eras, but has been a regular character since the Pierce Brosnan installments. He appreciates the great contributions Bond makes to the agency but is never hesitant to police the daredevil agent.
M’s Right Hand
Tanner is a fascinating character because he is never intimidated by Bond. He isn’t pro-Bond, he is pro-MI6, so he spends his time ensuring the agent is doing his job well. He is often seen discussing Bond’s latest activities with M and is happy to confront the agent whenever he exhibits signs of unruliness. Even though his screen time is limited, Tanner has left a mark in each movie because of his firmness and thorough aura.
4
Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Portrayed by:
- Anthony Dawson (1963 – 1965)
- Donald Pleasence (1963)
- Telly Savalas (1969)
- Charles Gray (1971)
- John Hollis (1981)
- Max von Sydow (1983)
- Christoph Waltz (2015 – 2021)
Ernst Stavro Blofeld is the franchise’s overarching antagonist, proven once again by his famous words to Bond: “It has always been me, the author of all your pain.” He is the head of the global criminal organization known as SPECTRE and is commonly referred to by the codename “Number 1” by members.
Bond’s Biggest Headache
Blofeld is the archetypal Bond villain, straight with the lair, the witty remarks, and the dreams of global domination. Like Bond, he has also been portrayed by numerous actors — Donald Pleasence, Charles Gray, Telly Savalas, Max von Sydow, and Christoph Waltz, to name a few. And like Jaws, he has had a great impact on pop culture. Many of Blofeld’s mannerisms have become tropes, with the villain being used as the template for most fictional criminal masterminds.
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3
M
Portrayed by:
- Bernard Lee (1962 – 1979)
- John Huston (1967)
- David Niven (1967)
- Edward Fox (1983)
- Robert Brown (1983 – 1989)
- Judi Dench (1995 – 2015)
- Ralph Fiennes (2012 – Present)
In the James Bond franchise, M is the codename for the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service for MI6. The character has appeared in 24 of the 25 Eon Productions movies, with the version portrayed by Judi Dench emerging as the most popular one. Fleming reportedly based the character on Rear Admiral John Godfrey, his superior at the Naval Intelligence Division during the Second World War.
A Perfect Example of a Good Boss
M is the kind of boss everyone would wish to have. After all, Bond always has carte blanche in his spy work, and whenever he messes up, he is let off with nothing but a pat on the back. Sometimes there is scolding but that’s as far as it goes. Over the years, M has proved that a leader doesn’t need to be overbearing to get the best out of the employees.
2
Sir Frederick Gray
Portrayed by:
- Geoffrey Keen (1977 – 1987)
Sir Frederick Gray (played by Geoffrey Keen) is the UK’s Minister of Defence in the movies The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View to a Kill, and The Living Daylights. The character has been missing since the early ’90s, confirming that he was only essential to Cold War storylines.
A Major Player in Britain’s Line of Defense
Gray’s presence infuses a sense of realism in the franchise, reminding audiences that Bond isn’t the only person defending Britain (it always seems that way). Just as is the case in real life, many people get involved behind the scenes whenever there is a major threat. His camaraderie with Bond is also great to see, as the character often refers to him as “Freddie,” despite him being his superior.
1
Mr. White
Portrayed by:
- Jesper Christensen (2006 – 2021)
First seen in Casino Royale, Mr. White starts as the influential leader of the secret organization known as Quantum, as well as a high-ranking member of SPECTRE. He is also the father of James Bond’s love interest, Dr, Madelynne Swann. He later falls out with Blofeld and takes his own life.
The Perfect “Shadow Organization” Figure
Mr. White’s “You are a kite dancing in the wind, Mr. Bond,” has become one of the most popular lines in the franchise. He is extremely skilled at controlling major events behind the scenes and is willing to do what it takes to ensure the goal is met. Appearing in three movies (and mentioned in one), he leaves a big mark during his time as the overall secondary antagonist in the rebooted franchise.