James Bond at 50: Who Was the 1st James Bond Seen On the Movie Screen?

October marks the 50th Anniversary of Dr. No, the first James Bond movie.  

James Bond played a big part in my young life.  It flamed my interest in movies and reading, and even kindled my interest in music and playing the piano.  So over the next few weeks I'll post some of my reflections on James Bond - both the books and the movies -- as well as the impact that fictional spy has had on me and others.

To begin I should start at the beginning . . .

Most true Bond fans know that the first adaptation of James Bond was a live television broadcast of Casino Royale staring American Barry Nelson miscast as "Jimmy" Bond. 

But who was the first James Bond to appear in a movie?  The answer may surprise.

Bob Simmons as James Bond in opening sequence.

Bob Simmons, a British stuntman, appeared in the opening gun barrel sequence for the first three James Bond films.  Sean Connery did not actually do the opening sequence until the fourth Bond film, Thunderball.

Since the opening image of Dr. No is the gun barrel scene, set against a soundtrack of computer beeping.  The iconic James Bond theme, written by Monte Norman for Dr. No, first is heard when Connery first introduces himself as "Bond.  James Bond."

Why was Simmons used and not Connery?  Don't know and so far have not found a reason.  After Simmons, every actor playing Bond also did the gun barrel sequence for the movie.

Simmons got an expanded role in Thunderball.  He did the extensive stunt work for the "widow" assassin's fight in the pre-credits scene.  Simmons is also credited with creating the use of trampolines to propel into the air, mimicking being blown up by explosions (see the fight in the volcano at the conclusion of You Only Live Twice).

He continued to do stunt work in the Bond films until 1985.  He died in 1987 at age 64.