Kevin McClory Thunderball, 1965

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The following two Lots were given to the vendor by producer, Kevin McClory. It was McClory who, in 1958, had worked with Ian Fleming and screenwriter Jack Whittingham on a script which was finally entitled Thunderball and which, if it had gone to production, would have been the first James Bond film, pre-dating Dr. No by four years. This 1958 venture however was not to be and led to what has been described by a judge in 2001 as ...a story far too improbable even for the silver screen.... Fleming used the early screenplay as the basis for his novel of the same name, without the permission of his collaborators and was sued by McClory and Whittingham in 1963 for plagiarism. A 40-year legal dispute between McClory and the producers of the 007 film series over the genesis and ownership of the screen version of James Bond ensued.

Details

Kevin McClory Thunderball, 1965
Kevin McClory's shooting script for Thunderball and corresponding storyboard notebook, the script cover with typescript label, numbered 4, titled THUNDERBALL (Shooting Script) 30th November 1964, 138pp. of mimeographed typescript, original blue paper covers, this script with several differences to the final version; accompanied by a spiral bound notebook, signed on the cover in red felt pen Kevin McClory, containing 52 printed storyboards titled Vulcan "Ditching" & Underwater Sequences, each labelled in black felt pen in an unidentified hand, pasted in pairs onto 26 separate pages, each -- 3x6½in. (7.7x16.5cm.), the last page and inside back cover inscribed in blue ballpoint pen in an unidentified hand with various production details including $100,000 for charter...Speak to McClory about Hidrofoil...money in Nassau...Lock up 2 man sub...,4to. original buff paper covers; [accompanied by a letter from the vendor concerning the provenance] (3)

Literature

SELLERS, Robert The Battle For Bond, Sheffield, 2007: Tomahawk Press, pp.128-129, 133 and plates pp.176/177 (illus.)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

Kevin McClory, in his famous court case against Ian Fleming for plagiarism in 1963, won the film and television rights to Thunderball. He was also assigned the copyright in the film scripts and the right to use the character of James Bond in any scripts or film of Thunderball. Although in effect the film Thunderball had three acting producers, as a result of his court victory, Kevin McClory was credited as sole producer, with Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman as executive producers.

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