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50 Years of the Playboy Interview
Ian Fleming: The Playboy Interview
In mid-1962, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner was given a partial transcript of an interview with Miles Davis. It covered jazz, of course, but it also included Davis’s ruminations on race, politics and culture. Fascinated, Hef sent the writer—future Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Alex Haley, an unknown at the time—back to glean even more opinion and insight from Davis. The resulting exchange, published in the September 1962 issue, became the first official Playboy Interview and kicked off a remarkable run of public inquisition that continues today—and that has featured just about every cultural titan of the last half century.
To celebrate the Interview’s 50th anniversary, the editors of Playboy have culled 50 of its most (in)famous Interviews and will publish them over the course of 50 weekdays (from September 4, 2012 to November 12, 2012) via Amazon’s Kindle Direct platform. Here is the interview with the James Bond author Ian Fleming from the December 1964 issue.
To celebrate the Interview’s 50th anniversary, the editors of Playboy have culled 50 of its most (in)famous Interviews and will publish them over the course of 50 weekdays (from September 4, 2012 to November 12, 2012) via Amazon’s Kindle Direct platform. Here is the interview with the James Bond author Ian Fleming from the December 1964 issue.
17 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 8, 2012
16 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Ian Fleming
745 books3,346 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ian Lancaster Fleming was an English writer, best known for his postwar James Bond series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., and his father was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Henley from 1910 until his death on the Western Front in 1917. Educated at Eton, Sandhurst, and, briefly, the universities of Munich and Geneva, Fleming moved through several jobs before he started writing.
While working for Britain's Naval Intelligence Division during the Second World War, Fleming was involved in planning Operation Goldeneye and in the planning and oversight of two intelligence units: 30 Assault Unit and T-Force. He drew from his wartime service and his career as a journalist for much of the background, detail, and depth of his James Bond novels.
Fleming wrote his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, in 1952, at age 44. It was a success, and three print runs were commissioned to meet the demand. Eleven Bond novels and two collections of short stories followed between 1953 and 1966. The novels centre around James Bond, an officer in the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6. Bond is also known by his code number, 007, and was a commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. The Bond stories rank among the best-selling series of fictional books of all time, having sold over 100 million copies worldwide. Fleming also wrote the children's story Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang and two works of non-fiction. In 2008, The Times ranked Fleming 14th on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".
Fleming was married to Ann Fleming. She had divorced her husband, the 2nd Viscount Rothermere, because of her affair with the author. Fleming and Ann had a son, Caspar. Fleming was a heavy smoker and drinker for most of his life and succumbed to heart disease in 1964 at the age of 56. Two of his James Bond books were published posthumously; other writers have since produced Bond novels. Fleming's creation has appeared in film twenty-seven times, portrayed by six actors in the official film series.
Ian Lancaster Fleming was an English writer, best known for his postwar James Bond series of spy novels. Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co., and his father was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Henley from 1910 until his death on the Western Front in 1917. Educated at Eton, Sandhurst, and, briefly, the universities of Munich and Geneva, Fleming moved through several jobs before he started writing.
While working for Britain's Naval Intelligence Division during the Second World War, Fleming was involved in planning Operation Goldeneye and in the planning and oversight of two intelligence units: 30 Assault Unit and T-Force. He drew from his wartime service and his career as a journalist for much of the background, detail, and depth of his James Bond novels.
Fleming wrote his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, in 1952, at age 44. It was a success, and three print runs were commissioned to meet the demand. Eleven Bond novels and two collections of short stories followed between 1953 and 1966. The novels centre around James Bond, an officer in the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6. Bond is also known by his code number, 007, and was a commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. The Bond stories rank among the best-selling series of fictional books of all time, having sold over 100 million copies worldwide. Fleming also wrote the children's story Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang and two works of non-fiction. In 2008, The Times ranked Fleming 14th on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".
Fleming was married to Ann Fleming. She had divorced her husband, the 2nd Viscount Rothermere, because of her affair with the author. Fleming and Ann had a son, Caspar. Fleming was a heavy smoker and drinker for most of his life and succumbed to heart disease in 1964 at the age of 56. Two of his James Bond books were published posthumously; other writers have since produced Bond novels. Fleming's creation has appeared in film twenty-seven times, portrayed by six actors in the official film series.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 9, 2019
Fleming died in August 1964, which was the height of Bond mania.
At any rate, the interview, though posthumous (December '64), is lively.
Actually, the penny drops.. he talks about Soviet assassins using cyanide water pistols to make a murder look like a heart attack (shortly before dying of an *apparent* heart attack).
He also puts in a good word for the Studebaker Avanti, which a novelist writing about the sixties might get away with, but not without raising eyebrows.
Peak midcentury vibes.
At any rate, the interview, though posthumous (December '64), is lively.
Actually, the penny drops.. he talks about Soviet assassins using cyanide water pistols to make a murder look like a heart attack (shortly before dying of an *apparent* heart attack).
He also puts in a good word for the Studebaker Avanti, which a novelist writing about the sixties might get away with, but not without raising eyebrows.
Peak midcentury vibes.
March 18, 2022
প্লেবয় ম্যাগাজিন বেশকিছু স্বনামধন্য ব্যক্তির সাক্ষাৎকার নিয়েছিল। সেই সাক্ষাৎকারগুলো নিয়ে একটি সংকলন তারা প্রকাশ করে। সেখানেই স্থান পেয়েছে জেমস বন্ডের স্রষ্টা ইয়ান ফ্লেমিং একটি দীর্ঘ আলাপচারিতা।
লন্ডনের ধনাঢ্য পরিবারে জন্ম ইয়ান ফ্লেমিংয়ের। বাবা প্রথম মহাযুদ্ধে অংশ নিয়ে নিহত হন। ফ্লেমিংয়ের মাকে এই মৃত্যু অত্যন্ত স্পর্শ করে। তাই তিনি চেয়েছিলেন পিতার মতো সন্তানও সেনাবাহিনীতে যোগ দিক। ফ্লেমিং মাতৃআজ্ঞা পালন করতে স্যান্ডহাস্টে প্রশিক্ষণে গেলেন। এই প্রশিক্ষণ লেখক হওয়ার পেছনে বড়ো ভূমিকা রেখেছিল। কিন্তু সেনাবাহিনীতে যোগ দিলেন না ফ্লেমিং। বরং রয়টার্সে সাংবাদিকতা শুরু করলেন। তিন বছরের সংবাদকর্মী জীবনকে অত্যন্ত আনন্দময় ও অভিজ্ঞতাপূর্ণ হিসেবে উল্লেখ করেছেন ফ্লেমিং।
বইকে নিজের সবচেয়ে ঘনিষ্ঠ বন্ধু মনে করেন তিনি। বইপড়ার ও সংগ্রহ করার অভ্যাস ছেলেবেলা থেকেই রপ্ত করেছেন। বিশেষত, যে-কোনো বইয়ের প্রথম সংস্করণ ফ্লেমিংকে বড্ড আকর্ষণ করে। বহু খরচ করে তিনি অসংখ্য বইয়ের প্রথম সংস্করণ নিয়ে নিজের ব্যক্তিগত গ্রন্থাগার গড়ে তুলেছেন। এই পাঠাগারকে তিনি ইউরোপে দ্বিতীয় শ্রেষ্ঠ ব্যক্তিগত পাঠাগার মনে করেন।
সাংবাদিকতা ছেড়ে দিয়ে কী করবেন তা বুঝে উঠতে পারছিলেন না। তখনই নেভাল ইন্টেলিজেন্সের প্রধানের থেকে ডাক পেলেন। দ্বিতীয় মহাযুদ্ধের সময়ে যোগ দিলেন নেভাল ইন্টেলিজেন্সে। গোয়েন্দাবাহিনীতে কাজ করতে গিয়ে অভাবনীয় সব অভিজ্ঞতা হয়েছে, পরিচিত হয়েছেন অনেকের সাথে। এই অভিজ্ঞতা 007 কে গড়তে অসম্ভব সাহায্য করেছিল।
ফ্লেমিং চাইতেন বন্ডকে নিখুঁতভাবে উপস্থাপন করতে। তাই প্রায়শই বিভিন্ন বিশেষজ্ঞের মতামত গ্রহণ করতেন, বারবার পাণ্ডুলিপি করতে হতো কাটাকুটি।
জেমস বন্ডের স্রষ্টা ইয়ান ফ্লেমিং ও বন্ডকে নিয়ে জানতে ইয়ান ফ্লেমিংয়ের সাক্ষাৎকারটি পড়তে পারেন।
লন্ডনের ধনাঢ্য পরিবারে জন্ম ইয়ান ফ্লেমিংয়ের। বাবা প্রথম মহাযুদ্ধে অংশ নিয়ে নিহত হন। ফ্লেমিংয়ের মাকে এই মৃত্যু অত্যন্ত স্পর্শ করে। তাই তিনি চেয়েছিলেন পিতার মতো সন্তানও সেনাবাহিনীতে যোগ দিক। ফ্লেমিং মাতৃআজ্ঞা পালন করতে স্যান্ডহাস্টে প্রশিক্ষণে গেলেন। এই প্রশিক্ষণ লেখক হওয়ার পেছনে বড়ো ভূমিকা রেখেছিল। কিন্তু সেনাবাহিনীতে যোগ দিলেন না ফ্লেমিং। বরং রয়টার্সে সাংবাদিকতা শুরু করলেন। তিন বছরের সংবাদকর্মী জীবনকে অত্যন্ত আনন্দময় ও অভিজ্ঞতাপূর্ণ হিসেবে উল্লেখ করেছেন ফ্লেমিং।
বইকে নিজের সবচেয়ে ঘনিষ্ঠ বন্ধু মনে করেন তিনি। বইপড়ার ও সংগ্রহ করার অভ্যাস ছেলেবেলা থেকেই রপ্ত করেছেন। বিশেষত, যে-কোনো বইয়ের প্রথম সংস্করণ ফ্লেমিংকে বড্ড আকর্ষণ করে। বহু খরচ করে তিনি অসংখ্য বইয়ের প্রথম সংস্করণ নিয়ে নিজের ব্যক্তিগত গ্রন্থাগার গড়ে তুলেছেন। এই পাঠাগারকে তিনি ইউরোপে দ্বিতীয় শ্রেষ্ঠ ব্যক্তিগত পাঠাগার মনে করেন।
সাংবাদিকতা ছেড়ে দিয়ে কী করবেন তা বুঝে উঠতে পারছিলেন না। তখনই নেভাল ইন্টেলিজেন্সের প্রধানের থেকে ডাক পেলেন। দ্বিতীয় মহাযুদ্ধের সময়ে যোগ দিলেন নেভাল ইন্টেলিজেন্সে। গোয়েন্দাবাহিনীতে কাজ করতে গিয়ে অভাবনীয় সব অভিজ্ঞতা হয়েছে, পরিচিত হয়েছেন অনেকের সাথে। এই অভিজ্ঞতা 007 কে গড়তে অসম্ভব সাহায্য করেছিল।
ফ্লেমিং চাইতেন বন্ডকে নিখুঁতভাবে উপস্থাপন করতে। তাই প্রায়শই বিভিন্ন বিশেষজ্ঞের মতামত গ্রহণ করতেন, বারবার পাণ্ডুলিপি করতে হতো কাটাকুটি।
জেমস বন্ডের স্রষ্টা ইয়ান ফ্লেমিং ও বন্ডকে নিয়ে জানতে ইয়ান ফ্লেমিংয়ের সাক্ষাৎকারটি পড়তে পারেন।
October 31, 2017
Ian Fleming was a complex outcome of strange and dramatic times. His novels are unique and much better written than most people think. And his character, like Sherlock Holmes, is immortal. This interview is fascinating and covers a lot of ground. And yet you leave it with the sense that Fleming got the better of the reporter. If you look at the Playboy interview for Hunter Thompson you leave thinking that you get a glimpse of Hunter, not the role he later became. In this interview you suspect that we see someone "being Ian Fleming", not Fleming himself. Mind you, where Hunter Thompson was a purveyer of dark and twisted truths, Fleming was in the business of ....secret agents. Very much worth a look for a feel of the times, and a clever dialogue with a unique individual.
April 1, 2024
Ian Fleming playboy interview
Excellent example of the Playboy interviews of the 1960s. Short, interesting and you always came away thinking you knew more about the subject of the interview than the people you work with and you could make interesting conversations around water dispenser. I have no idea how accurate the interviews were.
Excellent example of the Playboy interviews of the 1960s. Short, interesting and you always came away thinking you knew more about the subject of the interview than the people you work with and you could make interesting conversations around water dispenser. I have no idea how accurate the interviews were.
November 10, 2024
Fun, rare Playboy interview with Ian Fleming
A fun, enjoyable, insightful and interesting interview with Ian Fleming by Playboy. I thought it was neat to see what Ian did and the places he lived and his daily routine.
A fun, enjoyable, insightful and interesting interview with Ian Fleming by Playboy. I thought it was neat to see what Ian did and the places he lived and his daily routine.
September 12, 2022
inside look of Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming talks about his lifestyle, writing style, and interests. This interview is a snapshot of how the bond books come about from his desk.
Ian Fleming talks about his lifestyle, writing style, and interests. This interview is a snapshot of how the bond books come about from his desk.
July 22, 2014
very interesting an insightful glimpse in to the mind of man who created James Bond who lived a very exciting life an gave a lot for his country in the British secret service loved his wife his booze an writing well worth the 90 cent download
December 26, 2013
This is the third one of these I have read. They have all been very good. It is interesting to see what these people were really like.
March 8, 2014
Entertaining
Gives excellent information about his life, his process, and the difference between himself and character he created. He is no James Bond.
Gives excellent information about his life, his process, and the difference between himself and character he created. He is no James Bond.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews