FAQ

Chicago Tribune, Friday, November 1, 1963, s. 2, p. 16, c. 2:

LOOKING AT HOLLYWOOD

Alfred Hitchcock Signs Connery for Film

by Hedda Hopper

Hollywood, Oct. 31----Alfred Hitchcock, with an eye for the great ones, signed Sean Connery for "Marnie" with Tippi Hedren. Hitchcock refused to sit idly by while Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman stole his thunder with their tongue-in-cheekery productions of Ian Fleming's suspense stories in which Sean plays the hero, James Bond. "From Russia, With Love" is out-grossing everything, including "Lawrence" all over England. Fleming has readers by the millions and women flip over the rugged Scotsman Connery. Hitchcock starts shooting this month . . . Cubby Broccoli, here setting the deal for his star, is planning the next Fleming movie "Gold Finger" which deals with a raid on Fort Knox. He contacted Pierre Salinger at the White House for permission to look over our vault in Kentucky. Salinger referred him to the proper authorities, then said, "If you have a print of 'From Russia, With Love,' send it over. Somebody wants to see it." Somebody being J.F.K., one of Fleming's fans. The author has been a guest at the White House several times since Jack and Jackie recognized him in a restaurant and introduced themselves. Broccoli and Saltzman own movie rights to all his books except "Casino Royale" which the late Gregory Ratoff bought. Fleming's latest "They Only Live Twice," set in Japan, is now in galleys.

_____________________________________ Edit