The Living Daylights Reunion Sunday 6th July 2014 - Pinewood Studios, London, England
On Sunday 6th July the sun shined at Pinewood as 150 Bond alumni and fans gathered for the Bondstars Summer BBQ which this year was themed around a reunion for The Living Daylights.   The doors opened at 9am for tea, coffee and biscuits on the terrace and numerous memorabilia stalls opened for business.   The cast & crew of The Living Daylights introdce the HD screening in the John Barry Theatre Photo © Mark Mawston   At 10.15am a high definition print of the movie was introduced in front of the big screen by director John Glen who was joined by Alan Church (Optical camera effects and title design assistant), Colin Miller and Vernon Messenger (Sound Editors), John Grover (Editor), Tony Waye (Production Supervisor), Alec Mills (DoP), Peter Lamont (Production Designer), Simon Mills (Clapper Loader), Terry Ackland-Snow (Art Director); actors John Bowe (Colonel Feyador), Glyn Baker (002), Frederick Warder (004), Thomas Wheatley (Saunders), Femi Gardiner (Harem Girl) Caroline Bliss (Miss Moneypenny) and Jeroen Krabbé (Koskov).   Maryam d'Abo, John Glen & Caroline Bliss Jeroen Krabbé & Maryam d'Abo Photo © Matthew Field   Further guests arrived soon afterwards, including Paul Weston (Stunt Arranger), Keith Hamshere (Stills Photographer), Virginia Hey (Rubavitch) and Maryam D'Abo (Kara Milovy) ... plus an extra special 'guest' ... seen for the first time in public in almost 27 years, the soft-top Aston Martin as driven by Bond in the early scenes of the movie joined us on the Pinewood lawn.   The cast & crew of The Living Daylights with the Aston Martin Volante convertible Photo © Mark Mawston   Cast and crew posed with the car, and remarked it was the first time many of them had seen each other since the film's premiere in 1987!   Femi Gardiner Thomas Wheatley Virginia Hey Photos © Mark Mawston   A delicious BBQ lunch was served in the Pinewood garden though for those preferring lunch in the shade, the Pinewood Pools Theatre was converted into a media room where behind the scenes footage from the movie along with the Royal Premiere programme was screened.   Gareth interviewing Keith Hamshere, Terry Ackland-Snow & Alan Church John Bowe, Frederick Warder & Glyn Baker Photos © Mark Mawston   After a couple of hours of chat, photo and autograph opportunities, every gathered in the Pools Theatre for the results of our tightly contested quiz which was followed by a cast and crew Q&A where, among the many highlights, we learned it was Jeroen Krabbé who mischievously suggested to Princess Diana, during a set visit, that she might enjoy smashing a fake bottle over her husband, Prince Charles' head; and that John Bowe has 'a chat' with the producers when they were casting for a new 007, and although he never landed that part he was invited back to play Colonel Feyador. Virginia Hey was on a modelling assignment with a photographer who was about to do some publicity photos for the Bond producers, and at his own suggestion he took along photos of Virginia which lead to her being cast. Caroline Bliss chatted about her total shell-shock in being cast as Moneypenny, and director John Glen reminisced about shooting at Pinewood ...   Dave Worrall conducting the Pinewood gardens tour Photo © Mark Mawston Dave Worrall then led fans on a tour of the Pinewood gardens, pointing out locations used in many of the films and on their return afternoon tea was served.   Vernon Messenger, John Grover & Colin Miller Peter Lamont Photo © Matthew Field After a last hour of autograph signing, chatting and photos the memorable event drew to a close with the roar of the Aston Martin filling the air - and some 28 years after its first visit, it drove out of the studio gates and into the sunset ...  but James Bond Will Return, as will Bondstars, in 2015.   All photographs are copyright and must not be used without prior permission.     Bondstars would like to thank...   Jeroen Krabbé Maryam d’Abo Thomas Wheatley Caroline Bliss John Bowe Virginia Hey Glyn Baker Frederick Warder Femi Gardiner Paul Weston John Glen Peter Lamont Alec Mills Simon Mills Terry Ackland-Snow Anthony Waye Colin Miller Vernon Messenger John Grover Alan Church Keith Hamshere Alan Tomkins Barbara Broccoli, Michael G, Wilson, Stephanie Wenborn and all at Eon Productions Ltd Park Circus Remmert van Braam Pinewood Studios Geoff Miles FilmSceneUK Mike Smith Liz Silverstone at Fox Gibraltar Tourist Board Matthew Field Bernard Vandendriessche Mark Mawston Dave Worrall Vipul Patel Alan Tomkins Andrew Freeman Adrian Head Paul Marchant-Smith Sue Griffiths Sue Whatley Chris Winwood     Bondstars will return in 2015