Editing Desmond Llewelyn

{{Short description|Welsh actor (1914–1999)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox person
 | name             = Desmond Llewelyn
 | image            = Desmond Llewelyn 01.jpg
 | caption          = Llewelyn as 'Q' in Sweden while promoting ''[[Octopussy]]'' in 1983
 | birth_name       = Desmond Wilkinson Llewelyn
 | birth_date       = {{Birth date|df=yes|1914|9|12}}
 | birth_place      = [[Newport, Wales|Newport]], Wales
 | death_date       = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1999|12|19|1914|9|12}}
 | death_place      = [[Eastbourne]], England
 | alma_mater       = Radley College
 | occupation       = Actor
 | years_active     = 1939–1999
 | spouse           = {{marriage|Pamela Pantlin|1938}}
 | children         = 2
 | module      = {{Infobox military person|embed=yes
 | allegiance    = United Kingdom
 | branch        = [[British Army]]
 | serviceyears  = 1939–1945
 | unit          = [[Royal Welsh Fusiliers]]
 | rank          = [[Second Lieutenant]]
 | battles       = [[World War II]]
 | signature     = Autogramm Desmond Llewelyn britischer Schauspieler.png
}}
}}
'''Desmond Wilkinson Llewelyn''' ({{IPA|cy|ɬɛˈwɛlɪn|lang}}; 12 September 1914<ref name="GROB">GRO Register of Births: DEC 1914 11a 490 NEWPORT M. – Desmond W. Llewelyn, mmn = Wilkinson</ref> – 19 December 1999<ref name="GROD">GRO Register of Deaths: JUN 2000 A70E 247 EASTBOURNE – Desmond Wilkinson Llewelyn, DoB = 12 September 1914, aged 85</ref>) was a Welsh actor. He was best known for his role as [[Q (James Bond)|Q]] in 17 of the [[James Bond in film|''James Bond'' films]] between 1963 and 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/6/Desmond-Llewelyn.html |title=Desmond Llewelyn Biography ((?)-) |publisher=Filmreference.com |access-date=19 November 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ianfleming.org/007news/articles2/desmond2.shtml |title=Desmond Llewelyn – An Obituary |access-date=2007-06-09 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080202103611/http://www.ianfleming.org/007news/articles2/desmond2.shtml |archive-date=2 February 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Biography==
===Early life===
[[File:Blaen-y-Pant House, Newport - geograph.org.uk - 1721033.jpg|thumb|Blaen-y-Pant House, the birthplace of Desmond Llewelyn]]
Llewelyn was born on 12 September 1914 at Blaen-y-Pant House in Bettws in [[Newport, Wales|Newport]], the son of Mia (née Wilkinson) and Ivor Llewelyn.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://commanderbond.net/sections/articles/biography_desmond_llewelyn.php3|title=Desmond Llewelyn Biography|access-date=19 November 2010}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Desmond's father was a coal mining engineer, who notably purchased the first [[Bentley]] production automobile, a [[Bentley 3 Litre|Bentley 3-litre]] from [[W. O. Bentley]] in 1921.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Very First Production Bentley Up For Sale|url=https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1061608_very-first-production-bentley-up-for-sale|access-date=2021-01-12|website=Motor Authority|date=15 June 2011 |language=en}}</ref> His paternal grandfather, Llewelyn Llewelyn of Kings Hill was the [[High Sheriff of Monmouthshire]] as well as General Manager of the [[PD Ports|Powell-Dyffryn Steam Coal Company]].

While Llewelyn originally wanted to be a minister, he became involved in theatrical productions during his education at [[Radley College]]. Initially working as a stagehand, he was encouraged to take on more acting roles by his fellow pupil [[Dennis Price]]. During his education, Llewelyn gained renown as a skilled sportsman, particularly as a rugby player and he remained a fan of the game throughout his life.<ref name="WBio">{{cite web |last1=Hyde |first1=Robert |title=Llewelyn, Desmond Wilkinson (1914 - 1999), actor |url=https://biography.wales/article/s12-LLEW-WIL-1914 |website=Dictionary of Welsh Biography |access-date=4 January 2024}}</ref> The young Llewelyn would play rugby for [[Newport RFC]] and can be seen wearing the club tie in ''[[The Living Daylights]]'' as well as that of Malpas Cricket Club in ''[[Octopussy]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spaiser |first1=Matt |title=Q's History Through Ties |url=https://www.bondsuits.com/qs-history-through-ties/ |website=Bond Suits |access-date=4 August 2022 |date=7 September 2015}}</ref>

Despite the objections of his father, Llewelyn decided to pursue an acting career, and was accepted into the [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]] in 1934. In 1937 Llewelyn found work with a number of small stage roles, working with Matthew Forsyth and the Forsyth Players, and it was through this company that Llewelyn met Pamela Mary Pantlin whom he married in 1938. The following year, Llewelyn appeared in his first feature film, the British comedy ''[[Ask a Policeman]]''.<ref name="WBio"></ref>

===Second World War===
Llewelyn's nascent acting career was paused by the [[Second World War|outbreak of war in 1939]], when he was commissioned as a [[second lieutenant]] in the [[Royal Welsh Fusiliers]]. In 1940 his unit was engaged in fighting an entire Panzer division for several days near the French city of Lille, but they were overrun in attempting to retreat to Dunkirk, and Llewelyn was captured. He spent the remainder of the war in prisoner of war camps, first at [[Oflag VII-C|Laufen]], before he was transferred to [[Colditz Castle]] ([[Oflag IV-C]]) following his attempted escape from Laufen by tunnelling out. Llewelyn remained imprisoned at Colditz until it was liberated by Allied forces in 1945.<ref name="WBio"></ref>

==Acting career==
After the war, Llewelyn continued his career as an actor, returning to television work in [[Robert Atkins (actor)|Sir Robert Atkins']] 1946 film of ''A Midsummer Night's Dream''. He also acted on stage with [[Laurence Olivier]] and [[Vivien Leigh]], before appearing in Olivier's 1948 film ''[[Hamlet (1948 film)|Hamlet]]''. Llewelyn continued to gain work in television, notably portraying [[Mr Hyde]] in ''The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'', as well as roles in TV series ''[[My Wife Jacqueline]]'', ''[[The Adventures of Robin Hood (TV series)|The Adventures of Robin Hood]]'' and ''[[The Invisible Man (1958 TV series)|The Invisible Man]]''.<ref name="WBio"></ref>

In 1950, Llewelyn drew on both his war experience and Welsh background to play a supporting role as "'77 Jones" a Welsh tank commander in the film ''[[They Were Not Divided]]'' directed by [[Terence Young (director)|Terence Young]]. Throughout the 1950s Llewelyn appeared in a number of small roles in films such as ''[[The Lavender Hill Mob]]'', ''[[Valley of Song]]'', ''[[A Night to Remember (1958 film)|A Night to Remember]]'', ''[[Knights of the Round Table (film)|Knights of the Round Table]]'', ''[[Sword of Sherwood Forest]]'', and he appeared in the 1961 [[Hammer Film Productions|Hammer Horror]] film ''[[The Curse of the Werewolf]]''.

===''James Bond'' series===
{{see also|Q (James Bond)}}
In 1963, Terence Young asked Llewelyn to read for the part of [[Q ("James Bond" character)|Quartermaster Major Boothroyd]] in the second official film in the [[Bond film series]], ''[[From Russia with Love (film)|From Russia with Love]]''. Both Young and [[Ian Fleming]] wanted 'Q' portrayed with a strong [[Welsh accent]] (as Llewelyn used his native accent while working with Young on ''They Were Not Divided''). Llewelyn disagreed, persuading them that the character should have an upper-class English accent. Despite this, Llewelyn was chosen for the role.<ref name="WBio"></ref>

Llewelyn would become a staple of the film series for over thirty years, playing 'Q' the [[quartermaster]] of the [[Secret Intelligence Service|MI6]] from 1963 until 1999. Llewelyn appeared in every [[EON Productions|EON film production]] except 1973's ''[[Live and Let Die (film)|Live and Let Die]]'', in which the character did not appear.

His last appearance as Q prior to his death was in ''[[The World Is Not Enough]]'' in 1999. During his briefing of [[James Bond (character)|007]] in the film, Q introduces [[John Cleese]]'s character, R, as his [[heir presumptive]], and the film alludes to Q's retirement, to which Bond, after seeing Q, expresses his hope that it will not be any time soon. Q's response is to admonish Bond to "always have an escape plan", after which he lowers himself through the floor of his lab. Llewelyn had stated not long before his death that he had no plans to retire and that he would continue playing Q "as long as the producers want me and the Almighty (God) doesn't."<ref>From an interview on the DVD release of ''[[The World Is Not Enough]]''.</ref>

In 1967, Llewelyn portrayed 'Q' alongside [[Lois Maxwell|Lois Maxwell's]] [[Miss Moneypenny]] in an EON produced television documentary entitled ''[[Welcome to Japan, Mr. Bond]]''. This promotional film was included in the 2006 Special Edition DVD release of ''[[You Only Live Twice (film)|You Only Live Twice]]''. He would play the role of 'Q' in seventeen films, more than any other actor and playing opposite five iterations of the James Bond character in [[Sir Sean Connery]], [[George Lazenby]], [[Sir Roger Moore]], fellow Welshman [[Timothy Dalton]], and [[Pierce Brosnan]].

Although Llewelyn became one of British cinema's most recognisable characters and an important and long-standing element in the 'Bond' franchise, 'Q' did not make Llewelyn rich—the actor was merely paid 'by the day' for his few hours of work on-set and did not share in the money made by the films. Nevertheless, because Llewelyn was considered one of the franchise's major institutions and also immensely popular among Bond fans, Llewelyn starred in several commercials, including ones to promote the video games ''[[GoldenEye 007 (1997 video game)|GoldenEye 007]]'' and ''[[Tomorrow Never Dies (video game)|Tomorrow Never Dies]]''.

===Other roles===
[[File:Desmond Llewelyn.jpg|thumb|Llewelyn in 1992]]
Llewellyn continued to act in other roles throughout his tenure as 'Q', notably appearing the 1963 film ''[[Cleopatra (1963 film)|Cleopatra]]'' (as a Roman senator), and the 1981 [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]] production of ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]]'', and he had a small role in the musical ''[[Chitty Chitty Bang Bang]]'' (1968), which was itself based on a children's book by Bond author [[Ian Fleming]]. Llewelyn would also appear as Geoffrey Maddocks ('The Colonel') in the British television series ''[[Follyfoot]]'' from 1971 to 1973, and the BBC Wales production ''[[The Life and Times of David Lloyd George]]'' with [[Philip Madoc]].

The Bond film ''Live and Let Die'' was filmed during the third series of ''Follyfoot'', and Llewelyn was written out of the series for three episodes so he could appear in the film. However, the Bond producers ultimately decided to leave the character out of the film anyway, much to Llewelyn's annoyance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.follyfoot-tv.co.uk/jott/des_inter/des_interveiw.htm |title=Llewelyn's last interview (with reference to ''Follyfoot'' and ''Live and Let Die'') |publisher=Follyfoot-tv.co.uk |date=19 December 1999 |access-date=19 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217053521/http://www.follyfoot-tv.co.uk/jott/des_inter/des_interveiw.htm |archive-date=17 February 2012 }}</ref>

He was the subject of ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1995 when he was surprised by [[Michael Aspel]] at London's Hyde Park Hotel, during a press launch for the new Bond film, ''[[GoldenEye]]''.<ref name="WBio"></ref>

==Personal life==
Llewelyn married Pamela Mary Pantlin in Kensington in May 1938. The couple had two sons, Charles Ivor (b. 1949) and Justin Cather (1953–2012). Despite playing an inventor in the Bond films, Llewelyn always maintained that he was totally lost in the world of technology, a trait that also plagued his successors, [[John Cleese]] and [[Ben Whishaw]]. A biography entitled ''[[Q: The Biography of Desmond Llewelyn]]'' was written by Sandy Hernu, and it was subsequently released on 1 November 1999.

==Death==
On 19 December 1999, Llewelyn was driving alone from a book signing event when his [[Renault Mégane]] [[head-on collision|collided head-on]] with a [[Fiat Bravo]] on the [[A27 road|A27]] near the village of [[Berwick, East Sussex]]. Llewelyn sustained massive internal injuries and was airlifted by helicopter to [[Eastbourne District General Hospital]], where he died soon afterward at the age of 85. The driver of the Fiat, a 35-year-old man, was seriously injured but survived; a woman in her thirties was also in the Fiat and suffered minor injuries.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/571888.stm |title=Bond actor killed in crash |work=BBC News |date=19 December 1999 |access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref> An inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/jun/14/4 | title = Road death of Q actor accidental | access-date = 12 September 2012 | date = 14 June 2000 | work = The Guardian | location = London }}</ref> 

Llewelyn's death occurred three weeks after the premiere of ''[[The World Is Not Enough]]''. Roger Moore, who starred with Llewelyn in [[Roger Moore#James Bond era (1973–1985)|six of his seven ''Bond'' films]], spoke at his funeral on 6 January 2000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/692719.stm|title=James Bond's tribute to 'Q'|work=BBC News}}</ref> at St Mary the Virgin Church in [[Battle, East Sussex|Battle]], Sussex.<ref name="BBCNewsFuneral">{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/592662.stm | title=Mourners remember 'Q' | date=6 January 2000 | work=BBC News | access-date=19 May 2019}}</ref> The service was followed by a private cremation at [[Hastings Cemetery|Hastings Crematorium]], with the ashes given to Llewelyn's family.<ref name="BBCNewsFuneral" />

His widow, Pamela Mary Llewelyn, died in East Sussex in 2001, also aged 85. His son, Justin Llewelyn, died in 2012, aged 59.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2012/12/11/british-eventing-commentator-justin-llewelyn-dies/ | title=Eventing commentator Justin Llewelyn dies | date=11 December 2012 | publisher=horsetalk.co.nz | access-date=19 May 2019 | archive-date=4 May 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504150704/https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2012/12/11/british-eventing-commentator-justin-llewelyn-dies/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Selected filmography==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[Ask a Policeman]]'' (1939) as Headless Coachman (uncredited)
* ''[[Captain Boycott (film)|Captain Boycott]]'' (1947) as Gentleman on Train (uncredited)
* ''[[Hamlet (1948 film)|Hamlet]]'' (1948) as Extra (uncredited)
* ''[[Adam and Evelyne]]'' (1949) as Undetermined Supporting Role (uncredited)
* ''[[The Chiltern Hundreds (film)|The Chiltern Hundreds]]'' (1949) as First guardsman (uncredited)
* ''[[Guilt Is My Shadow]]'' (1950) as Pub customer
* ''[[They Were Not Divided]]'' (1950) as '77 Jones
* ''[[The Lavender Hill Mob]]'' (1951) as First guardsman (uncredited)
* ''[[Valley of Song]]'' (1953) as Lloyd as Schoolmaster
* ''[[Operation Diplomat (film)|Operation Diplomat]]'' (1953) as Police Constable at barrier (uncredited)
* ''[[Knights of the Round Table (film)|Knights of the Round Table]]'' (1953) as A Herald (uncredited)
* ''Stryker of the Yard'' (1953)
* ''[[A Night to Remember (1958 film)|A Night to Remember]]'' (1958) as Seaman at Steerage Gate (uncredited)
* ''[[Further Up the Creek]]'' (1958) as Chief Yeoman (uncredited)
* ''[[Corridors of Blood]]'' (1958) as Assistant at operations (uncredited)
* ''[[Sapphire (film)|Sapphire]]'' (1959) as Police Constable (uncredited)
* ''[[Sword of Sherwood Forest]]'' (1960) as Wounded Fugitive (uncredited)
* ''[[Gorgo (film)|Gorgo]] '' (1961) (uncredited)
* ''[[The Curse of the Werewolf]]'' (1961) as 1st Footman (uncredited)
* ''[[Only Two Can Play]]'' (1962) as Clergyman on Bus (uncredited) 
* ''[[The Pirates of Blood River]]'' (1962) as Tom Blackthorne (uncredited)
* ''[[Cleopatra (1963 film)|Cleopatra]]'' (1963) as Senator (uncredited)<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Bray Lower|editor1-first=Cheryl|editor2-last=Palmer|editor2-first=R. Barton|title=Joseph L. Mankiewicz: Critical Essays with an Annotated Bibliography and a Filmography|publisher=McFarland|year=2001|page=257|isbn=9780786409877}}</ref>
* ''[[From Russia with Love (film)|From Russia with Love]]'' (1963) as Boothroyd / Q
* ''[[The Silent Playground]]'' (1963) as Dr. Green
* ''[[Goldfinger (film)|Goldfinger]]'' (1964) as Q 
* ''[[The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders]]'' (1965) as Jailer (uncredited)
* ''[[Thunderball (film)|Thunderball]]'' (1965) as Q 
* ''[[You Only Live Twice (film)|You Only Live Twice]]'' (1967) as Q 
* ''[[Chitty Chitty Bang Bang]]'' (1968) as Mr. Coggins 
* ''[[On Her Majesty's Secret Service (film)|On Her Majesty's Secret Service]]'' (1969) as Q 
* ''[[Diamonds Are Forever (film)|Diamonds Are Forever]]'' (1971) as Q 
* ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]'' (1974) as Q 
* ''[[The Spy Who Loved Me (film)|The Spy Who Loved Me]]'' (1977) as Q 
* ''[[The Golden Lady]]'' (1979) as Professor Dixon
* ''[[Moonraker (film)|Moonraker]]'' (1979) as Q 
* ''[[For Your Eyes Only (film)|For Your Eyes Only]]'' (1981) as Q 
* ''[[Octopussy]]'' (1983) as Q 
* ''[[A View to a Kill]]'' (1985) as Q 
* ''[[The Living Daylights]]'' (1987) as Q 
* ''[[Prisoner of Rio]]'' (1988) as Commissioner Ingram
* ''[[Licence to Kill]]'' (1989) as Q 
* ''Merlin'' (1993) as Professor Mycroft
* ''[[GoldenEye]]'' (1995) as Q 
* ''[[Tomorrow Never Dies]]'' (1997) as Q 
* ''[[The World Is Not Enough]]'' (1999) as Q 
* ''The Millennium Disaster: Computer Crash 2000'' (1999) as Peregrin Morley
{{div col end}}

===Other appearances===
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* '' Dangerman'': Episode "The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovergrove" 1964 as Charles  - Doorman  
* ''James Bond: Licence to Thrill'' – TV Movie documentary (1987) as Himself 
* ''[[Wogan (TV series)|Wogan]]'' (1989) – episode – Licence to Kill Special 
* ''30 Years of James Bond'' – TV Movie documentary (1992) as Himself
* ''The Goldfinger Phenomenon'' – Video documentary short (1995) as Himself
* ''Behind the Scenes with 'Thunderball''' – Video documentary (1995) as Himself / Q
* ''GoldenEye: The Secret Files'' – TV Short documentary (1995) as Himself
* ''In Search of James Bond with Jonathan Ross'' – TV Movie documentary (1995) as Q
* ''This Is Your Life'' – TV Series documentary – Desmond Llewelyn (1995) as Himself 
* ''The World of James Bond'' – TV Movie documentary (1995) as Himself
* ''Countdown to Tomorrow'' – Documentary (1997) as Himself / Q
* ''The Secrets of 007: The James Bond Files''- TV Movie documentary (1997) as Himself / Q
* ''James Bond: Shaken and Stirred'' – TV Movie documentary (1997) as Himself
* ''License to Thrill'' – Short (1999) as Q 
* ''The Making of 'The World Is Not Enough''' – Video documentary short (1999) as Himself
* ''Exclusive'' – TV Series documentary – Episode dated 21 November 1999 (1999) as Himself – Interviewee
* ''The Bond Cocktail'' – TV Movie documentary (1999) as Himself
* ''Highly Classified: The World of 007'' – Video documentary (1998) as Q 
* ''The James Bond Story'' – TV Movie documentary (1999) as Himself / Q
* ''Inside "From Russia with Love"'' – Video documentary short (2000) as Himself
* ''Inside "Moonraker"'' – Video documentary short (2000) as Himself
* ''Inside Q's Lab'' – Video documentary short (2000) as Himself / Q
* ''Terence Young: Bond Vivant'' – Video documentary short (2000) as Himself
* ''Now Pay Attention 007: A Tribute to Actor Desmond Llewelyn'' – TV Movie documentary (2000) as Himself
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.salon.com/people/obit/1999/12/23/desmond_llewelyn/ Obituary at Salon.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128210020/http://www.salon.com/people/obit/1999/12/23/desmond_llewelyn |date=28 January 2011 }}
*{{IMDb name|id=0005155|name=Desmond Llewelyn}}
*{{Screenonline name|id=546051|name=Desmond Llewelyn}}
*[http://www.follyfoot.org The Follyfoot forum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803073129/http://www.follyfoot.org/ |date=3 August 2021 }}

{{Start box}}

| width = 28% align = center | Preceded by<br/>'''[[Peter Burton]]'''
| width = 44% align = center | '''[[Q (James Bond)|Q]]<br>(in [[Eon Productions|Eon]] [[James Bond in film|James Bond films]])''' <br>1963–1999
| width = 28% align = center | Succeeded by<br/>'''[[John Cleese]]'''
{{s-ach|rec}}
|- 
| width = 28% align = center | Preceded by<br/>'''[[Johnny Weissmuller]] <br> [[Mickey Rooney]]'''
| width = 44% align = center | '''Playing the same role in most movies<br>17''' <br>1999
| width = 28% align = center | '''Incumbent'''
{{s-end}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Llewelyn, Desmond}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:1999 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Welsh male actors]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]
[[Category:Artists' Rifles soldiers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Male actors from Newport, Wales]]
[[Category:People educated at Radley College]]
[[Category:Prisoners of war held at Colditz Castle]]
[[Category:Road incident deaths in England]]
[[Category:Royal Welch Fusiliers officers]]
[[Category:Welsh male film actors]]
[[Category:Welsh male television actors]]
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Germany]]