Q (James Bond)

Q is a fictional character in the James Bond novels and movies. Q (standing for Quartermaster), like M, is a job title rather than a name. He is the head of Q branch, the fictional research and development division of the British Secret Service. The Q character actually appears only fleetingly in Ian Fleming's novels, but comes into his own in the successful Bond movie series. The character of Q (although not always identified as such) has appeared in each of the 007 films except for Live and Let Die.

Major Boothroyd

The ancestry of the Q character is rather complicated. In the Fleming novels there are frequent references to 'Q branch' and in sixth novel, Dr. No, the service armourer Major Boothroyd appears for the first time. Fleming named the character after an army officer who had written to him suggested that Bond was not using the best firearm available. Boothroyd is also referenced occasionally in the Bond novels of John Gardner, but the author preferred instead to focus on a new character (see "Other Qs", below).

Related Topics:
Armourer - John Gardner

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In the films, 'Major Boothroyd' first appears in Dr. No and later in From Russia With Love, although played by different actors. Beginning in Goldfinger and in each film thereafter Major Boothroyd is most oftenly referred to as Q, however, in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) he is referred once again as Major Boothroyd in dialogue. Some sources, most notably the 1980s James Bond 007 role-playing game suggested that Boothroyd's first name was Geoffrey, although this contradicts Fleming. No first name was ever mentioned on screen.

Related Topics:
Goldfinger - The Spy Who Loved Me - 1977 - Role-playing game

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Peter Burton as Major Boothroyd

Major Boothroyd was first played by Peter Burton in the first James Bond film, Dr. No (1962). In the only scene in which he appears, he replaces Bond's Beretta pistol with Bond's signature Walther PPK handgun.

Related Topics:
Peter Burton - Dr. No - 1962 - Beretta - Walther PPK

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Desmond Llewelyn as Q (a.k.a. Major Boothroyd)

Due to scheduling conflicts, Peter Burton was unavailable to reprise his role as Boothroyd in From Russia With Love (1963) and was replaced by Desmond Llewelyn, who would continue to play the role, with the exception of Live and Let Die in every James Bond film until his death in 1999. In the series, Boothroyd was preparing to retire during the events of The World is Not Enough and has clearly retired by the time of Die Another Day (2002), but it yet to be confirmed on screen whether the character is now deceased.

Related Topics:
From Russia With Love - 1963 - Desmond Llewelyn - Live and Let Die - 1999 - The World is Not Enough - Die Another Day - 2002

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In the James Bond movies, the relationship between Bond and Q is one of seeming antipathy. The gadgets supplied by Q are almost invariably destroyed as a result of Bond's use of them, and Q is constantly exhorting Bond to take better care of them and to occasionally read the instruction manual. Bond usually responds by displaying an instant mastery of whatever device Q hands to him.

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In addition to the tech laboratories, Q occasionally meets Bond in the field to deliver some equipment or to personally handle some specialized devices to assist Bond. This goes so far as in Licence to Kill where Q sides with Bond, supplying him with gadgetry and even helping him operationally despite Bond's having resigned from MI6.

Related Topics:
Licence to Kill - MI6

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Featured in:

• From Russia With Love
• Goldfinger
• Thunderball
• You Only Live Twice
• On Her Majesty's Secret Service
• Diamonds Are Forever
• The Man with the Golden Gun
• The Spy Who Loved Me
• Moonraker
• For Your Eyes Only
• Octopussy
• A View to a Kill
• The Living Daylights
• Licence to Kill
• GoldenEye
• Tomorrow Never Dies
• The World Is Not Enough