Enjoy This Interview With Ian Fleming Talking About James Bond From 1963

Friends, the other evening as I was about to head home for the night, Rockford Jay popped in and shared an interview with me from a 1963 episode of Desert Island Discs. Less than ten minutes long – this interview with Ian Fleming is part of the long running BBC radio/podcast series that was originally started by Roy Plomley on the BBC Forces Programme back on January 29th of 1942. This is apparently the only surviving portion of this particular 1963 interview with Ian Fleming, the creator and successful Author of numerous James Bond novels. In fact at the time this interview took place, Dr. No hadn’t even been out a year here in the States – something that is mentioned during the interview itself – as well as what Fleming felt about the cinematic version of his creation.

As I understand it from doing a quick bit of research online – the format for Desert Island Discs would involve the guest being interviewed as well as choosing eight pieces of music or even literature, that the subject for the episode would want to bring with them to a desert island. Apparently excerpts from the music would be played or read in the case of literary work – the show by the way is still being produced as a podcast with Lauren Laverne. Recent guests include Brian Cox (The Autopsy of Jane Doe), Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), and Russell T. Davies (Doctor Who).

While sadly none of the music or perhaps literary favorites picked by Ian Fleming in this 1963 interview have survived – it is a refreshing if short chat with a very talented Writer. In his discussions with Roy Plomley, Fleming comes off as sincere and totally honest in his answers – I was left wanting to hear much, much more though.