50th Anniversary of On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

By: Anders Frejdh

Published:
2019-12-18

The 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service starring George Lazenby (in his first and only film as Ian Fleming James Bond) premiered at cinemas in Sweden, UK and USA on 18th December 1969. The film is by many considered to be the best films in the entire 007 series.

Ernst Stavro Blofeld plans to blackmail the Western World with the threat of bacteriological sabotage of the world food supply. His ransom? Recognition of his claim to the title of Count de Bleuchamp, and amnesty for all his past crimes.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service 50th Anniversary tribute trailer from Passionsfruit:

Cast & crew remembers working on On Her Majesty's Secret Service

"The opening fight scene was filmed in Portugal at the Guincho Beach outside of Estoril, a great location. The scene took about 5 days to film, weather permitting. It was very cold in the sea so Peter Hunt gave George Lazenby and me a bottle of brandy and said: “Hear, drink this, get in the sea and lets see you both do your stuff!” and it worked... It was my best scene as an actor. And for me as an actor, it was a privilege to have been part of it." - Terry Mountain (Raphael)

Production notes on On Her Majesty's Secret Service

(Source: MGM / EON Productions)
• 7 October 1968: George Lazenby was presented to the press as the 2nd actor to play James Bond
• 21 October 1968: George Lazenby shot his first scene as Bond in the reception of Piz Gloria
• 23 October 1968: Filming took place on the scene that introduced Blofeld’s ‘Angels of Death’
• 9 November 1968: Peter R. Hunt shot Bond’s arrival at Piz Gloria, posing as Sir Hilary Gray
• 5 November 1968: Peter R. Hunt shot Bond’s dinner with the Angels of Death
• 14 November 1968: Peter R. Hunt shot Bond’s fight with Braun and Felsen in the cowbell room
• 23 November 1968: Peter R. Hunt filmed Bond and the Angels of Death playing on the helipad
• 4 December 1968: Peter R. Hunt shot the action-packed rescue of Tracy di Vicenzo
• 8 December 1968: Peter R. Hunt was shooting Bond climbing over the cable cars
• 16 December 1968: Peter R. Hunt shot part of the attack sequence on Piz Gloria
• 18 December 1968: Peter R. Hunt shot the beginning of Bond and Blofeld’s ski chase
• 6 January 1969: Peter R. Hunt shot the scene in which Blofeld attempts (and fails) to seduce Tracy
• 9 January 1969: Peter R. Hunt began shooting 007 and Blofeld’s climactic gunfight
• 4 February 1969: Peter R. Hunt began shooting 007’s seduction of Tracy
• 24 February 1969: The crew shot the scene in which Bond escapes Blofeld’s henchmen at the ice rink
• 17 March 1969: Shooting began on the casino scenes
• 15 April 1969: Lois Maxwell (Moneypenny) shot her first scene with new Bond George Lazenby
• 30 April 1969: Filming began on Bond and Tracy’s wedding in Estoril, Portugal
• 9 May 1969: Peter R. Hunt shot Draco's birthday scene at the Vinhus Estate, Zambujal
• 3 June 1969: George Lazenby & Diana Rigg filmed skiing shots (in Pinewood's North Tunnel)
• 20 June 1969: George Lazenby completed shooting, making this his last day as Bond

Vehicles used during the filming of On Her Majesty's Secret Service

(Source: BMT 216A: The James Bond Vehicle Library)
• Aston Martin DBS
• Ford Mercury Cougar convertible
• Mercedes-Benz 220 S sedan 1960
• Mercedes-Benz 600
• Rolls Royce SilverCloud I convertible

Filming locations used for On Her Majesty's Secret Service

(Source: On the Tracks of 007)
• BLOFELD’s HIDEOUT - Schilthorn, Murren, Switzerland
• BOND AND TRACY ESCAPE FROM THE BARN - Winteregg, Switzerland
• BOND AND TRACY GET MARRIED - Herdade do Zambujal, Aguas de Moura, Portugal
• BOND AND TRACY HUG ON THE BEACH - Herdade do Zambujal, Aguas de Moura, Portugal
• BOND AND TRACY IN THE PARK / TRACY PLAYS WITH A CAT - Palacio de Marqueses Fronteiras, Lisbon, Portugal
• BOND AT TELEPHONE BOOTH - Jungfrau Hotel, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
• BOND FINDS TRACY’s HOTEL - Palacio Hotel, Rua do Parque, Estoril, Portugal
• BOND LEAVES TOWN - Cidadela, Cascais, Portugal
• BOND VISITS THE JEWELER - Joalharia Ferreira Marques, Rossio, Lisbon, Portugal
• CHURCH CLOCK IN BERN - Heiliggeistkirche, Bern, Switzerland
• COLLEGE OF ARMS - College of Arms, Queen Victoria Street, London, England
• DRACO’s BIRTHDAY PARTY - Herdade do Zambujal, Aguas de Moura, Portugal
• GUMBOLD’s OFFICE IN BERN - Gauer Schweizerhof Hotel, Bahnhofplatz 11, Bern, Switzerland
• ICE SKATING AT X-MAS FESTIVAL - Grindelwald Grund train station parking lot, Grindelwald, Switzerland
• M’s RESIDENCE - Thames Lawn Estate, Marlow, England
• ON THEIR WAY TO THE BEACH - Rue do Cabo, north of Guincho, Portugal
• STOCK-CAR RACE - Just outside Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
• THE BOBSLED TRACK - Murren, Switzerland
• TRACY GETS KILLED - Arrabida Road, Arrabida Park, Portugal
• TRACY’s SUICIDE ATTEMPT - Guincho Beach, West of Cascais, Portugal
• UNIVERSAL EXPORTS / MI6 EXTERIOR - HM Treasury Chambers, London, England

STUDIO USED FOR INTERIORS, CLOSE-UP SHOTS ETC - Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England

Over the years, FSWL has been fortunate to meet, and written articles about, some of the people that worked on On Her Majesty's Secret Service, here is some of them if you want to read more:

>Angela Scoular as Ruby Bartlett
>Bernard Horsfall as Shaun Campbell
>Bill Weston (Stuntman)
>Catherine Schell as Nancy
>Desmond Llewelyn as Q
>Diana Rigg as Tracy Di Vicenzo
>George Baker as Sir Hilary Bray
>George Lazenby as James Bond
>George Leech (Stuntman)
>Jenny Hanley as The Irish Girl
>Joanna Lumley as The English Girl
>John Barry (Film soundtrack composer)
>John Glen (Second unit director/Editor)
>John Stears (Special effects)
>Julie Ege as The Scandinavian Girl
>Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny
>Michael Reed (Director of Photography)
>Monty Norman (Composer of the James Bond theme)
>Peter Hunt (Director)
>Richard Maibaum (Screenwriter)
>Rocky Taylor (Stuntman)
>Syd Cain (Art Director)
>Sylvana Henriques as The Jamaican Girl
>Terence Mountain as Raphael
>Terry Richards (Stuntman)
>Vic Armstrong (Stunt double for Lazenby)

Photo above:
Swedish poster (reprint from 1982) for On Her Majesty's Secret Service from the FSWL collection.

Read more about the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service on MGM's official website.

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#on_the_tracks_of_007

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