Website last updated: 20-3-2025
Home
Book & Film reviews
Competitions
Event
FSWL Merchandise
In Memoriam
Interviews
James Bond 007 articles
James Bond 007 collection
James Bond 007 films
James Bond 007 games
James Bond 007 news
James Bond 007 products
James Bond 007 shop
James Bond 007 stars
James Bond Fan Clubs
Swedes in the Bond films
The Blofeld Files: The Making of the Iconic Alpine Sequence in On Her Majesty's Secret Service
By: FSWL team
Published:
2025-03-18
2025-03-18
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is undoubtedly Ian Fleming’s most extraordinary Bond adventure. James Bond – bachelor, womanizer, loner, and professional assassin – falls in love, resigns from the Secret Service, and marries the daughter of a mafia boss. But fate strikes during their honeymoon: his wife is murdered. Devastated, Bond is left to grieve. The culprit is Ernst Stavro Blofeld, who not only destroys Bond’s chance at a normal life but also turns their professional rivalry into a personal vendetta.
Equally remarkable is the 1969 film adaptation of the novel. Filming took place in Switzerland over the course of seven months, transforming the Swiss Alps into a vast open-air studio. The summit station of the Schilthorn in the Bernese Alps was extensively rebuilt and renamed “Piz Gloria,” Blofeld’s hideout. Perhaps the most dramatic alteration to the natural landscape occurred when 200,000 cubic meters of ice and snow were blasted off the Tschingel Ridge to simulate the avalanche described in the novel – without official permission.
Hotels, chalets, and private accommodations in Mürren hosted the cast and crew, including Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, and the new James Bond, George Lazenby. To bring the film to life, the production team enlisted dozens of local mountain farmers, guides, ski instructors, and daredevils from the Lauterbrunnen Valley to serve as stuntmen, extras, and crew members.
Promotional shot of George Lazenby as James Bond on top of the Schilthorn. Copyright © 2025 Edition Bleuchamp. All rights reserved.
Behind the scenes shots of Diana Rigg and Peter Hunt during the filming in Switzerland. Copyright © 2025 Edition Bleuchamp. All rights reserved.
These contemporary witnesses not only shared their fascinating memories but also granted access to their personal treasures: hundreds of private photographs, documents, folders full of newspaper clippings, autograph cards, and props such as papier-mâché rifles and pistols. Memorabilia such as furniture from the Alpine room or costumes from the film were generously made available for viewing, scanning, or photographing. Heartfelt thanks go to all of them – this book would not have been possible without their contributions. This treasure trove of stories, photographs, and documents forms the foundation and inspiration for this unique photo book.
The stunt doubles for George Lazenby (Alfred Zurschmiede), Diana Rigg (Georges Marinetto) and two of the Blofeld guards (Heinz Brunner, Fritz Stäger). Copyright © 2025 Edition Bleuchamp. All rights reserved.
The story of this book began back in summer 2002 when co-author Peter Waelty conducted research for the book James Bond and Switzerland (Peter Waelty, Michael Marti, Echtzeit, 2008) on the making of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. During this research, dozens of interviews were conducted and digitally recorded. For The Blofeld Files, these existing sources were carefully re-evaluated and transcribed. Several new interviews were conducted, and entirely new participants were added.
Co-author Steffen Appel contributed significantly to both the content and visual design through his extensive research and the provision of numerous images from his impressive collection. Furthermore, the photo archive of ETH Zurich’s library, particularly the Comet Photo AG collection, proved to be a valuable source of high-quality photographs from the film production.
The authors are also grateful to the ETH archive staff, who scanned and provided new images upon our requests. The photo archive of the newspaper Blick also turned out to be an incredibly rich resource, containing hundreds of previously unpublished images.
In 1968, John Gugelmann worked behind the scenes as a key orchestrator. As head of the Gugelmann Press Service, he managed public relations for United Artists in Switzerland and organized all press and photo sessions. Thanks to his diligence and creativity, the authors were able to access this wealth of material decades later.
The Blofeld Files is conceived as a photo book and illustrated historical document about the production of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in Switzerland. Its aim is not to chronicle every detail of the production, but to place it within the socio-cultural context and spirit of the late 1960s.
Unlike The Goldfinger Files, the authors chose not to narrate the filming process as a diary. The filming schedule was too complex and non-linear for a chronological depiction to align with the film’s storyline. Instead, the goal was to strike a balance between narrative and production insights.
Moreover, The Blofeld Files largely avoids using official set photography from EON Productions. Instead, the selected images aim to create an intimate, spontaneous connection with the cast and crew, immersing readers in the fascinating and authentic world of the James Bond filmmakers and the 1960s—both in front of and behind the scenes.
Behind the scenes shot of Blofeld's Angels of Death - Anouska Hempel, Jenny Hanley, Mona Chong, Julie Ege, Catherine Schell, Joanna Lumley and Sylvana Henriques. Copyright © 2025 Edition Bleuchamp. All rights reserved.
NOTE: The book can at this point not be delivered internationally. This may change in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out.
For more information about The Blofeld Files, visit the book website. Currently, it is possible to order the book from Amazon.de.
Tags:
#film_books
#george_lazenby
#on_her_majestys_secret_service
#products
#schilthorn_piz_gloria
#steven_saltzman
Tweet
