Fictional ascendancy Norfolk: 007's golden look
But back influence the 1970s things were appropriate altered - and Norfolk played an conspicuous allotment influence creating the kit of the secret factor's trade.
First acknowledged was Dereham man Ken Wallis and his autogyro, consequently Lotus provided an Being for 1981 film For Your Faculty Only.
The kingdom's links blot out Bond advance hide Roger Bennington of the Stratton Motor Company ascendancy Elongated Stratton preparing and looking abutting all 007's Aston Martins.
And away aggrandized "real Q" has emerged for the ahead age from beneath influence his south Norfolk den - the man hide the golden beholding.
For one of the most iconic films ascendancy the Bond franchise, bury a term lane by Lulu and a commanding performance by Roger Moore, owes authentic all to cigarette lighter designer Willi Retzler.
Mr Retzler, from Forncett St Peter, was the man who came up blot out the conception of putting well-adjusted a pen, cufflink, cigarette lighter and circumstances to anatomy blackguard Scaramanga's dangerous weapon.
But for 30 agedness he has shunned all publicity, concentrating instead on carving sculptures access his bummed out farmhouse, and yesterday told the EDP he has not extremely bothered to chronometer the film.
Mr Retzler, at once 83, was chief designer at lighter manufacturers Colibri when the company was approached by Bond account Albert Broccoli ascendancy 1973 hide a best begging for the crucial prop.
"I was asked to beget a cast out of items one might posses about the person, " oral Mr Retzler. "The exclusive other affair I was told was that it had to be gold - plated.
"Once the task was set the rest was pretty easy. Along with the lighters at the time we were also making fountain pens and cigarette cases, we bought some cuff links from Cartier and it took about three weeks to put it all together. "
In Ian Fleming's original book the gun was just a gold - plated revolver, but the result of Mr Retzler's work became celluloid legend, featuring in movie posters and stills widely collected to this day.
"I had tickets to the premiere but I didn't want to see it, " he said. "I didn't feel too good about it. I don't like the argy bargy, all the hullabaloo.
"My wife went later and she said they didn't even show the gun being put together, but I guess Bond wasn't there to show how clever we were.
"Anyway what I did was obvious. When I met Ken Wallis at an event in Norfolk and I was told what he had done I felt as tiny as an atom - there's nothing much to putting a gun together. "
Mr Retzler, originally from Romania, moved to England aged 27 and settled in Norfolk in 1973 after marrying his second wife, shortly before the film was released.
He designed cigarette lighters for 25 years but since retiring has concentrated in sculpting cats and birds out of wood, bronze and granite.
"My son works with wave power, " he added. "Now that's something, not designing bloody golden guns. He does something worthwhile, and I wasted my life with luxuries that make good Christmas presents. "
November 25, 2006
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