Latest news with #Octopussy
Scotsman
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Story of James Bond star bear raised by humans to be told on Scottish stage
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... He was a 10-foot grizzly adopted by a human family in Stirlingshire almost 50 years ago and has been dubbed Scotland's most famous bear. Now a new play telling the story of Hercules, who became a cult folk hero and appeared in James Bond film Octopussy, is to tour Scotland in the autumn. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hercules was bought by Andy and Maggie Robin for £50 from Kingussie's Highland Wildlife Park in 1976 after the park reached capacity. If the cub could not be rehomed, he would be put down. Ben Winger, Maggie Robin, Suzie Ferguson and Diane Thornton with puppets of Hercules the bear ahead of the upcoming production. Pic: Eoin Carey | Eoin Carey Created by theatre production company Tenterhooks, Hercules the Bear stars Ben Winger and Diane Thornton as Hercules' parents, trainers and bear enthusiasts Mr and Ms Robin, with Suzie Ferguson as Hercules. Hercules himself will be portrayed by lifelike puppets created by Fergus Dunnet and Gretchen Maynard-Hahn. While Mr Robbin died in 2019, Ms Robbin is closely involved with the production and will make a post-show appearance in Ayr to discuss her 'gentle giant'. She said: 'I'm so excited that the story of Hercules - and Andy and I - will be told on stage for the first time. Our time with Hercules was so precious so it's just a pleasure to get to relive it once again. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The show Tenterhooks have created is such a great tribute to our special bear for so many reasons, but perhaps most notably because the Hercules puppets are so lifelike. I'm so thrilled to be involved with the tour and can't wait for Hercules to meet audiences the length and breadth of Scotland once again.' Wrestler Mr Robb had previously appeared alongside a bear in a performance at Canadian stadium Maple Leaf Gardens in 1965. First appearing alongside Mr Robin on the wrestling circuit, Hercules went on to achieve worldwide fame after his disappearance while filming a Kleenex advert on Benbecula led to a 24-day bear hunt. He was eventually found in North Uist - 20 miles from where he went missing - by a crofter. A statue was later erected to remember his escape in the island's Langass Woodland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hercules subsequently won roles in various films, including appearing alongside Roger Moore in Octopussy in 1983. A spokesperson for Tenterhooks said: 'It's such a joy to be bringing the story of Hercules, Andy, and Maggie to Scottish stages - and we're so pleased to have Maggie's blessing and for her to join us at various points throughout the tour. Hercules will be portrayed by lifelike puppets. | Eion Carey 'Hercules is truly a contemporary Scottish folk hero, so it's a real honour to be able to introduce him to a whole new generation across the country - we can't wait to get started.' The play was premiered to a small audience in North Uist last year, but is now to tour Scotland after receiving funding from the Creative Scotland Touring Fund. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Indian Express
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Bollywood actor who played James Bond villain had an open marriage with first wife, ended in divorce: ‘My wife's relationships with other men bothered me'
Bollywood stars are seldom open up about the messy details of their romantic relationships. Be it the chatter about the affairs, or open relationships, stars often keep mum about everything that could result in a controversy so when actor Kabir Bedi and his first wife, dancer Protima Bedi, decided to try open marriage, it shocked those around them. Even now, when Kabir is 79, and has been married four times, the idea continues to shock people. In a recent interview, the actor, who appeared in many international projects like Octopussy and Sandokan, shared that his marriage with Protima in the early 1970s was not as smooth as he had hoped, and so, they decided to try something new. Kabir and Protima got married in 1969 and had two children but, towards the end, they realised that the only way to save their mariage was to convert it into an open marriage. 'Protima and I got married, had kids… It was a 7-year-long relationship. Towards the end, when we started having problems, the problems of extramarital relationships were such that if we wanted to continue with our marriage, open marriage was the only way to stay together but that experiment also failed. Ultimately, we had to leave,' he shared with Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel. When asked if her relationships with other men bothered him, Kabir shared, 'It bothered me. I had hoped that it wouldn't bother me but it did.' Kabir shared that such relationships come with consequences but 'we couldn't handle those consequences.' He further shared, 'It takes some very special kind of people to survive an open marriage and we were not them. We thought we would. We thought this is the age of free love and openness etc. It was 1960s-70s, the era of flower power, hippies, demonstrations of peace, new types of music, social change, social experimentation, we thought that we will fond our salvation. We thought we can't do a normal marriage, let's try an open marriage, but the experiment failed.' Kabir and Protima divorced in 1974. ALSO READ | Ranbir Kapoor and Yash's Ramayana budget revealed: Both parts cost Rs 4,000 crore; more expensive than Jurassic World Rebirth and Superman In an earlier chat with Filmfare, Kabir shared that they tried the traditional form of monogamous marriage for a long time before they experimented with their relationship. 'We did try the traditional model for a long time. But at times, what happens is somebody has an affair, then someone else has an affair, and then the problem of outside relationships comes into the marriage. Egos take over, you become possessive, and what not. And the fact that it does upset you, despite you being an advocate of free love… The fact is, it's very hard for an open marriage to succeed,' he said. It was towards the end of his marriage that Kabir got involved with actor Parveen Babi, but that relationship ended shortly afterwards. He then married Susan Humphreys in 1980, and they were married for almost a decade. He later married Nikki Bedi in 1992, and separated in 2005. He has been married to Parveen Dusanj since 2016, although they have been together for 19 years.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Yes, Josh Brolin's Dad Almost Replaced James Bond During a Pivotal Franchise Moment
In 1983, moviegoers were treated to the bizarre moment in which two James Bond movies were, briefly, pitted against each other. Sean Connery returned as 007 for the unofficial non-canonical Bond outing Never Say Never Again, while Roger Moore was back as Bond in his sixth Bond film, Octopussy. But, in some alternate dimension, Moore was replaced by an American actor as Bond, James Brolin. This 007 factoid, long-known to Bond aficionados, has recently resurfaced as James Brolin, father of actor Josh Brolin, recently gave a new interview to People, published on July 12. "He [Roger Moore] was out, so I flew over and I met all the people. And I got my apartment and I started working with the stuntmen and Cubby Broccoli hired me."Brolin is referring to Albert "Cubby" Broccoli, longtime Bond producer and father of Barbara Broccoli, who, earlier this year, handed the keys to the Bond kingdom over to Amazon/MGM. But, back in 1982, in pre-production for Octopussy, Moore had decided to leave the role, and thus, EON (the Bond production company) had to hire a new 007. "We hadn't signed any papers yet," Brolin explains to People. Meaning, when Moore changed his mind, the deal fell through. Had history gone another way, Brolin's Bond would have had to face Connery at the box office. Instead, starting in 1983, Brolin starred in the leading role of Peter McDermott in the popular TV series, Hotel. Had Brolin been hired, he would not have been the first American Bond. In 1954, a TV version of Casino Royale featured an American James Bond played by Barry Nelson. Would Brolin have made a good Bond? Screen tests of him in the role have been circulating for years. You can watch one rough fight scene from his never-made version of Octopussy below, courtesy of 007 Magazine. Yes, Josh Brolin's Dad Almost Replaced James Bond During a Pivotal Franchise Moment first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 13, 2025
Hindustan Times
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
James Brolin recalls blind date with Barbra Streisand which both almost cancelled
Hollywood veteran James Brolin opened up about the unexpected blind date that changed his life: the night he met his wife, Barbra Streisand. Now 84, Brolin, in a conversation with People, said that he and Streisand were both hesitant to attend the July 1, 1996, date. James Brolin shared how a hesitant blind date with Barbra Streisand in 1996 transformed their lives. (jamesbrolin_/Instagram) Brolin, speaking to the publication, said they had both picked up the phone to cancel. However, they did not go through with the cancellation and decided to 'just do it.' He further said that moment of hesitation led them to a 'life of deep love, trust and creative partnership." James Brolin says he admired Barbra Streisand's personality Before their date, Brolin had been single for three years, having ended his marriage to actor Jan Smithers in 1995. Streisand, then 54, had been divorced from actor Elliott Gould since 1971. Both Brolin and Streisand, the People report stated, were established stars navigating life solo-until fate intervened. Brolin added that he had admired Streisand's personality even before he met her. But when they finally sat face-to-face, the actor caught Streisand off guard with his new look: clean-shaven and short hair, according to the Smooth Radio report. Streisand told the publication that she was expecting a man with a brown beard and brown wavy hair, but she saw a man with his hair cut off and no beard. Brolin, recalling the moment, told People, 'That's when I fell in love. She told the truth from the start. I was crazy about her.' The couple's intimate wedding anniversary celebration Brolin and Streisand, now married for 27 years, celebrated their anniversary this year by relaxing at home, enjoying the pool, sea view, and a quiet dinner with close friends. Brolin added they called it a night with a movie at home. When asked about the key to their lasting bond, he credited mutual respect and space. He shared that Barbra never asked accusatory questions and added that they can destroy relationships. Moreover, their differences complement each other. Brolin shared that his wife is a perfectionist and takes her time, in contrast to his quick decision-making style and problem-solving aptitude. 'And yet, we love how the other one works,' he added. ALSO READ: James Brolin says he initially replaced Roger Moore in 'James Bond' film 'Octopussy' Brolin on missed opportunities in Hollywood Outside of his marriage, Brolin reflected on his career milestones and missed opportunities. According to a PTI report, he revealed that he was nearly cast as James Bond in Octopussy after Roger Moore briefly exited the project. Brolin was quoted as saying that he had flown over, begun training with stuntmen, and even gotten an apartment, but was dropped before signing after Moore eventually returned. Brolin also turned down Superman (1978) since he was unsure about wearing the costume and being 'hung up' by wires in a big red sock. ALSO READ: Evan Rachel Wood won't appear in Practical Magic 2 - Here's why FAQs What is James Brolin most known for? Brolin is best known for roles in Westworld, The Amityville Horror, Hotel, and Traffic. He's also known for his long-running marriage to Barbra Streisand. How old was Barbra Streisand when she married James Brolin? Barbra Streisand was 56 years old when she married Brolin in 1998. What happened to James Brolin's first wife? Brolin was previously married to actress Jan Smithers, with whom he has a daughter. Before that, he was married to Jane Cameron Agee. Both marriages ended in divorce.
New York Post
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
James Brolin reveals how he nearly played James Bond in ‘Octopussy'
Brolin, James Brolin. The 84-year-old Hollywood legend revealed in a new interview with People that he nearly played James Bond in his 40s, after Roger Moore 'said he would never do another' film in the franchise before 1983's 'Octopussy.' 'He was out, so I flew over and I met all the people,' Brolin recalled. 'And I got my apartment and I started working with the stuntmen and Cubby Broccoli hired me.' 9 James Brolin attends the 1984 Golden Globe Awards. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 9 Roger Moore as James Bond in 'Octopussy.' 'We hadn't signed any papers yet,' Brolin continued. 'I got back to L.A. to get my stuff because I was going to be gone for a year. And I got a call saying Roger decided to do one more, and I was out.' Moore, who died in 2017 at age 89, was the third actor to play James Bond on the big screen, after Sean Connery and George Lazneby. 9 Roger Moore, Kristina Wayborn in 'Octopussy.' He made his 007 debut in 1973's 'Live and Let Die' and went on to star in 'The Man with the Golden Gun' (1974), 'The Spy Who Loved Me' (1977), 'Moonraker' (1979), 'For Your Eyes Only' (1981), 'Octopussy' and 'A View to a Kill' (1985). He was replaced by Timothy Dalton. 9 The poster for the 1983 James Bond movie 'Octopussy.' 9 Roger Moore in 'Octopussy.' Brolin would've been the first American James Bond had he been cast in 'Octopussy.' But when Moore changed his mind about leaving the role, Brolin instead landed the leading part of Peter McDermott in the ABC soap opera series 'Hotel,' which ran from 1983 to 1988. 9 James Brolin at the Filmex Tribute To Elizabeth Taylor in Los Angeles in 1981. MediaPunch / Shutterstock 9 James Brolin and his wife Barbara Streisand attend the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. WireImage The James Bond franchise is currently without a leading man after Daniel Craig shot his final 007 movie, 'No Time To Die,' which came out in 2021 and grossed $774 million at the worldwide box office In February, the original Bond producers, Barbara Broccoli and her brother Michael G. Wilson, relinquished creative control of the films to Amazon MGM Studios for a reported $1 billion. 9 Daniel Craig as James Bond. Nicola Dove The news was met with a flurry of criticism. The Post's entertainment critic Johnny Oleksinski even called the deal 'the death of an iconic brand.' Dalton, who starred in two James Bond movies, said he was 'very surprised and shocked' by the sale. 9 Timothy Dalton as James Bond in 1987. Getty Images In June, it was announced that 'Dune' director Denis Villeneuve will direct the next James Bond movie. The actors who have been rumored to be in contention to play the new 007 include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Idris Elba, Regé-Jean Page and more.
