20 Things You Didn’t Know About Thunderball (1965)

13. “Fine Way To Treat The CIA!”

Thunderball Domino
MGM/UA

Fittingly, Rik Van Nutter - who portrayed CIA agent, Felix Leiter in Thunderball - was married to Anita Ekberg from 1963 to 1975. Ekberg had not only starred in the first Eon Productions non-Bond film, Call Me Bwana (1963), but had also been featured on a billboard promoting it in From Russia With Love.

The filmmakers liked Van Nutter so much as a natural successor to Jack Lord's Felix Leiter from Dr. No (1962) that they contracted him to reprise the role in the next few Bond films. However, they could not find ways to fit the character into either You Only Live Twice or On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969).

By the time that Leiter returned in Diamonds Are Forever (1971), Van Nutter’s contract had expired and he was focusing on his and Ekberg's shipping business instead, which led to Norman Burton being (unpopularly) cast in the role instead.

Ironically, Van Nutter’s performance as Leiter in Thunderball was his best-remembered screen role.

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I started writing for WhatCulture in July 2020. I have always enjoyed reading and writing. I have contributed to several short story competitions and I have occasionally been fortunate enough to have my work published. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I also started reviewing films on my Facebook page. Numerous friends and contacts suggested that I should start my own website for reviewing films, but I wanted something a bit more diverse - and so here I am! My interests focus on film and television mainly, but I also occasionally produce articles that venture into other areas as well. In particular, I am a fan of the under appreciated sequel (of which there are many), but I also like the classics and the mainstream too.