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"To be an outright villain on a fairly superficial basis, which is the kind of villains required of you in most kinds of movies, is not very difficult. Say you're playing something like Blofeld, well, you've got everything going for you. You have got your own volcano, and you have got James Bond at your mercy. They give you a marvellous pussycat to stroke, and what do you have to do? Just look him straight in the eye, speak with a funny accent and not blink too often. Then everybody says 'what an incredibly sinister man with those funny eyes'."
― Donald Pleasence

Donald Pleasence (1919 - 1995) was a British actor. He portrayed the role of Ernst Stavro Blofeld in You Only Live Twice.

He was replaced in the role by Telly Savalas in the 1969 sequel, On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Bond Involvement[]

As production on the fifth James Bond film, You Only Live Twice had began, the role of Ernst Stavro Blofeld went to the Czech actor, Jan Werich. However, it was soon decided by producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman that Werich was not really a good fit for the role, deeming him to not be nearly menacing enough. After several days of filming with Werich, the producers then decided to recast the role of Blofeld, with the official excuse being that Werich was ill and could not continue. Pleasence was then cast as Blofeld.

Upon joining the cast, Pleasence gave several suggestions on how to make Blofeld more intimidating, suggesting a hump, a limp, a beard, and a lame hand, before he settled on the scar across his eye. Since Pleasence was unavailable for make up tests, Tony Teiger, a standby props worker on the film, was used to test the concepts for Blofeld's designs, with the footage being sent to Pleasence for his approval.

When pre-production began for the next film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, it was considered that Pleasence should return to the role of Blofeld, since his fate had been left ambiguous at the conclusion of You Only Live Twice.

"To be an outright villain on a fairly superficial basis, which is the kind of villains required of you in most kinds of movies, is not very difficult. Say you're playing something like Blofeld, well, you've got everything going for you. You have got your own volcano, and you have got James Bond at your mercy. They give you a marvellous pussycat to stroke, and what do you have to do? Just look him straight in the eye, speak with a funny accent and not blink too often. Then everybody says 'what an incredibly sinister man with those funny eyes'."
― Donald Pleasence

However, director Peter R. Hunt had decided that he needed Blofeld to be a more physical presence to go up against James Bond in his film, and therefore the role was recast once again, with Telly Savalas taking on the part.

Although Pleasence would never return to the role of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, his likeness was used in the video game GoldenEye: Rogue Agent, in which Ernst Stavro Blofeld is voiced by Gideon Emery, as Pleasence had passed away ten years before the game was released. When Blofeld was used again in the video game, 007 Legends, the design for the character was based on both actors' versions of Blofeld, using Savalas's physicality and Pleasence's facial scarring, while Glenn Wrage provided the voice.

Pleasence's legacy as Blofeld continued when Christoph Waltz took on the role of Franz Oberhauser/Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the 2015 movie, Spectre. During the plot of the movie, Waltz's Blofeld was injured in an explosion, and returns with heavy facial scaring over his right eye, which was designed specifically to resemble the same scar that Pleasence's interpretation of the character had sported, which Pleasence himself had suggested.

Trivia[]

  • Pleasence, Telly Savalas and Richard Kiel all made guest appearances in The Twilight Zone.
  • Pleasence and his The Greatest Story Ever Told co-stars Telly Savalas and Max von Sydow all later played Blofeld.
  • While declining the role in the 1974's film adaptation of And Then There Were None (which stars Gert Fröbe and Adolfo Celi), Pleasence would later be asked, and agree to play the role of the judge in the 1989's film adaptation of And Then There Were None.
  • The scar on Blofeld's face was Pleasence's suggestion, although he said the make-up hurt his eye.
  • On one occasion, towards the end of filming You Only Live Twice, the explosions on set terrified the animal performing his cat, which can be seen trying to escape Pleasence's arms in the film. The cat was so terrified, it ran off and hid in the set for a few days. This led to the cat's owner suing the production, for traumatizing the animal and causing it to be unable to work again.
  • Pleasence was best known to American audiences for his role as Dr. Sam Loomis in the Halloween horror films, a role which fellow Bond villain actor Christopher Lee had earlier passed up.
  • Pleasence's birthday, 5th October is shared with the anniversary of James Bond, i.e. the release of Dr. No, which was released in 1962.
  • Pleasence's performance as Blofeld has been parodied many times since the release of the movie. Dr. Evil, the character played by Mike Myers in the Austin Powers comedy films (1997–2002), and Doctor Claw from Inspector Gadget are parodies of Pleasence's performance as Blofeld in You Only Live Twice.
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