Latest poll picks Jaws as the best-ever James Bond film character

23-Mar-2009 • Bond News

In the News reports that the towering figure of Jaws has been voted the greatest ever James Bond character in a new poll.

The metal-mouthed villain - played by 7ft 2" actor Richard Keil - appeared in The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker and appears to be inked in the public consciousness, according to a new poll by HMV.com and social networking site getcloser.com.

To mark the DVD and Blu-ray release of the 22nd James Bond film Quantum of Solace, the two sites asked fans to name their favourite all-time Bond character - hero or villain, excluding James Bond himself.

Nearly a third (30 per cent) of the 4,900 respondents went for Jaws - so nicknamed due to his strong, stainless steel teeth that could bite through virtually anything, and which he would use to lethal effect on his opponents by biting through their jugular.

"We all have our favourite Bond characters, but you can see why so many of us go for Jaws," said HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo.

"Aside from his incredible physical presence, he's got a great name and gimmick, and his stainless steel teeth are so wonderfully villainous.

"Ultimately, however, I think we like him because in the end he turns good-guy."

Next favourite was Q (Quartermaster), who gained 16 per cent of the popular vote. The fictitious Head of Research & Development for British Intelligence, who had little time for Bond's charms, was most famously portrayed by Desmond Llewellyn and, in more recent films, by John Cleese.

The bowler-hatted 'baddie' from Goldfinger, Odd Job, came next in the poll, with 11 per cent, ahead of M - the secret service chief played by Bernard Lee in numerous Bond films and since 1995 by Dame Judi Dench, who received 9 per cent of the votes cast.

Making up the top five was Miss Moneypenny - the faithful PA to M in all the films, played definitively by Lois Maxwell and more recently by Samantha Bond.

Fans were also asked to vote for their favourite Bond theme song nearly a quarter - 23 per cent - went for Paul McCartney and Wings' performance of the title track from Live And Let Die, ahead of Dame Shirley Bassey, who came in at two and three with Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever respectively.

Sean Connery still remains the public's favourite Bond, with nearly half of the votes (45 per cent), ahead of new boy Daniel Craig, who received just over a fifth (22 per cent), and Pierce Brosnan (15 per cent).

Favourite James Bond characters:

1. Jaws
2. Q
3. Odd Job
4. M
5. Miss Moneypenny
6. Pussy Galore
7. Goldfinger
8. Scaramanga
9. Ernst Stavro Blofeld
10. Sheriff J.W. Pepper

Favourite James Bond theme songs:

1. 'Live And Let Die' - Paul McCartney and Wings
2. 'Goldfinger' - Dame Shirley Bassey
3. 'Diamonds Are Forever' - Dame Shirley Bassey
4. 'Nobody Does It Better' - Carly Simon
5. 'James Bond Theme (Dr. No)' - John Barry Seven and Orchestra
6. 'We Have All The Time In The World' - Louis Armstrong
7. 'GoldenEye' - Tina Turner
8. 'View To A Kill' - Duran Duran
9. 'Living Daylights' - A-Ha
10. 'James Bond Theme' - Monty Norman

Favourite James Bond actor:
1. Sean Connery
2. Daniel Craig
3. Pierce Brosnan
4. Roger Moore
5. Timothy Dalton
6. George Lazenby
7. David Niven
8. Barry Nelson