Barbara Broccoli(I)
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Executive
She is one of the entertainment industry's most successful female
producers. Barbara Broccoli was born to legendary filmmaker Albert R. Broccoli,
affectionately known as Cubby, and Dana Broccoli on June 18, 1960. Not long
after, Cubby Broccoli and his new partner, Harry Saltzman, secured studio
backing for an ambitious series of films inspired by the popular James
Bond novels written by Ian Fleming.
Ms. Broccoli grew up in the behind-the-scenes world of James Bond,
traveling with her family around the world to various exotic locations.
As a child, she liked to play with the photocopy machines in the
offices of Eon Productions, Ltd., her father's company responsible for
the Bond films. During location shooting in Japan for You Only Live Twice (1967), young
Barbara caught a fever from the Japanese custom of sleeping on the
floor. Sean Connery, whose star status provided him with a comfortable bed,
generously relinquished it so Barbara could properly fight her illness.
She graduated from Loyola University in Los Angeles, California with a
degree in motion picture and television communications. Her first
official credited job on the Bond films was for 1983's Octopussy (1983) in which
she served as an executive assistant. But, as with any family business,
one helps out where one can. For instance, in her father's
autobiography "When The Snow Melts", she recalls a nightmarish
situation involving A View to a Kill (1985) star Grace Jones. Later, for the two Timothy Dalton
Bond films, she was promoted to associate producer, a post she shared
with veteran Bond associate producer Tom Pevsner.
The August 8, 1990 issue of Variety (weekly) reported that aging Cubby
Broccoli had turned control of Eon Productions Ltd. over to Barbara and
her half-brother, Michael G. Wilson (Dana's son, who had been an invaluable help
to Cubby and the Bond franchise in various capacities since the
mid-1970s). Due to some unfortunate business dealings with then-MGM
ownership (the studio that bankrolled Bond and held significant
interest in the series), production of the Bond films was put on what
would become a six year hiatus.
When the litigation was settled, "Bond 17" (eventually named GoldenEye (1995))
was on track and Barbara Broccoli, now a full producer alongside
Michael G. Wilson, was faced with the challenge of bringing Bond back to the big
screen. She has earned a reputation as being tough when she has to be
and for volunteering for the toughest jobs, such as overseeing the
Russian location unit. GoldenEye (1995) was a world-wide smash, and each of the
succeeding Bond films were also enormously popular. This is a testament
to the talent of Cubby Broccoli, who passed his knowledge of
high-stakes film production on to Michael and later Barbara. The
benefit of Cubby's experience is obvious when viewing the newest Bond
films starring Pierce Brosnan.
Her non-Bond producing credits include Crime of the Century (1996), which deals with the
murder trial from the famous Lindberg kidnapping, and the popular
London Stage production of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", which was
co-produced by her mother Dana Broccoli and half-brother Michael G. Wilson. Both
productions carried a personal interest for Ms. Broccoli. Charles
Lindberg was her father's favorite hero, and "Chitty" was adapted from
the film produced by her father, which was based upon the children's
novel by Ian Fleming.
producers. Barbara Broccoli was born to legendary filmmaker Albert R. Broccoli,
affectionately known as Cubby, and Dana Broccoli on June 18, 1960. Not long
after, Cubby Broccoli and his new partner, Harry Saltzman, secured studio
backing for an ambitious series of films inspired by the popular James
Bond novels written by Ian Fleming.
Ms. Broccoli grew up in the behind-the-scenes world of James Bond,
traveling with her family around the world to various exotic locations.
As a child, she liked to play with the photocopy machines in the
offices of Eon Productions, Ltd., her father's company responsible for
the Bond films. During location shooting in Japan for You Only Live Twice (1967), young
Barbara caught a fever from the Japanese custom of sleeping on the
floor. Sean Connery, whose star status provided him with a comfortable bed,
generously relinquished it so Barbara could properly fight her illness.
She graduated from Loyola University in Los Angeles, California with a
degree in motion picture and television communications. Her first
official credited job on the Bond films was for 1983's Octopussy (1983) in which
she served as an executive assistant. But, as with any family business,
one helps out where one can. For instance, in her father's
autobiography "When The Snow Melts", she recalls a nightmarish
situation involving A View to a Kill (1985) star Grace Jones. Later, for the two Timothy Dalton
Bond films, she was promoted to associate producer, a post she shared
with veteran Bond associate producer Tom Pevsner.
The August 8, 1990 issue of Variety (weekly) reported that aging Cubby
Broccoli had turned control of Eon Productions Ltd. over to Barbara and
her half-brother, Michael G. Wilson (Dana's son, who had been an invaluable help
to Cubby and the Bond franchise in various capacities since the
mid-1970s). Due to some unfortunate business dealings with then-MGM
ownership (the studio that bankrolled Bond and held significant
interest in the series), production of the Bond films was put on what
would become a six year hiatus.
When the litigation was settled, "Bond 17" (eventually named GoldenEye (1995))
was on track and Barbara Broccoli, now a full producer alongside
Michael G. Wilson, was faced with the challenge of bringing Bond back to the big
screen. She has earned a reputation as being tough when she has to be
and for volunteering for the toughest jobs, such as overseeing the
Russian location unit. GoldenEye (1995) was a world-wide smash, and each of the
succeeding Bond films were also enormously popular. This is a testament
to the talent of Cubby Broccoli, who passed his knowledge of
high-stakes film production on to Michael and later Barbara. The
benefit of Cubby's experience is obvious when viewing the newest Bond
films starring Pierce Brosnan.
Her non-Bond producing credits include Crime of the Century (1996), which deals with the
murder trial from the famous Lindberg kidnapping, and the popular
London Stage production of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", which was
co-produced by her mother Dana Broccoli and half-brother Michael G. Wilson. Both
productions carried a personal interest for Ms. Broccoli. Charles
Lindberg was her father's favorite hero, and "Chitty" was adapted from
the film produced by her father, which was based upon the children's
novel by Ian Fleming.