Scaring the Living Daylights Out of Entertainment Tonight
It is truly a small world. In late December 1986, I was recording on my VHS the weekend edition of Entertainment Tonight. The story was a sneak preview of the 'new' OO7 film adventure THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS.
For three minutes, journalist Selena Scott, reported from Morocco and showed some of the battle scenes that take place on the Russian/Afghanistan military base. She interviewed the new James Bond, Timothy Dalton, director John Glen, and Bond girl, Maryam d'Abo.
Selena Scott, sitting in foreground, interviews Maryam d'Abo.
But what I did not know or even see was the video crew that helped put this preview together.
Now, flash forward 17 years later for a moment. It is April 2003, I am working at the Fox News Channel in Washington DC and a cameraman from our sister company, SKY NEWS, walks into my editing room.
We strike-up a conversation about our favorite fictional spy and before you can say Goldfinger, he tells me that he worked for ET in the 1980s, and was on the set of The Living Daylights.
I was intrigued. Like any Bond fan, I wanted to know more about that fateful day. Martin Ayling had been with ET for years and has enjoyed a rewarding career as a news gathering cameraman and soundman. He and another cameraman, Sam Painter, were sent to the set of THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS in late 1986.
And they were the only news crew there.
Sam Painter and Martin Ayling prepare to shoot their version of a Bond film.
Sam Painter with producer Michael G. Wilson standing above him. Notice the mask and still camera which Michael Wilson has around his neck. He was taking photos of the action and was protecting himself from the sand which was blowing from the Hercules aircraft.
After videotaping the interviews and shooting exterior shots, Martin had a chance to relax and watch the film production crew create movie magic.
The gas truck explodes killing the villainous Col. Feyador. Compliments of the effects crew.
The Hercules aircraft was a model in some of the scenes where Bond and Kara escape. This one is about the size of a queen size bed.
Also on the set was a professional horse master and trainer, Greg Powell, who brought dozens of his Arabian horses to the Bond set for the climatic battle. Powell just happened to be an old childhood friend of Martin's. The two use to ride horses together when they were in riding school and after a quick reunion, Powell gave Martin one of the horses to ride about in the desert.
Galloping around in the desert on a horse with no name.
Unfortunately, Martin was not wearing the proper clothing for riding and while galloping among the sand dunes, tore the back of his pants. This being the desert, one does not just walk back to one's hotel to change. Martin was literally in an embarrassing position.
A young woman came over to Martin and seeing what had happened invited him to the costume department's trailer to mend the separated pantaloons.
The dangers of working in television.
This young woman was not just any stage hand, in fact she would later become an important part of Eon Productions. While stitching, she introduced herself as Barbara Broccoli.
Director John Glen noticed Martin and seeing that he was the same build and height as Timothy Dalton, asked if he would like to be a stand-in for one day. Unfortunately, Martin's job was first priority, but he did get dressed up in the same costume.
A lost scene from THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS? No, just Martin acting with some of the film extras.
After shooting the interviews for ET, Martin and his co-worker enjoyed playing with the props and set pieces and becoming a part of Bond lore.
Goodbye, Mr. Bond!
The amazing part of this story was that Martin had never seen the finished interviews which he and Sam Painter shot. I just happened to have my copy in the edit suite where he sat down and viewed it for the first time.
(All photos copyrighted 1987 by Martin Ayling, used by permission)