Gregory Ratoff James Bond: Rights Relinquished Updated

By 1955, Ratoff’s option was expiring. Rather than renew a property he couldn't sell to studios,

Following the TV broadcast, Ratoff bought the film rights "in perpetuity" for an additional $6,000 . Fleming famously used this money to buy a Ford Thunderbird.

In 1955, Ian Fleming’s first novel, Casino Royale , had yet to achieve the global phenomenon status it enjoys today. Fleming, eager to see his creation on the screen, sold the option for the film rights to producer/director Gregory Ratoff for a modest sum (reportedly $6,000).

Gregory Ratoff is not remembered as the man who made James Bond, but rather as the man who let him go. While he lacked the resources or the foresight to launch the franchise, his initial purchase of the rights kept the project alive during its infancy. His decision to relinquish control paved the way for Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman to turn a British spy novel into a global cultural institution.

Ratoff spent years trying to secure funding for a feature film. At various points, he considered unconventional ideas, such as casting a woman (Susan Hayward) as Bond or casting Peter Finch in the role.

The Forgotten Mogul: How Gregory Ratoff Relinquished the Crown Jewels of Spy Cinema