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Arch nemesis of James Bond and leader of SPECTRE. Blofeld appeared in 7 bond films, which include From Russia with Love, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Never Say Never Again, and Diamonds Are Forever. His final appearance and ultimate demise is in the opening of For Your Eyes Only. Blofeld has been played by several acors including Donald Pleasence, Telly Savalas, Charles Gray and Max von Sydow. Blofeld is often considered the archetype for most evil genius characters including Austin Powers nemesis Dr. Evil.
Ernst Stavro Blofeld is the enigmatic leader of the terrorist organization SPECTRE. Often acting in the shadows to further SPECTRE's aims, Blofeld was only shown in shadows for most of the early Bond films. It was not until You Only Live Twice that the top half of his body appeared on screen.
That is, until it was finally revealed that MI6 had faked Bond's death to give him the element of surprise in stopping the operation. Before 007 could sabotage SPECTRE's hijacking spacecraft, Blofeld captured him.
As SPECTRE's craft prepared to capture their third spacecraft, Bond managed to open up Blofeld's secret base for a ninja attack. In the chaos, Blofeld decided to shoot Mr. Osato for failing to kill Bond earlier. Blofeld was unable to stop Bond from forcing their craft to self-destruct. Blofeld manages to escape on the base's monorail, setting off the base's own self-destruct sequence as he did so.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Blofeld returned in OHMSS, but not portrayed by the same actor- it's widely accepted that Blofeld underwent plastic surgery to foil any attempt to look for him.
In this film, Blofeld sought the title of 'Comte Balthazar de Bleuchamp', and runs a research lab in the Swiss Alps. Bond continued trying to look for him, but was initially denied permission to continue the search until he strikes a deal with Marc Ange Draco to get the information he needed to reopen the search.
With Bond posing as a genealogist supposed to be verifying Blofeld's claim to nobility, Blofeld brainwashed several patients at his lab to act as couriers for a highly lethal biological agent.
Eventually, Irma Bunt discovered Bond's presence and reveals him to Blofeld. Bond then escaped, and killed several of his bodyguards in the process. The following morning, Blofeld's men not only manage to find Bond, but kidnap Tracy di Vicenzo and leave Bond to die in an avalanche.
Blofeld proceeded to try and hold the world for ransom- either he received amnesty for his deeds committed as head of SPECTRE and received his title of nobility, or he would use his brainwashed patients to spread his pathogen and wipe out global agriculture. Blofeld proposes to Tracy, but is interrupted when Bond and Draco's men attack his lab. The lab is destroyed, leaving Blofeld's plans foiled once more.
Angered that he had been foiled twice by the same agent, Blofeld and Bunt attempted to gun Bond down as he drove to his honeymoon with Tracy. Bond survives, but Tracy is killed.
This time, Blofeld is smuggling South African diamonds to create a diamond-encrusted satellite (a plot that would be recycled to a degree in Die Another Day). After foiling Bond's attempt to kill him after revealing his faked death with another body double, Wint and Kidd leave 007 in a pipe to die.
Bond eventually finds Blofeld's new hideout- an oil rig off the coast of Baja California. Blofeld destroys nuclear weapons in China, the Soviet Union, and the US before once more holding the world for ransom- this time, an auction to determine which country should become the strongest country in the world.
However, the CIA launches a strike on the rig, forcing Blofeld to flee once more- this time in a submarine. Bond uses the submarine to compromise the satellite's control room, and foils Blofeld's scheme once more.
Never Say Never Again
Note: As ' Never Say Never Again' was not produced by EON Productions, it is not considered an entry into the Bond canon.
Blofeld briefly appears in this 1983 adaptation of Ian Fleming's book 'Thunderball' (adapted in 1965 under the same name) as the head of SPECTRE.
Blofeld's appearance was the basis of the character Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies.
You Only Live Twice
By the time of this film, Blofeld had time and time again been foiled by 007, losing some of his best lieutenants and his number two man, Emilio Largo. Because of this, Blofeld decided to oversee their next major operation himself- to hijack American and Soviet spacecraft in an effort to ignite a world war. With 007 seemingly dead, the plan looked to be going ahead smoothly. SPECTRE managed to hijack both an American and a Soviet craft, and the theft of a third could finally cause a shooting war.That is, until it was finally revealed that MI6 had faked Bond's death to give him the element of surprise in stopping the operation. Before 007 could sabotage SPECTRE's hijacking spacecraft, Blofeld captured him.
As SPECTRE's craft prepared to capture their third spacecraft, Bond managed to open up Blofeld's secret base for a ninja attack. In the chaos, Blofeld decided to shoot Mr. Osato for failing to kill Bond earlier. Blofeld was unable to stop Bond from forcing their craft to self-destruct. Blofeld manages to escape on the base's monorail, setting off the base's own self-destruct sequence as he did so.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Blofeld returned in OHMSS, but not portrayed by the same actor- it's widely accepted that Blofeld underwent plastic surgery to foil any attempt to look for him. In this film, Blofeld sought the title of 'Comte Balthazar de Bleuchamp', and runs a research lab in the Swiss Alps. Bond continued trying to look for him, but was initially denied permission to continue the search until he strikes a deal with Marc Ange Draco to get the information he needed to reopen the search.
With Bond posing as a genealogist supposed to be verifying Blofeld's claim to nobility, Blofeld brainwashed several patients at his lab to act as couriers for a highly lethal biological agent.
Eventually, Irma Bunt discovered Bond's presence and reveals him to Blofeld. Bond then escaped, and killed several of his bodyguards in the process. The following morning, Blofeld's men not only manage to find Bond, but kidnap Tracy di Vicenzo and leave Bond to die in an avalanche.
Blofeld proceeded to try and hold the world for ransom- either he received amnesty for his deeds committed as head of SPECTRE and received his title of nobility, or he would use his brainwashed patients to spread his pathogen and wipe out global agriculture. Blofeld proposes to Tracy, but is interrupted when Bond and Draco's men attack his lab. The lab is destroyed, leaving Blofeld's plans foiled once more.
Angered that he had been foiled twice by the same agent, Blofeld and Bunt attempted to gun Bond down as he drove to his honeymoon with Tracy. Bond survives, but Tracy is killed.
Diamonds Are Forever
Bond was now relentless in his pursuit of Blofeld, stopping at nothing to get revenge for the murder of his wife. After interrogating his subordinates one by one across the world, Bond finally locates him in an Egyptian hideaway where he is making body doubles of himself with surgery. After a fight, Blofeld is seemingly slain in a pool of superheated mud.This time, Blofeld is smuggling South African diamonds to create a diamond-encrusted satellite (a plot that would be recycled to a degree in Die Another Day). After foiling Bond's attempt to kill him after revealing his faked death with another body double, Wint and Kidd leave 007 in a pipe to die.
Bond eventually finds Blofeld's new hideout- an oil rig off the coast of Baja California. Blofeld destroys nuclear weapons in China, the Soviet Union, and the US before once more holding the world for ransom- this time, an auction to determine which country should become the strongest country in the world.
However, the CIA launches a strike on the rig, forcing Blofeld to flee once more- this time in a submarine. Bond uses the submarine to compromise the satellite's control room, and foils Blofeld's scheme once more.
For Your Eyes Only
Blofeld makes an uncredited appearance during the pre-title sequence in a wheelchair, trying to murder Bond as he visited his wife's grave with a remote controlled helicopter. Bond turned the tables on Blofeld however, and managed to send him careening down a chimney. He was assumed dead following this, and did not reappear in any future films in the Bond canon.Never Say Never Again
Note: As ' Never Say Never Again' was not produced by EON Productions, it is not considered an entry into the Bond canon. Blofeld briefly appears in this 1983 adaptation of Ian Fleming's book 'Thunderball' (adapted in 1965 under the same name) as the head of SPECTRE.
Cultural Influence
Blofeld is considered the cinematic codifier of the 'evil genius', especially with Donald Pleasence's portrayal in You Only Live Twice. From his facial scar to his outfit to his stroking his white cat, Blofeld's appearance and actions have influenced many films.Blofeld's appearance was the basis of the character Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies.
General Information
Edit
| Name | Ernst Stavro Blofeld |
| Gender | Male |
| Credited In | 7 movies |
| Credited In | 0 shows |
| 1st Movie Credit | From Russia, with Love |
| 1st Show Credit | n/a |
| Alias(es) | No. 1, Number 1, Number One |
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