(Barbara) Broccoli Time

In general, producers–particularly female producers–have a tendency to go unnoticed both in and out of the film industry. Barbara Broccoli, however, is a special instance of being unignorable. Her tireless work on the creation of every James Bond film since GoldenEye proves just how invaluable she’s been to the box office on both sides of the pond. Incidentally, she isn’t British.

Broccoli got her start, like so many in the film biz, from her father, Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, who began producing the Bond series in 1962, with the release of Dr. No. Barbara acted as the assistant director on Octopussy and A View to a Kill and then graduated to an associate producer role on The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill. Her ability to balance budgets and egos must have been at least partially aided by working with British people (they’re so modest and mild-mannered, after all).

Taking the Bond highs (Casino Royale, Skyfall) with the Bond so-sos (The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day), Broccoli has showcased her devotion to the cause of Bond time and time again. Let’s just hope she’ll branch out from the franchise one of these days to lend her talents elsewhere.