Sir Fredrick Gray
Encyclopedia
Sir Frederick Gray is a recurring fictional character
in the James Bond
films, portrayed by Geoffrey Keen
. He appears in The Spy Who Loved Me
, Moonraker
, For Your Eyes Only
, Octopussy
, A View to a Kill
and The Living Daylights
.
or in his own office. In The Spy Who Loved Me
he is introduced at the submarine crisis. Bond obviously knows Gray, as they talk informally in private, with Bond calling him 'Freddie'. At the end of the film, Gray, along with General Gogol
, M and Q, witness Bond and Anya Amasova
under the sheets in an escape pod.
In Moonraker
, Gray is seen walking into a secret laboratory with M and Bond, all wearing gasmasks, but it is revealed embarrassingly to be nothing more than an ornamented office with Hugo Drax
waiting inside to chide them. Gray – who after this angrily tells M, "Your man should be taken off the case!" – is again present at the end of the film to witness Bond under the sheets, this time in space with Holly Goodhead
.
In For Your Eyes Only
, Gray is seen alongside the Chief of Staff Bill Tanner
, trying to find out what happened to the spy ship St. Georges. Once again, at the end of the film Gray is embarrassed, this time by linking the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
with Max the Parrot instead of 007, and cuts off the phonecall when he realises that it is the parrot and not 007 who is talking to Mrs Thatcher.
In Octopussy
, Gray suggests that Bond go with Jim Fanning, the art expert to see the auction of a Fabergé egg
. Gray is seen at the end of the film celebrating with General Gogol
and M.
In A View to a Kill
, the Minister is seen talking with Bond and M about Max Zorin
and microchip
s. At the end, Gray is once again seen celebrating (though they think Bond may be dead) with M and Gogol in the former's office, this time about 007 preventing Silicon Valley
from being destroyed.
In the final film that Gray appears in, The Living Daylights
, he is seen with M, Bond and General Georgi Koskov
at the Bladen safe house – this is Koskov's debriefing following his supposed defection
. Later, Gray proclaims, "We're the laughing stock of the intelligence community!" when Koskov is apparently kidnapped. Reference is made to his having to explain all this to the PM: "She'll have our guts for garters!"
Frederick Gray is depicted as Minister for Defence in all these films, despite there having been a change of government in the UK (from Labour
to Conservative
) in 1979, two years after his first appearance.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
films, portrayed by Geoffrey Keen
Geoffrey Keen
Geoffrey Keen was an English actor who appeared in supporting roles in many famous films.-Early life:Keen was born in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England, the son of stage actor Malcolm Keen. He was educated at Bristol Grammar School. He then joined the Little Repertory Theatre in Bristol for whom...
. He appears in The Spy Who Loved Me
The Spy Who Loved Me (film)
The Spy Who Loved Me is a spy film, the tenth film in the James Bond series, and the third to star Roger Moore as the fictional secret agent James Bond. It was directed by Lewis Gilbert and the screenplay was written by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum...
, Moonraker
Moonraker (film)
Moonraker is the eleventh spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The third and final film in the series to be directed by Lewis Gilbert, it co-stars Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale, Corinne Clery, and Richard Kiel...
, For Your Eyes Only
For Your Eyes Only (film)
For Your Eyes Only is the twelfth spy film in the James Bond series and the fifth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It marked the directorial debut of John Glen, who had worked as editor and second unit director in three other Bond films. The screenplay by Richard Maibaum...
, Octopussy
Octopussy
Octopussy is the thirteenth entry in the James Bond series, and the sixth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's title is taken from a short story in Ian Fleming's 1966 short story collection Octopussy and The Living Daylights...
, A View to a Kill
A View to a Kill
A View to a Kill is the fourteenth spy film of the James Bond series, and the seventh and last to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Although the title is adapted from Ian Fleming's short story "From a View to a Kill", the film is the fourth Bond film after The Spy Who Loved...
and The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights is the fifteenth entry in the James Bond series and the first to star Timothy Dalton as the fictional MI6 agent 007. The film's title is taken from Ian Fleming's short story, "The Living Daylights"...
.
Film biography
Sir Frederick Gray is the Minister for Defence of Her Majesty's Government. He appears alongside Bond's boss MM (James Bond)
M is a fictional character in Ian Fleming's James Bond series, as well as the films in the Bond franchise. The head of MI6 and Bond's superior, M has been portrayed by three actors in the official Bond film series: Bernard Lee, Robert Brown and since 1995 by Judi Dench. Background =Ian Fleming...
or in his own office. In The Spy Who Loved Me
The Spy Who Loved Me (film)
The Spy Who Loved Me is a spy film, the tenth film in the James Bond series, and the third to star Roger Moore as the fictional secret agent James Bond. It was directed by Lewis Gilbert and the screenplay was written by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum...
he is introduced at the submarine crisis. Bond obviously knows Gray, as they talk informally in private, with Bond calling him 'Freddie'. At the end of the film, Gray, along with General Gogol
General Gogol
General Anatol Alexis Gogol is a fictional character in the James Bond films The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View to a Kill, and The Living Daylights. In the films, he is the head of the KGB. In his final appearance in The Living Daylights, he has transferred from...
, M and Q, witness Bond and Anya Amasova
Anya Amasova
Major Anya Amasova is a fictional character and the deuteragonist in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, portrayed by Barbara Bach...
under the sheets in an escape pod.
In Moonraker
Moonraker (film)
Moonraker is the eleventh spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The third and final film in the series to be directed by Lewis Gilbert, it co-stars Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale, Corinne Clery, and Richard Kiel...
, Gray is seen walking into a secret laboratory with M and Bond, all wearing gasmasks, but it is revealed embarrassingly to be nothing more than an ornamented office with Hugo Drax
Hugo Drax
Sir Hugo Drax is a fictional character created by author Ian Fleming for the James Bond novel Moonraker. Fleming named him after his friend, Sir Reginald Drax. For the later film and its novelization, Drax was largely transformed by screenwriter Christopher Wood. In the film, Drax is portrayed by...
waiting inside to chide them. Gray – who after this angrily tells M, "Your man should be taken off the case!" – is again present at the end of the film to witness Bond under the sheets, this time in space with Holly Goodhead
Holly Goodhead
Dr. Holly Goodhead is a fictional character from the James Bond franchise, portrayed by Lois Chiles. She does not appear in any of the novels, solely appearing in the film version of Moonraker. However, her character is somewhat similar to Gala Brand, who is the female lead character in the...
.
In For Your Eyes Only
For Your Eyes Only (film)
For Your Eyes Only is the twelfth spy film in the James Bond series and the fifth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It marked the directorial debut of John Glen, who had worked as editor and second unit director in three other Bond films. The screenplay by Richard Maibaum...
, Gray is seen alongside the Chief of Staff Bill Tanner
Bill Tanner
Bill Tanner is a fictional character in the James Bond film and novel series.-Character summary:Superb in a crisis, and blessed with a dry sense of humour, Tanner is M's Chief of Staff. He is also Bond's staunchest ally in the Service, and they often enjoy a round of golf when off-duty...
, trying to find out what happened to the spy ship St. Georges. Once again, at the end of the film Gray is embarrassed, this time by linking the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
with Max the Parrot instead of 007, and cuts off the phonecall when he realises that it is the parrot and not 007 who is talking to Mrs Thatcher.
In Octopussy
Octopussy
Octopussy is the thirteenth entry in the James Bond series, and the sixth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's title is taken from a short story in Ian Fleming's 1966 short story collection Octopussy and The Living Daylights...
, Gray suggests that Bond go with Jim Fanning, the art expert to see the auction of a Fabergé egg
Fabergé egg
A Fabergé egg is any one of the thousands of jeweled eggs made by the House of Fabergé from 1885 to 1917. Most were miniature eggs that were popular gifts at Eastertide...
. Gray is seen at the end of the film celebrating with General Gogol
General Gogol
General Anatol Alexis Gogol is a fictional character in the James Bond films The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View to a Kill, and The Living Daylights. In the films, he is the head of the KGB. In his final appearance in The Living Daylights, he has transferred from...
and M.
In A View to a Kill
A View to a Kill
A View to a Kill is the fourteenth spy film of the James Bond series, and the seventh and last to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Although the title is adapted from Ian Fleming's short story "From a View to a Kill", the film is the fourth Bond film after The Spy Who Loved...
, the Minister is seen talking with Bond and M about Max Zorin
Max Zorin
Max Zorin is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the James Bond film A View to a Kill. He was portrayed by Academy Award winner Christopher Walken...
and microchip
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
s. At the end, Gray is once again seen celebrating (though they think Bond may be dead) with M and Gogol in the former's office, this time about 007 preventing Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
from being destroyed.
In the final film that Gray appears in, The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights is the fifteenth entry in the James Bond series and the first to star Timothy Dalton as the fictional MI6 agent 007. The film's title is taken from Ian Fleming's short story, "The Living Daylights"...
, he is seen with M, Bond and General Georgi Koskov
General Georgi Koskov
General Georgi Koskov is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the James Bond film The Living Daylights. He was portrayed by Jeroen Krabbé.-In the film:...
at the Bladen safe house – this is Koskov's debriefing following his supposed defection
Defection
In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state or political entity in exchange for allegiance to another. More broadly, it involves abandoning a person, cause or doctrine to whom or to which one is bound by some tie, as of allegiance or duty.This term is also applied,...
. Later, Gray proclaims, "We're the laughing stock of the intelligence community!" when Koskov is apparently kidnapped. Reference is made to his having to explain all this to the PM: "She'll have our guts for garters!"
Frederick Gray is depicted as Minister for Defence in all these films, despite there having been a change of government in the UK (from Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
to Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
) in 1979, two years after his first appearance.