40 Amazing Behind the Scenes Photos From the Making of the Film "Goldfinger" (1964)

By the time Sean Connery started work on Goldfinger in early 1964, he was already growing weary of playing James Bond. The huge success of Dr. No (1962) and From Russia with Love (1963) had made Connery realize that everything he did would now be compared to his work as 007 -- not a situation any actor wants to be in. At the same time, Connery felt he was not being paid enough relative to the films' successes, and he successfully negotiated a contract for three more Bond films that gave him a share of the profits and allowed him the freedom to continue making other movies.

As it turned out, Goldfinger, with a budget equal to that of the first two Bond films combined ($3 million), would become an even bigger hit than either -- a true sensation at the worldwide box office ($125 million), a major pop-cultural phenomenon, and a key influence on action films forever after. In fact, it's probably fair to say that Goldfinger is one of the most influential movies ever made, spawning imitators that persist up to the present day.

The film also stars Honor Blackman as Bond girl Pussy Galore and Gert Fröbe as the title character Auric Goldfinger, along with Shirley Eaton as the iconic Bond girl Jill Masterson. Goldfinger was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman and was the first of four Bond films directed by Guy Hamilton.

Margaret Nolan appears in the film as Dink, the woman massaging Bond's back in the Fontainebleu Hotel pool scene.

Creator and author Ian Fleming visited the set during April 1964 while filming the UK set of the Fontainebleu Hotel pool scene. Sadly, he died a little less than a month before the film's release on August 12, 1964.

Creator Ian Fleming and producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli on set.

Author Ian Fleming borrowed the notion of someone being suffocated by being covered in gold paint from the horror film BEDLAM.

Shirley Eaton underwent two hours of make-up application which involved being gild painted to become a gold painted corpse.

A doctor was on set at all times in fear of possible skin suffocation, and her stomach left bare for the same reason.

Her shots lasted less than five minutes in the finished film and the filming of them was shot quickly, wrapped in a morning's work.

Due to the fact that the skin is the main surface for temperature exchange, one can die from heat accumulation if it is locked tightly for too long.

Shirley Eaton's shots lasted less than five minutes in the finished film and the filming of them was shot quickly, wrapped in a morning's work.

Then she was scrubbed down by the wardrobe mistress and the make-up girl, and sweated off the remaining gold in a number of Turkish baths.

After the film was released, rumors circulated that she had actually died on set, owing to the misconception that the gold paint caused asphyxiation.

Aston Martin were initially reluctant to part with two of their cars for the production. The producers had to pay for the Aston Martin, but after the success of the film, both at the box office and for the company, they never had to spend money on a car again.

Tilly Masterson's Ford Mustang was supposedly the first appearance by a Mustang in a major motion picture. The Mustang was introduced in April of 1964 and "Goldfinger" was released in December. Ford supplied many cars to the film including the CIA agents' Thunderbird, all of Goldfinger's goons cars, and the Lincoln Continental that is crushed.

"Goldfinger" was model Tania Mallet's only major film appearance. She had previously tested for Tatiana Romanova in "From Russia with Love".

The golf scenes in the film were shot at the Stoke Poges Golf Club in England, not far from Pinewood Studios. There is now a James Bond themed bar at the golf course. The interest in golf developed by Sean Connery is said to have spawned during this filming.

Goldfinger wears yellow or a golden item of clothing in virtually every scene. In the one that he appears not to - in which he wears a US Army Colonel's uniform - he carries a golden revolver. The villain's first name, Auric, is related to the Latin word for gold, 'aurum') and the periodic table code AU for the same. The license plate on Goldfinger's 12 cylinder 1937 Rolls Royce Phantom III Sedance de Ville reads AU 1 for the same reason.

The producers wanted Orson Welles to play Auric Goldfinger, but Welles was too expensive. Then Gert Fröbe began arguing over his salary (he wanted 10% from the movie's earnings), prompting the producers to wonder whether Welles would have been cheaper after all.

Oddjob never speaks in the film. His only dialogue is "Aha!". The source novel explains he is unable to speak due to having a cleft palate.

Due to the popularity and success of this movie and its spy car the Aston Martin DB5, the vehicle gained the nickname, "The Most Famous Car in the World".

In the original James Bond novel "Goldfinger", the car driven by Bond is not an Aston Martin DB5, but an earlier model, an Aston Martin DB3. There were significantly fewer gadgets and features in this make. All James Bond had were reinforced bumper guards and a secret compartment for a Colt 45 pistol.

Sales of the Aston Martin DB5 increased by fifty per cent after the release of the movie.

The role of Oddjob was the first screen role for Japanese-American weightlifter and professional wrestler Harold Sakata. It was such a success that it started a second career in films, television and commercials. For some of these appearances, he would be billed as "Harold 'Oddjob' Sakata".

Equipment and gadgetry was developed for the Aston Martin car which was not used in the finished movie. This included: Front and back over-riders for jamming other vehicles; a weapon's tray under the driver's seat; a headlights chamber containing triple-spiked nail clusters for firing at enemies, a radio telephone inside the driver's door paneling, and a thermos with a built-in hand grenade. The idea of the Aston Martin's revolving number plates came from director Guy Hamilton who had just been frustrated at receiving a parking ticket. The various revolving license plate numbers for James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 were 4711-EA-62 (France), LU 6789 (Switzerland) and BMT 216A (UK).

Gert Fröbe spoke very little English, so Michael Collins dubbed his voice. Director Guy Hamilton instructed Fröbe to speak his lines (in German) quickly which would assist the looping. Reportedly though, Fröbe was speaking English in a few scenes which reduces the awareness of the dubbing.

In the film's trailer, Fröbe's own heavily accented voice is heard when Goldfainger tells James, "Choose your next witticism carefully, Mr. Bond, it may be your last". Fröbe dubbed his own voice in the German dubbed version of the film, too.

Honor Blackman is the oldest ever Bond Girl, being 39 years of age at the time of filming.

When Pussy Galore introduces herself to Bond, he replies "I must be dreaming." The original script had Bond replying "I know you are, but what's your name?" This was deemed too suggestive.

Producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli were so determined to get Honor Blackman for the part of Pussy Galore that they had the actress's ability to perform judo written into the script. authored a book entitled "Honor Blackman's Book of Self Defense", published in 1965.

Studio executives considered changing the name of Pussy Galore to Kitty Galore. However, the name was only not included on any trading cards during the film's original release as they were aimed at youth.

Sean Connery, who was married to actress Diane Cilento at the time, wore a flesh-colored bandage (clearly seen in some production stills) over his wedding ring while filming.

Honor Blackman quit her role as Cathy Gale on "The Avengers" (1961) to appear in "Goldfinger". A 1965 episode made sly reference to this by having John Steed receive a Christmas card from Cathy Gale - sent from Fort Knox.

The recreation of the Fort Knox repository at Pinewood Studios was incredibly accurate considering no one involved in the film had been allowed inside the real location for security reasons. The set looked so real that a 24-hour guard was placed on the Fort Knox set at Pinewood Studios so that pilferers would not steal the gold bar props. A letter to the production from the Fort Knox Controller congratulated Ken Adam and his team on the recreation. Auric Goldfinger's 3D Model Map used for his Operation Grandslam is now housed as a permanent exhibition at the real Fort Knox.

Sean Connery hurt his back during the fight sequence with Oddjob in Fort Knox. The incident delayed filming and some say that Connery used the injury to get a better deal out of the producers for the next 007 film. Harold Sakata (Oddjob) severely burned his hand while reaching for his hat when filming his death scene, but he was determined to do it right, he held on until Guy Hamilton yelled: "Cut!"

In the Ian Fleming novel, Pussy Galore is a lesbian, which is why she gives Bond the cold shoulder to start with. Her team are known as the Cement Mixers. Ian Fleming based the character of Pussy Galore on neighbor, friend and lover Blanche Blackwell. The "Pussy" name itself was derived from agent Pussy Deakin aka Livia Stela. The Pussy name is also said to have been named after Fleming's pet octopus.

The film earned back its production costs outlay of $3 million in just two weeks, and went on to win the first Academy Award for a James Bond movie in Best Sound Effects.