Sunday, December 20, 2009

Dame Victoire Ridsdale, R. I. P.

Woman who provided the inspiration for Miss Moneypenny dies aged 88 - Times Online: "The secret service secretary who inspired the character of Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond stories has died aged 88.

Dame Victoire “Paddy” Ridsdale once described Ian Fleming as “definitely James Bond in his mind”. Dame Paddy was definitely Miss Moneypenny — or at least a part of her.

Fleming and Dame Paddy, then plain Paddy Bennett, were colleagues in the wartime Naval Intelligence Department: he was assistant to the Chief of Naval Intelligence; she was a secretary, and a most formidable one, with at least some of the characteristics associated with Fleming’s second-most beloved creation."

Hat tip to Art Scott.

1 comment:

Deb said...

I always feel just a wee bit sorry for Miss Moneypenny--all that sighing over James Bond and never any love in response.