Sir Frederick Gray (Geoffrey Keen)
Stats
Sir Frederick Gray played by Geoffrey Keen
Born in London, England on 21st August 1918
Died 3rd November 2005
Starred In The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983), A View To A Kill (1985) and The Living Daylights (1987).
Profile
In The Spy Who Loved Me, Sir Frederick Gray is introduced to Bond at the submarine crisis meeting at the Polaris base in Scotland. At the end of the film, Gray gets more than he bargained for when he, along with General Gogol, M and Q, peer into Stromberg's escape pod to see Bond and Anya Amasova under the sheets.
Gray is again suitably embarrassed in Moonraker when he follows Bond and M to investigate the secret laboratory of Hugo Drax in Venice. Walking through the door wearing gas masks, the trio are presented with a plush looking office with Drax commenting on their curious attire. Needless to say Gray insists Bond is taken off the case after profusely apologising to Drax. The end of the film sees Sir Frederick Gray red-faced for a second time when he witnesses a weightless Bond and Dr Holly Goodhead under the sheets.
After criticizing Bonds mission at the start of For Your Eyes Only, Gray is now customarily embarrassed by Bond (in reality Max the Parrot imitating 007) at the end of the film. However in Octopussy, the minister shares a celebratory drink with M and General Gogol for the success of Bond's mission, marking the first time he is not embarrassed by Bond's antics.
In A View To A Kill, Gray is initially hesitant to let Bond investigate Max Zorin during the briefing with M, but eventually agrees. At the end of the film the minister seems very jovial leading the trio with M and General Gogol celebrating the success of Bond's mission.
Sir Frederick Gray appears for the last time in The Living Daylights. Gray listens with Bond, M and a number of other officials to General Georgi Koskov's reasons to why he defected at the Blayden safe house. Gray suitably panics when he meets with M later, discussing that they are laughing stock of the intelligence community after the KGB seemingly kidnaped Koskov from right under their noses.
About
Sir Frederick Gray Minister of Defence is a dignified, upper-class gentleman who is well respected in intelligence circles. However for most of his appearances, Gray is a strict by-the-book person who plays it seriously at all times. Consequently he despises Bond's playful attitude towards life, and his disregard to take his missions seriously. However for one of very few times, Gray seemingly enjoys his celebrations at the end of A View To A Kill with General Gogol and M, finding much amusement in what Gogol has to say.
On a number of occasions Gray finds himself apologising to various officials based on Bond's actions. Gray finds himself being customarily embarrassed by Bond in the first couple of his films, by his various exploits. Often relying on his instincts, Gray usually finds that he has completely the wrong idea, usually completely not suspecting the villain. Prone to panic, Gray is often stressing about telling the prime minister about the consequences of Bond's actions or lack therefore of. §
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