General Gogol (Walter Gotell)

Stats

General Gogol played by Walter Gotell

Born in Bonn, Germany on 15th March 1924

Died 5th May 1997

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 General Gogol makes Bond initially uncomfortable when he walks into to be briefed by M, only to find Gogol sitting in his place. Gogol and M form an alliance to find their nuclear submarines and with the help of Major Anya Amasova, Bond is able to complete the mission. Gogol is amongst M and Sir Frederick Gray at the end of the film exclaiming "Triple XXX!" when he spots the Russian agent in bed with Bond.

In Moonraker the general is seen in his red pyjamas when he receives a phone call about Hugo Drax's space station from a US chief. He allows the US forces to investigate the space station before Russia will take action. When the US chief apologies for any intrusion, Gogol tells him that he couldn't sleep because of problems, revealing a Russian beauty waiting under the sheets for him.

General Gogol is an adversary to Bond in For Your Eyes Only, wanting to buy the ATAC communicator from Aristotle Kristatos at the end of the film. Gogol is initially concerned when Bond throws it over a cliff, but seems not bothered when it smashes on the side of the rocks.

In Octopussy, General Orlov announces his plans to invade the West, hoping for support from his fellow comrades, but it is General Gogol who denounces Orlov's plans and suggests they should be making peace instead of war. Subsequently Gogol is hot on the trail of Orlov throughout the film when he learns of the generals jewellery smuggling operations, and gets to confront Orlov seconds before he dies after being shot trying to cross the German border.

In A View To A Kill, Gogol supports Bonds actions to bring down Max Zorin after Zorin unofficially resigns from the KGB. This leads to Gogol sending Pola Ivanova and agents to Zorin's oilrig to find out his plans. After Bond enjoys a rendezvous with Pola, she escapes reporting back to Gogol, who learns nothing after Bond switched the tapes. At the end of the film Gogol awards Bond the Order of Lenin, congratulating him on his success stopping the destruction of Silicon Valley. When Sir Frederick Gray points out that he would of thought Gogol would of celebrated the destruction of Silicon Valley, Gogol comically remarks that Soviet research would be nowhere without it, leading to many laughs.

General Gogol sadly makes his last appearance in The Living Daylights at the end of the film. Now retired from the head of the KGB and a member of the Soviet foreign office, he arranges a visa for Kara Milovy to come and go as she pleases.

About

Head of the KGB, General Gogol is a highly intelligent dignified character. With an imposing presence this tall actor plays the role of the KGB chief excellently. With the skill of being able to play both a villain and an ally, the character of the general becomes a worthy asset to the Bond series.

The Spy Who Loved Me marks the only time in the Bond series where it is learnt that General Gogol's first name is Alexis, with M's being Miles. While some elements are the same, Gogol plays his position differently to his opposite number at MI6, Gogol is serious in some scenes, but he appears more supportive, understanding and has a sense of humour unlike M.