Bond Writer Investigated By MI5

A screenwriter behind Bond films including Dr. No and the original Casino Royale was investigated by Britain's real life secret service over allegations he was a Russian spy.

Wolf Mankowitz, who was involved in the making of the franchise's debut picture Dr No and wrote the screenplay for 1966's unofficial 007 movie Casino Royale, came under suspicion from officers at MI5 in the 1940s after he married his wife Ann, a member of the Communist Party.

The secret service spent more than a decade monitoring him but didn't find any concrete evidence of illicit activities, according to documents released by the covert agency this week (beg23Aug10).

Mankowitz, who died in 1998, is also credited with introducing the franchise's legendary producer Cubby Broccoli to his longtime collaborator Harry Saltzman.