Frank McCarthy - Thunderball (Look Up!) James Bond Original Movie Poster Art (1965)

Epic! I had always seen the poster with the 4 images you posted in the extra images and didn't realize it was done by multiple artists. Just amazing. I would say congrats, but..9 years already.

Beautiful beyond words!!! Iconic and striking!!!

Wonderful!  Thanks for sharing!

arms folded as he's jet-packing out of a tough situation, Bond is always calm and cool. Great piece!!

The original Rocketeer! 

Great great piece! Also my favorite Bond image. I was just looking at the album cover to Thunderball the other day. This art and the one under water are just so great! Congrats Gene on one of the best pieces on the CAF site!

Thanks, Lance! This one's been framed up on my wall for almost 9 years and it never ceases to thrill me looking at it. 

Fantastic Gene, congrats!

Congratulations Gene! Rare, iconic, and a lovely painting.

About time you got around to posting this. Long live the cabal!

Cabal? I'm sure I don't know what you mean, um, or something... ;-)

Love this!

Sooo Cool!!!!! Classic Bond. Congrats!!!

After seeing that there's hope after missing out on a piece in auction, I'll Never Say Never Again.

Never Say Never Again...but you may have to initiate your own Operation: Grand Slam to get it!!

time for a martini...this is beyond cool!

Perfectly captures everything we grew up loving about the character. Sorry Daniel Craig, THIS is James Bond.

Absolutely! And while I can understand those who argue that FRWL and/or Goldfinger were better films, Connery was at his absolute peak as Bond in Thunderball with his best lines, most charm and smoothest, suavest delivery!

So unbelievably great...iconic doesn't even begin to describe it!!!

Just a terrific and iconic piece.  Congrats!

Worth whatever sacrifices you had to make. Historic stuff.

He acts while other men just talk.
He looks at this world, and wants it all,
So he strikes, like Thunderball.
He knows the meaning of success.
His needs are more, so he gives less.
They call him the winner who takes all.
And he strikes, like Thunderball.
 

PREACH!!

Congrats Gene! This being in your collection makes me smile real big with you

This is insane!! One of my all time favorite pieces of art! Mind boggling! Congratulations, Gene! 

The perfect represenation of what made Bond (and Connery) so ridiculously cool. A+++++!

Fantastic! I remember this poster and the other Bond posters from the era, as well! They were classics of their time! But this one is especially memorable with Sean Connery looking calm and dapper as he blasts off with a jetpack mounted over his tuxedo. Connery was always my favorite Bond and this poster really nails his appeal. Absolutely stunning art by Frank McCarthy. It's totally killer! Great pick-up, congrats!

Great piece of pop culture from a different era.  Although 1965 was before our time, the influence of that era was certainly still there for our formative years.  

There's so much I'd like to like to say that I wish I had the skill to write this with the same eloquence as my thoughts and feelings.  First of all, heartfelt congratulations again my friend on acquiring this piece.  It's clearly so gratifying for you (and us when we hear these stories) when one is rewarded by obtaining a highly desired and sought after piece of art (even if the "cost" was very high). And thank you for publicly sharing.  Secondly, the art itself is so impactful. Yes there is a lot of great art but there are a few categories and examples of art that by either subject, context or other reason transcend personal (or limited group) nostalgia and importance.  While most of us were too young to see the original films in the theater, the abundance of TV broadcasts for years meant that for many, incl. me, Sean Connery was and always will be the quintessential Bond (not that I didn't enjoy many of the other Bond movies). And Bond, with Connery providing the foundational characterization, is of course a cultural icon and touchpoint.  Beyond that significance, the painting is such a great and beautiful representation.  The scene, the layout, the forced perspective, the colors, and the absolute dead-on photorealistic depiction of Bond/Connery is literally perfection.  It truly is an amazing piece, an epic acquisition.  And it's found a long term home of someone who can deeply appreciate it. Enjoy and well done sir! ( and did I hear something about some secret Cabal???)

Thanks, Daren (and everyone else)! I think your post summed up all of my feelings about this piece the best - it's an iconic pop culture image, a fantastic work of art, something that pushes all the right buttons as both an art collector and 007 superfan. Thanks for the very thoughtful write-up!

Secret Cabal, though? First I'm hearing about it...surely these things don't exist anymore in 2025?!! ;-)

This is so great. Love the story of how you got it too. Congrats Gene!!!!

Thanks, Joe!! 

Beautiful!

Wow!!! I appreciate your description and examples of how it was used in the marketing campaign. Amazing that you have the gum wrapper! Growing up I remember this poster being in my friend's bedroom, which was filled with comics and Bond novels. He loved the Bond books and movies, publishing a Bond fanzine as a kid. He subsequently became a screenwriter. His dream was realized when he wrote the story for GoldenEye. Although he has since passed away, seeing this poster reminds me of his talent and what a great person he was.

It sounds like James will not escape his current home - delayed congrats!

Bond always escapes. He's flying out of Genes clutches, on a painted jet pack, as I type this.

:-D

I've got him locked down more securely than any Bond villain!!

Just sublime!

In my opinion, this is one of the most iconic Bond art pieces ever done. Amazing that you are able to own this, it is so very cool.