Who was Albert R. Broccoli? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Albert Romolo Broccoli, Cubby Broccoli

Died At Age: 87

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Dana Broccoli, Gloria Blondell (m. 1940–1945), Nedra Clark (m. 1951–1958)

father: Giovanni Broccoli

mother: Kristina Vence

children: Barbara Broccoli, Tina Banta, Tony Broccoli

T V & Movie Producers American Men

Height: 6'0" (183 cm), 6'0" Males

Died on: June 27, 1996

place of death: Beverly Hills, California, United States

Cause of Death: Heart Failure

Notable Alumni: City College Of New York

Ancestry: Italian American

U.S. State: New Yorkers

More Facts

education: City College Of New York

Recommended For You

1

What is Albert R. Broccoli known for in the film industry?

Albert R. Broccoli is best known for producing the James Bond film series.
2

How did Albert R. Broccoli contribute to the success of the James Bond franchise?

Albert R. Broccoli played a key role in shaping the iconic character of James Bond and producing many successful films in the series.
3

What impact did Albert R. Broccoli have on the film industry?

Albert R. Broccoli's work in producing the James Bond films significantly influenced the spy genre and set new standards for action-packed blockbuster movies.
4

What made Albert R. Broccoli a successful film producer?

Albert R. Broccoli's keen eye for talent, strong work ethic, and dedication to bringing high-quality entertainment to audiences contributed to his success as a film producer.
5

How did Albert R. Broccoli's vision shape the James Bond film series?

Albert R. Broccoli's vision for the James Bond films included a perfect blend of action, intrigue, and style, which helped establish the franchise as a global phenomenon.

Recommended Lists:

American Celebrities

Tall Celebrities

Tall Male Celebrities

American TV & Movie Producers

American Film & Theater Personalities

Childhood & Early Life

Albert Romolo Broccoli was born on April 5, 1909, in New York City, New York, USA, to Kristina Vence and Giovanni Broccoli. After emigrating from the Calabria region of Italy, his parents bought a farm in Smithtown, New York, where Broccoli was raised.

Broccoli and his family moved to Florida where they lived for a few years. After his father’s demise, Broccoli returned to New York City where he lived with his grandmother. A young Broccoli took up various odd jobs to support his family. He worked in a local pharmacy and then as a casket maker.

While working in New York City, he visited Los Angeles where his cousin Pat DiCicco lived. His visit to Los Angeles inspired him to get involved in show business. Subsequently, DiCicco introduced him to film personalities, such as Cary Grant, Randolph Scott, and Bob Hope.

In the early-1940s, Broccoli earned an opportunity to work as a gofer on the sets of American Western film ‘The Outlaw.’ He became close friends with the film’s director Howard Hughes and earned opportunities to work on the sets of many other films. By the time the US entered the ‘Second World War,’ Broccoli had established himself as an assistant director.

After working as an assistant director for films, such as ‘The Black Swan’ (1942) and ‘The Song of Bernadette’ (1943), Broccoli served the ‘US Navy’ during the ‘Second World War.’ After the war, Broccoli returned to work in the showbiz.

In 1946, he worked as a production manager for a film titled ‘Avalanche’ which was produced by Pat DiCicco. During the production of the film, he worked closely with director Irving Allen with whom he would later form a successful independent production company called ‘Warwick Films.’

Continue Reading Below

Career

Broccoli moved to London, England in the early-1950s. He then formed ‘Warwick Films’ with Irving Allen and started producing a series of successful films including ‘Paratrooper’ (1953), ‘Safari’ (1956), and ‘The Bandit of Zhobe’ (1959).

Broccoli went bankrupt in the early-60s after producing ‘The Trials of Oscar Wilde’ which failed at the box office. Soon after the film’s failure, Broccoli and Allen ended their partnership.

Driven by his passion, Broccoli decided to bring Ian Fleming’s ‘James Bond’ character into feature films. He then came to know that the rights to produce ‘James Bond’ films were owned by a Canadian producer named Harry Saltzman. Though Saltzman refused to sell the rights, he agreed to co-produce the films with Broccoli. The deal led to the creation of ‘EON Productions’ under which the first ‘Bond’ film ‘Dr. No’ was produced.

The production company’s second film ‘From Russia with Love’ became a massive success, encouraging Broccoli and Saltzman to invest more on their subsequent ‘Bond’ films. Their success story continued with films, such as ‘Goldfinger’ (1964), ‘You Only Live Twice’ (1967), ‘On Her Majesty's Secret Service’ (1969), ‘Diamonds are Forever’ (1971), ‘Live and Let Die’ (1973), and ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ (1974).

Meanwhile, Broccoli worked as an executive producer for the 1965 ‘James Bond’ film ‘Thunderball’ which was produced by Kevin McClory. As a solo producer, Broccoli bankrolled films, such as ‘Jazz Boat’ (1960), ‘Call Me Bwana’ (1963), and ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ (1968).

By the mid-1970s, Saltzman ended his partnership with Broccoli. Starting from 1977, Broccoli started producing ‘James Bond’ films on his own and came up with films, such as ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ (1977), ‘Moonraker’ (1979), ‘For Your Eyes Only’ (1981), and ‘Octopussy’ (1983).

In 1985, he joined hands with Michael G. Wilson to produce the fourteenth ‘Bond’ film ‘A View to a Kill.’ He continued his partnership with Wilson to produce a couple of subsequent ‘Bond’ films, namely ‘The Living Daylights’ (1987) and ‘Licence to Kill’ (1989). In 1995, he became the consulting producer for the seventeenth ‘Bond’ film ‘GoldenEye’ and was also credited as the film’s presenter.

Family & Personal Life

Broccoli’s well-known nickname ‘Cubby’ was given to him by his cousin Pat DiCicco. During his younger days, DiCicco would call him ‘Kabibble,’ a name he had derived from a popular cartoon character. ‘Kabibble’ eventually became ‘Cubby,’ the name by which he was popularly known.

Albert R. Broccoli married actress Gloria Blondell on July 26, 1940. Though they got divorced in 1945, they chose to remain good friends. On February 3, 1951, he married singer Buddy Clark’s widow, Nedra Clark. After their wedding, Broccoli and Clark adopted a baby boy named Tony. Nedra Clark passed away in 1958 after giving birth to their daughter Tina.

Broccoli met actress and novelist Dana Wilson at a ‘New Year’s Eve’ party in 1958. Five weeks later, he proposed marriage to her and Wilson moved to London to live with him. They got married on June 21, 1959, and were blessed with a daughter named Barbara Broccoli. After his wedding with Dana Wilson, Broccoli became a stepfather to Michael G. Wilson who was born from Dana’s previous marriage with actor Lewis Wilson.

Broccoli passed away in 1996 at his home in Beverly Hills. A funeral mass, which was held at ‘The Church of the Good Shepherd,’ was attended by many actors including Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan. Broccoli’s mortal remains were interred at ‘Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills Cemetery.’

Facts About Albert R. Broccoli

Broccoli was known for his love of unique hobbies, including collecting antique cars and fine wines.

He was a skilled amateur magician and often entertained friends and colleagues with his tricks.

Broccoli had a fondness for animals and was known to keep exotic pets, including a pet lion named "Romulus."

He was a passionate supporter of charitable causes, particularly those related to children's education and healthcare.

Broccoli had a great sense of humor and was known for his playful and lighthearted personality, which endeared him to many in the entertainment industry.

Albert R. Broccoli Biography

You wanted to know

What is Albert R. Broccoli known for in the film industry?

How did Albert R. Broccoli contribute to the success of the James Bond franchise?

What impact did Albert R. Broccoli have on the film industry?

What made Albert R. Broccoli a successful film producer?

How did Albert R. Broccoli's vision shape the James Bond film series?