The return of Rainbow Valley – the podcast that tells the stories about the swinging decade.

Episode 023  The Theft Of The Duke Of Wellington

Dr No, the first big screen outing for Ian Fleming’s James Bond. Its 1962, and the movie would start to lay out a successful formula for most of the other movies that would follow in the series.

Of course when we speak about  Dr No, most of us will remember Bonds introduction at the casino, Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder emerging from the sea in ‘that’ bikini or the scene where the spider crawls up Sean Connery’s arm. But what about this scene….and in particular, one specific moment.

James Bond and Honey Ryder have just met the evil Dr No in his underground lair. Before crushing an ornament with his metal hand and telling the pair of  SPECTRE’s dastardly plan to hold the world to ransom, they are led away. As they walk up a small set of steps, Bond stops, noticing an oil painting on an easel to his right ….

The painting was a portrait of Arthur Wellesly the first Duke of Wellington, painted by Francisco de Goya - and only several months before the release of Dr No it had been hanging on display in London’s National Gallery. When it was stolen however, one early August morning, it made national and international headlines. The story would develop with an unlikely villain, who like Dr No, would hold the British government to ransom. A story that would span many decades and involve a high profile court case, the introduction of a new criminal offence, and, of all things….the British tv license!

Ladies and gentlemen, Rainbow Valley is proud to present the story of the theft of the Duke of Wellington.

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This has been a Stinking Pause production.

Thanks for listening

Scott