Derek Flint

Derek Flint is a fictional world adventurer and master spy featured in a series of movies and comic books. Flint is a parody of James Bond and Doc Savage. Derek Flint is an agent for ZOWIE. ZOWIE stands for the Zonal Organization World Intelligence Espionage.

The first movie, Our Man Flint, involves the evil Galaxy organization threatening the world with their weather-manipulating machine. ZOWIE, led by Mr. LLoyd C. Cramden (played by Lee J. Cobb) has no choice but to call on Derek Flint, the world-renowned private secret agent (played by James Coburn). Flint follows Galaxy from New York to Marseille, Rome, and then to Galaxy Island, where he causes the destruction of the Galaxy organization and saves the planet from certain doom.

In 1965, 20th Century Fox presented its own version of a master spy to take on United Artist's popular James Bond franchise. The first three James Bond movies had already made considerable money for that studio so Fox decided to try for itself. Their hero was wholly a celluloid creation however, not a transfer from a book series.

Derek Flint was the creation of Hal Fimberg, whose writing credentials, though sparse, did go back quite a few years. Whether it was in keeping with a growing trend to try to 'out-Bond Bond' or, more likely, to spoof the very macho Double-0 agent, Flint was the best at whatever he did and he did a lot. The abilities and achievements of Derek Flint are far too numerous to list here. Just a few include a black belt in Judo, Olympic medals in at least 5 different events, degrees from 17 different universities, creation of highly prized paintings, and the ability to speak fluently in 45 languages and dialects. Derek Flint created the sonic amplifier, which was a tuning fork shaped brass fork that hooks into a cigarette lighter and could be seen moving a pool cue ball around on the table by sonic force. By adjusting the meter to a specific pitch he is able to explode the ball by mere sonic force. This is perhaps a bit of foreshadowing of events to come. Flint uses his belt buckle/sonic manipulator to shatter the glass to his cell and free himself and before both are frozen in suspended animation. ...later on, in the Virgin Islands, Flint's escape from the space capsule to the Orbiting Space Platform. Using one secret device, Derek Flint ensnares General Carter with a Cigarette Lighter Grappling Hook gun. Flint exits the space capsule as easily as jumping out of a plane and floats towards the space station using his sonic vibrator to propel himself in the correct direction. Flint, using his all-in-one device, launches a grappling hook and manages to slide along his way across the tight rope from one roof top to another.. and once again retracting his grappling hook device; he escapes to safely via a rooftop air shaft.

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