Harry Saltzman, who co-founded Eon Productions and Danjaq with Cubby Broccoli, was born on 27th October 1915 in Sherbrooke, Canada.
Legend has it that Saltzman ran away from home at the age of 15, eventually joining a travelling circus for a number of years. In 1932 he moved to Paris to study, but instead started picking talent for vaudeville shows across Europe and later managed a circus. Joining the Royal Canadian Air Force, he served in the Second World World in France, before being discharged in 1943. His war was not yet finished though as he joined the US Psychological Warfare Bureau.
After the war he worked as a talent scout before trying his hand at other entrepreneurial ventures. In the mid 1950s he moved his family to the UK, where he entered the film business and produced a number of acclaimed films, including Look Back in Anger.
He bid for the rights to the James Bond films in 1961, joining forces with Cubby Broccoli the following year in order to raise finance for the films.
After successfully launching 007 on the big screen and remaining in partnership with Broccoli for a number of films, in 1975 Saltzman was forced to sell his stake in James Bond because of financial problems.