Sheriff J.W. Pepper remains one of the most distinctive supporting characters of any Bond movie starting in Live and Let Die and continuing on without skipping a beat in The Man With The Golden Gun. He serves as both effective comic relief and a rare example of a side character popular enough to warrant a return appearance.

Clifton James’ performance is central to that success with his distinct tobacco-stained scowl, exaggerated Southern drawl, quotable one-liners (my favorites are his comment about “chasing Commies” and his line to a potential suspect: “ten fingers on the fender”) and effortless chemistry with Roger Moore. Yet what truly elevates Pepper is the authenticity James brings to the role and that despite the humor, the character feels genuine. His character arc would be nearly impossible to replicate in a modern Bond movie, making Pepper a singular, era-defining creation. Truly one of a kind!