Some Espionage Museums

A lipstick pistol, on display at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.







Museums
Some museums where visitors can learn more about the art of espionage:
International Spy Museum, Washington, D.C.
Checkpoint Charlie museum, Berlin, Germany
National Cryptologic Museum, Fort Meade, Md.
Cold War Museum (traveling exhibit)
U-234, Russian spy sub, Hamburg, Germany
Lubyanka KGB Headquarters, Moscow

Recent Exhibit at the International Spy Museum

Here is an interesting espionage topic featured at the International Spy Museum. 

It's an exhibit that deals with the issues and tensions in fear that we face by terrorism and the freedoms we risk losing, either giving in to terrorism or over-stepping our governmental programs. 

Title:  Spies Traitors and Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America

July 15, 2012–January 6, 2013

How should the United States balance civil liberties and individual rights during times of conflict, crisis and fear? Spies, Traitors and Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America, a creation of the International Spy Museum, explores this vital question through video, film, interactive displays and artifacts, offering an unprecedented perspective into the stories of espionage, treason, and deception that Americans have contended with since the founding days of the republic—a subject once again at the nation’s forefront since the September 11, 2001 attacks.

This provocative exhibition explores and raises questions about key events of America’s past—dramatic moments of action, often frightening, and destabilizing—when Americans have felt threatened within their own borders. Visitors will discover the governmental and public reaction, and sometimes over-reaction, that these events have prompted—the development of counterintelligence, the passing of restrictive legislation, and other internal security measures—in order to identify the enemy and keep the nation safe. At interactive stations following the themes of the exhibition—revolution, sabotage, hate, radicalism, world war, subversion, protest, extremism, and terrorism—visitors are able to record their opinions on issues of national security and civil liberties and compare their reactions to those of past Gallup polling results. Spies, Traitors, and Saboteurs both sheds light on these crucial questions and prompts visitors to challenge and discover their own beliefs and assumptions.

Photo credit: Fragment of one of the planes used to attack the World Trade Center in 2001, courtesy of the International Spy Museum.

 The Golder Family Foundation is the lead sponsor for all Special Exhibitions at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center. Additional support is provided by Rotarians for Peace.

An excerpt from TF, Chapter 3, "Sea Legs."

Here is a fun clip from the early interaction between Jake Sloan and US Coast Guard Petty Officer Charlie Beckwith.

++++++++++++++++++

Standing at the railing outside the bridge, starboard side, he looked across a sea that went on and on. The sky was mostly clear, save for a few high-elevation clouds and a white condensation trail from a lone jet. Moisture hung close to the sea, making the horizon indistinct. He imagined the southern Alaskan coast just beyond the horizon, but knew it must be much farther away.

“It seems to go on forever, doesn’t it?” Charlie stepped through the door behind him, and leaned forward against the rail at his side. Jake’s insides gave a little flutter as her shoulder brushed against his. He could smell her perfume now; it surprised him, as he assumed no female sailor would wear perfume. Guess I was wrong.

“It does,” he said. “I was just imagining where the Alaskan coastline was beyond the horizon. How far do you think we can see from here?”

“My guess would be about ten to fifteen miles. That is, on a clear day.”

“So there are hundreds of miles between us and land in that direction,” he said, nodding toward the east.

“Yep. And if we go a little over three thousand miles south”—she pointed that direction—“it takes us very close to Hawaii.”

“I see,” said Jake, enjoying the view, briefly catching Charlie’s scent again. What is that perfume? Seems so familiar.

They were quiet for some time, looking out at the flowing sea. The white line of foam broke away from the side of the ship. The salty air blew past them. After a while Jake noticed Charlie staring at him, not smiling, not frowning. Just looking, contentedly.

“What?” he said, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. “Did I spill something?” looking at his shirt quickly.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” She looked away, then back again, as if not sure what to say. “I was just thinking.”

 “Ah, thinking. Uh-huh. But you were staring at me,” he said, still wondering what it meant.

“Well, it just occurred to me that you’re very peaceful.”

“Peaceful?”

“Yes. You don’t seem all tied up about … anything, really.”

“Am I supposed to be?” Jake asked, half laughing at the idea, trying to keep the mood light, because it suddenly felt rather serious.

“No. I mean, I’ve never met someone, a guy, who wasn’t uncomfortable with something, who wasn’t always after something, going somewhere.”

“You mean they’re driven to achieve?”

“No,” she said, sounding apologetic. “I don’t mean that at all. I’m just talking about being at peace where they are. Not many can do that, in my experience. But you seem to do it quite easily. It’s … calming. I find that I’m constantly at something, working on one problem or another.”

Charlie looked out across the blue-gray waves. “On the ship, especially, it’s rush to this, hurry to that. I thrive on it, actually. I’m just that way.” She paused. “But I miss relaxing, or stopping to see, to really see what’s around me. Like all this beauty out here.” She waved her hand toward the open ocean.

“It is beautiful,” he said, gazing out at the deep blue water beneath them. Jake thought about what she had said for a while, then noticed her furtively looking at him again.

“I’m sorry, Jake,” Charlie said quickly. “I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”

“It’s fine,” he said, “not a problem.” The two-year difference in their ages suddenly seemed much wider. He half-suspected that she was a little older than nineteen. Was she telling the truth? She wouldn’t have any reason to lie. It would take a mature person to do well in the military. And that’s obviously her gift.

Charlie straightened. “Hey, you want the rest of the tour?”

“Sure. We have yet to see the front half of the ship, right?”

“Right. Let’s head down from the bridge, to the lowest level, come up through each deck, then I’ll take you to the fo’c’sle. We can work our way backward from there.”

Jake followed her inside, past his father and the captain, who were in the middle of a conversation about tides. They climbed down the hatchway and walked forward. “What is a fo’c’sle?” he asked as they walked up the sloping deck toward the bow of the ship.

 

++++++++++++++++++

Banner constructed from the first Trident's Flame book cover

This is made from my original cover for Trident's Flame, the one I would have used had NavPress not picked it up for publication. 

(I am re-posting it in here so that it will show up among the image options in Facebook.)

Music and writing... best friends.

Crafting Sanctum Threat (book 2)... I love it.

Writing is an enjoyable activity... and plenty of work all at the same time.

As interesting and dynamic as an action scene is, for instance, it still must conform to certain other criteria... such as realism, being in-sinc with the character's abilities, and something that communicates intentions all by itself... as combat is a form of communicative interaction between enemies. 

And between experienced combatants the "conversation" can become quite complex.  Writing that sort of thing is more difficult than it sounds.  But a fun challenge.

Writing, writing, writing...

Getting back to polishing up Sanctum's Threat

The second book in the JSA series is an action-packed adventure that includes (1) outdoor survival training with the former SEAL Master Chief, Tac Matthews, (2) a hit-squad chase through downtown Old Monterey, (3) confronting mercenary-thieves in Smuggler's Cove, a secluded rock fissure along the coastline of Point Lobos National Park, (4) hiding as a stowaway aboard the mercenary's yacht and nearly freezing to death on an open-ocean trip to San Francisco, (5) chasing the professional thieves down the coast of Africa into Tanzania, (6) escaping after capture and recovering Jake's three friends, (7) rescuing the lovely Jerika Cochrane from cattle rustlers in Tsavo West in Kenya's wild plains, (8) jumping from a speeding SUV onto the side of a Nairobi-Mombasa train, and (9) surviving a gang of pic-pockets in a Mombasa marketplace.  Sanctum's Threat is guaranteed to get your blood going!  And that doesn't even include the events in Charlie Beckwith's life down in Sydney, Australia, or the nefarious affairs of Guevara, led by the evil Sinjin Jorgesson, and a mysterious assassin group known as the Monks of Borealis whose secret monastery is hidden in the alps of Montana. 

Stay tuned!  

Previews and short clips will be launched soon!

Famous Fictional Spies: the men

And here are the men (as yet incomplete... I will post the filled-out version soon):

1.

Mr. John Steed (aka:  Major The Hon. John Wickham Gascoyne Beresford Steed, agency: unnamed branch of British intelligence, The Avengers, actors: Patrick Macnee, and by Ralph Fiennes in the 1998 film; British spy drama series, 1961-1969, total of 161 episodes in six seasons, created by Sydney Newman.)  "A scion of a noble family, Steed attended Eton (like Macnee), where he once got into a fight with the school bully, James Bond, and was eventually expelled (like Macnee)... (he) drove a variety of elaborate, old-fashioned cars, including a Rolls Royce and several different models of Bentley, one of which he calls Fido. In one episode also a Vauxhall 30/98 can be seen" (Wikipedia).  “The show singlehandedly started the Spy Catsuit and Action Girl tropes” (tvtropes.org).  The series “initially focused on Dr. David Keel (1961) and his assistant John Steed” (Wikipedia).  Mrs. Emma Peel was but one of three female assistants, including Honor Blackman (played by Cathy Gale) and Linda Thorson (played by Tara King). The series showed in more than 90 countries.

2.

Derek Flint (agency: ZOWIE, the Zonal Organization World Intelligence Espionage., Our Man Flint, 1965 film, In Like Flint 1967, actor: James Coburn, written as a spoof of James Bond and Doc Savage; his achievements were extensive, including “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 various languages and dialects;” created by Hal Fimberg.  In the comic book That Man Flint, he is called upon by the agency known as M.A.C.E. (Mandated Actions for Covert Enforcement) to find the bad guys and fix the world’s problems.

3.

Simon Templar (Aliases: many, including those from the names of Catholic-ordained saints, but also those which mirror ST, such as "Sebastian Tombs" or "Sugarman Treacle;" Agency: solo/private agent, The Saint, 1997 film, actor: Val Kilmer, written by Leslie Charteris.)  The Saint remains one of the most extensively filmed espionage characgers in history, going back to a 1938 movie entitle The Saint in New York (starring Louis Hayward), followed by 15 more that culminated in the 1997 Val Kilmer film.  Besides film, three TV series have featured the Saint: The Saint (1962–1969, starring Roger Moore); Return of the Saint (1978–1979, starring Ian Ogilvy); and the TV film series that was included in Mystery Wheel of Adventure (1989, starring Simon Dutton). 

Charteris published between 1928 and 1963.  “After that date, other authors collaborated with Charteris on books until 1983; two additional works produced without Charteris’s participation were published in 1997” (Wikipedia).  “The Saint has a dark side, as he is willing to ruin the lives of the "ungodly", and even kill them, if he feels more innocent lives can be saved. In the early books, Templar refers to this as murder, although he considers his actions justified and righteous, a view usually shared by partners and colleagues. Several adventures centre on his intention to kill (for example, "Arizona" in The Saint Goes West has Templar planning to kill a Nazi scientist)” (Wikipedia).

4.

James Bond (Agency: MI6, numerous films, latest: Skyfall, 2012, actors: numerous, currently Daniel Craig; created by Ian Fleming, the first novel being Casino Royale, 1953; his writings include 12 novels and 2 short-story collections).  Over the course of his cinematic portrayal, Bond’s actors have included: (1) Barry Nelson, 1954, (2) Sean Connery, 1962–1971 & 1983, (3) David Niven, 1967, (4) George Lazenby, 1969, (5) Christopher Cazenove, 1973, (6) Roger Moore, 1973–1985, (7) Timothy Dalton, 1986–1993, (8) Pierce Brosnan, 1995–2002, (9) Daniel Craig, 2006–present).  The James Bond films are “the longest continually running and the second-highest grossing film franchise to date, which started in 1962 with Dr. No” (Wikipedia).

5.

James West (US Secret Service, The Wild Wild West, series, actor: Conrad, written by

6.

Maxwell Smart (aka: Agent 86, series, actor:

7.

Ethan Hunt (IMF, Impossible Mission Force, Mission Impossible 1-4), actor: Tom Cruise,

8.

Jack Ryan (CIA, Red October, films, actors: Harrison Ford, written by:

9.

Jason Bourne (CIA, Bourne Identity, Bourne Supremacy, Bourne Ultimatum, films, actor: Matt Damon, writer: Robert Ludlum.

10.

Harry Tasker (Omega Sector, under chief Spencer Trilby, True Lies, film, actor: Arnold Schwarzenegger, written by:

11.

Spencer Trilby (chief of Omega Sector, True Lies, film, actor: Charleton Heston, written by:

12.

Jack Bauer (CTC, 24, series, actor: , written by:

13.

George Smiley (MI6, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, film, actor: Gary Oldman, written by John Le Carré,

14.

Aaron Cross (CIA, The Bourne Legacy, 2012 film, actor: , written by

15.

Roy Miller (CIA, aka: Matthew Knight, Knight and Day, film,

16.

Frank Moses (CIA, RED, Retired Extremely Dangerous, 2012 film, actor: Bruce Willis, written by:

17.

Bryan Mills (CIA, Taken, 20 film, actor: Liam Neeson, written by:

18.

John Smith (unknown US agency, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, film, actor: Brad Pitt, written by:

19.

Alex Rider (MI6, Alex Rider, film, actor:  , written by

20

Ian Rider (MI6, Alex Rider, film, actor: , written by:

21.

Jack Reacher (unknown, One Shot, 2012 film, actor: Tom Cruise, written by Lee Child, pen name for Jim Grant):

22.

Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin (U.N.C.L.E., The Man From Uncle, TV series from 1964 to 1968, actors: Robert Vaughn, who played Solo, and David McCallum, who played Kuryakin; written by David McDaniel).  U.N.C.L.E. was an acronym for the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement.  The British head of U.N.C.L.E. (Number One of Section One) was Alexander Waverly (played by Leo G. Carroll).  “U.N.C.L.E.'s chief adversary was a vast organization known as THRUSH (originally named WASP in the series pilot movie). The original series never divulged what the acronym THRUSH stood for, but in several of the U.N.C.L.E. novels written by David McDaniel, it appears as the Technological Hierarchy for the Removal of Undesirables and the Subjugation of Humanity, and is described as having been founded by Col. Sebastian Moran after the death of Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls in the Sherlock Holmes story, The Final Problem” (Wikipedia).

23.

Nick Fury (SHIELD, The Avengers, 2012 film, actor: Samuel Jackson, creator/writer:  ).

24.

Johnny English (, , film, actor: , creator/writer:  ).

Classic spy for all seasons... Tracer Bullet.

Tracer Bullet... that brave investigator and clandestine officer of special services.

Famous Fictional Spies: the women

Did a little research on spies in film (fiction spies only), and here's a list of what I came up with.

I tried to identify which agency they worked with and/or their role in that organization, what movie or TV series they were in, what year(s) it showed, which actress played the part, and who created or wrote the story.
Note: some are fully operational field officers, while others are newly recruited "agents" (such as June Havens and Helen Tasker).  In some cases there have been more than one rendition of the story, such as Nikita (which had at least four, two films and two TV series) and Emma Peal.  In one case, the same agent was played by two different actresses in the same film (The Debt).

1.

Evelyn Salt (CIA/Russian FSB sleeper, Salt, 2010 film, actress: Angelina Jolie, by Kurt Wimmer).

2.

Kissy Suzuki (Japanese Secret Service, working for its chief, Tiger Tanaka, You Only Live Twice, 1967 film, actress: Mie Hama; Suzuki is the mother of James Suzuki, son of James Bond, next seen in Blast From the Past, 1996 short story by Benson); Kissy was one of the few female heroine agents and the first Asian in the Bond series, the next being Wai Lin (China) thirty years later. 

3.

Wai Lin (People’s External Security Force of China, Colonel, Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997 film, actress: Michelle Yeoh, by Bruce Feirstein, based on Ian Fleming, 20^th Bond film, 40^th anniversary of the franchise).

4.

Giacinta “Jinx” Johnson (NSA, Die Another Day, 2002 film, actress: Halle Barry, from Raymond Benson novel, based on Ian Fleming); “According to an ITV news poll, Jinx has been voted the fourth toughest girl on screen of all time” (Wikipedia quote); Jinx was also the first black Bond Girl hero or villain, in more than 17 years (the last being a villainess May Day in A View to a Kill in 1985).

5.

June Havens (CIA asset, Knight and Day, 2010 film, actress: Cameron Diaz, based on a spec script by Patrick O'Neill).

6.

Victoria “RED” (CIA, RED, 2010 film, actress: Dame Helen Mirren, DBE).

7.

Rachel Singer (Mossad, The Debt, 2011 film, actresses: Jessica Chastain and Dame Helen Mirren, DBE, written by Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, and Peter Straughan).

8a.

Nikita (the Centre, a French agency of the DGSE, Nikita, 1990 French film, actress: Anne Parillaud, written/directed by Luc Besson): “Row 8, Plot 30.”

8b.

Nina (aka: Maggie Hayward, unknown US agency, Point of No Return, film, actress: Bridget Fonda, based on Luc Besson film): “Row 48, Plot 12.”

8c.

Josephine (US agency known as Section One—an elite, top-secret counter-terrorism organization, La Femme Nikita, 1997-‘01 series, actress: Peta Wilson, based on Luc Besson); was “was the highest-rated drama on American basic cable during its first two seasons” (Wikipedia).

8d.

Nikita (US agency known as Division, Nikita, actress: Maggie Q., 2010+ series, based on Luc Besson’s original film).

10.

Annie Walker (Domestic Protection Division, DPD, a branch of the CIA, Covert Affairs, 2010+ series, actress: Piper Perabo).

11.

Jane Smith (unknown US agency, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, film, Angelina Jolie)

Mallory Kane (CIA, Haywire, film, actress: Gina Carano).

12.

Elise Clifton-Ward (Scotland Yard, aka London Metropolitan Police, The Tourist, 2010 film, remake of the 2005 French action film Anthony Zimmer, actress: Angelina Jolie).

13.

Helen Tasker (aka, “Doris,” Omega Sector, US, headed by Spencer Trilby, True Lies, 1994 film, a remake of a1991 French film La Totale!; actress: Jamie Lee Curtis, written by: unknown. )"The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and Curtis won a Golden Globe for her comedic portrayal of Helen Tasker" (Wikipedia).

14a.

Mrs. Emma Peal (agency: unnamed branch of British intelligence, The Avengers, actress: Diana Rigg, British spy drama series, 1961-1969, total of 161 episodes in six seasons, created by Sydney Newman. “The show singlehandedly started the Spy Catsuit and Action Girl tropes” (tvtropes.org).  The series “initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed,” but “He was teamed with a variety of partners, including Dr. David Keel (1961), Venus Smith (1962-1963), Dr. Martin King (1962–1963), Cathy Gale (1962–1964), Emma Peel (1965–1968), Tara King (1968–1969), Lady Diana Forbes-Blakeney (1969), Purdey, and Mike Gambit (both 1976–1977)” (Wikipedia).  His three female assistants included: Mrs. Emma Peel, Honor Blackman (played by Cathy Gale) and Linda Thorson (played by Tara King). The series showed in more than 90 countries.

14b.

Mrs. Emma Peal (no agency, The Avengers, 1998 film, actress: Uma Thurman (with Ralph Fiennes).

15.

Agent 99 (Control, US counter-espionage agency in Washington DC, Get Smart, actress: Barbara Feldon (with Don Adams as Agent 86), created by Mel Brooks with Buck Henry

16.

Natasha Romanov (aka: Black Widow, SHIELD headed by Nick Fury, The Avengers, film, actress: )

17.

Sydney Bristow (CIA, Alias, series from 2001-2006, actress: Jennifer Gardner).  “Alias was in the American Film Institute’s top ten list for television programs in 2003” (Wikipedia).

18.

Jane Carter (IMF, Mission Impossible 4, 2011 film, actress: Paula Maxine Patton, written by Andre Nemec and Josh Appelbaum).

19.

Samantha Caine (aka: Charlene Elizabeth "Charly" Baltimore, CIA, Long Kiss Goodnight, 1996 film, actress: Geena Davis with Samuel Jackson, written by screenwriter Shane Black).

20.

Mallory Kane (CIA, Haywire, film, actress: Gina Carano, writer: ).