Joe Caroff, the graphic designer behind the iconic James Bond 007 gun logo, has died at the age of 103, just one day before his 104th birthday. His sons, Michael and Peter, confirmed he passed away in hospice care at his Manhattan home on Sunday, August 17.
Caroff’s work left an indelible mark on pop culture. In 1962, he was commissioned to design a letterhead for a publicity release for Dr. No, the first Bond film, leading to the creation of one of cinema’s most recognizable symbols. Beyond Bond, he designed posters for West Side Story, A Hard Day’s Night by The Beatles, Cabaret, Last Tango in Paris, Manhattan, and many other classics.
Despite the prominence of his work, Caroff’s name remained largely unknown for decades. “That he was unknown is shocking,” said Steven Heller, co-chairman emeritus of the MFA Design program at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.
At the time, Caroff was paid a standard fee of $300 for the Bond logo—without film credits, royalties, or profit-sharing. “It was like a little publicity piece for me,” he once reflected. His wife, Phyllis Caroff, added in a documentary: “My only regret is that they never paid any royalties. We would have been rich.”
Caroff admitted he never kept his original sketches. “Probably not a smart thing to do, but I never attached what I was doing to any greatness. I was just working. I was just being an artist.”
In recognition of his legacy, EON Productions and franchise producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson gifted him an Omega watch engraved with the 007 logo on his 100th birthday.
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