In the movies, Q provides Bond with exploding pens, magnetic wristwatches, amphibian cars and other gadgets.
Desmon Wilkinson Llewelyn was born in Newport, South Wales in 1914, the son of a coal mining engineer. In high school, he worked as a stagehand in the school's productions and then picked up sporadic small parts.
The outbreak of World War II in September 1939 halted his acting career, and Llewelyn was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the British army.
Since 1963, Llewelyn has appeared as Q in every Bond film, except Live and Let Die (1973).
Llewelyn was killed in a road accident on December 19, 1999 after returning home from a booksigning promoting his autobiography in East Sussex. He collided head-on with a car and died shortly after. He was 85.