Albert Romolo Broccoli, more commonly known as "Cubby", was an Italian-American New Yorker who lived from 1909 to 1996.

Broccoli's early film career saw him do nothing spectacularly famous, although ''The Trials of Oscar Wilde'' was a spectacular flop that bankrupted him and then partner IrvingAllen. However, a certain series of British spy novels was becoming very popular, and Broccoli saw an opportunity. He found the rights had already been sold, so he decided to team up with a man named Harry Saltzman. When the studio execs at Creator/UnitedArtists objected to their casting of SeanConnery as the lead character, they insisted on it.

Thus the Film/JamesBond film franchise was born.

After ''Film/DrNo'', Broccoli only did two more non-Bond films (''Call Me Bwana'' and ''Film/ChittyChittyBangBang'', the latter also from an IanFleming novel). He narrowly avoided death during the making of ''Film/YouOnlyLiveTwice'' after cancelling a flight at the last minute.

Saltzman, who had made some bad investments, sold his 50% stake in Bond to United Artists in 1975, then was widowed and pretty much retired as a result. Broccoli ran the show ? and what a show. He never got an Oscar, but was awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for lifetime achievement at the 1982 Academy Awards. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Broccoli's first marriage ended in an amicable divorce, and his second wife died of cancer. He had a daughter, Barbara, with his third wife, Dana Wilson. Today, Barbara Broccoli and her stepbrother, Michael G. Wilson, run the James Bond franchise.

Albert Broccoli died in 1996 of heart failure, having had a triple bypass only a year before. ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' is dedicated to him.

And if you're wondering: yes, an ancestor of his did breed, discover, and/or was somehow involved with broccoli the plant enough so to have it named after him or her.

Received an [[KnightFever honorary CBE]].
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