The Real 007

How Sidney Reilly Became the Blueprint for 007

Discover the man whose espionage escapades inspired Ian Fleming’s iconic character.

Sydney Reilly’s purported postmortem photo (his body was never recovered), via Wikimedia Commons

Before Daniel Craig, Sean Connery, or even Ian Fleming’s ink hit the paper, there was Sidney Reilly — the real-life James Bond. This man’s life was a whirlwind of espionage, romance, and daring feats…