Harry Palmer
Aliases: Bertram Loess, Brian Serck, Stanley Beamish, Edmond Dorf
Nationality: British
Occupation: British Intelligence Officer / Private Investigator
Career History
Rose to the rank of Sergeant in the British Army before being seconded to Military Intelligence. Has also worked as a private investigator.
Biography
Holds the rank of Sergeant in the British Army. Whilst stationed in Berlin he was making money out of the German army. Facing two years imprisonment, Colonel Ross offered a transfer to Military Intelligence despite (or possibly because) Ross viewed him as insolent, insubordinate and a trickster - possibly with criminal tendencies. After several years working for Ross, Palmer was transferred to the civilian intelligence agency WOOC(P) headed by Major Dalby, where he became involved in the brain drain investigation which was later renamed 'The Ipcress File'. His later investigations included the phoney defection of Colonel Stok and foiling the maverick Texan billionaire, General Midwinter, from attempting to invade the Soviet Union. In 1995 he left intelligence and started working as a private investigator.
Note: There are noticeable discrepancies between the Harry Palmer films and the unnamed protagonist of Len Deighton's novels e.g. WOOC(P) is not mentioned in the films.
Our first problem was the fact that the book had been written in the first person, and the narrator had no name. One evening at the mansion we were sitting around discussing this when Harry [Saltzman] said that this spy was to be the antithesis of James Bond: a very ordinary bloke, someone who could mingle unnoticed in a crowd and who should have an ordinary boring name. 'What's the dullest first name we can give him?' asked Harry. Charlie Kasher, his partner on this film, myself and a couple of other people sat there meditating about this for a while and then, I suddenly, without thinking, blurted out: 'Harry is a pretty dull name.' There was a stunned silence as my faux pas registered, and all eyes turned to Harry who, for all his friendship and kindness, had a ferocious temper. He stared at me for a moment and then started to laugh. 'Let's call him Harry, then,' he said. 'My real name is Herschel.' Audible sighs of relief hissed round the room as the danger passed. Now we needed a surname. We all started to go through the dullest names we could think of - Smith, Brown, Jones, etc. None of them felt right. Finally, Harry said, 'The dullest person I ever met was called Palmer.' So that was it - the character was christened Harry Palmer.
What's It All About? by Michael Caine
Hobbies: Cooking, reading, listening to music (Mozart, Bach), gambling
Drinks: Filtered black coffee, whisky, Lowenbrau lager
Books Featured In
- 1962 "The Ipcress File" by Len Deighton
- 1963 "Horse Under Water" by Len Deighton
- 1964 "Funeral in Berlin" by Len Deighton
- 1966 "Billion Dollar Brain" by Len Deighton
- 1973 "Spy Story" by Len Deighton
- 1976 "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Spy" by Len Deighto
Note: The hero of Len Deighton's early novels does not have a name, so the list of those that have not been made into films are a little subjective.
Programmes Featured In
- 1965 "The Ipcress File" portrayed by Michael Caine
- 1966 "Funeral In Berlin" portrayed by Michael Caine
- 1967 "Billion Dollar Brain" portrayed by Michael Caine
- 1995 "Bullet to Beijing" portrayed by Michael Caine
- 1996 "Midnight in Saint Petersburg" portrayed by Michael Caine
Major Dalby: It isn't usual to read a B-107 to its subject Palmer, but I'm going to put you straight. Insubordinate. Insolent. A trickster . . . Perhaps with criminal tendencies.
Harry Palmer: Yes, that's a pretty fair appraisal. Sir.
Major Dalby: Good. That last quality might be useful.
The Ipcress File
Agent In Charge: It looks as if all this has been laid on for nothing. That's not good enough.
Major Dalby: According to Central Clearing House, this operation was timed to start at 2:25: you started at 2:35 - that's not good enough.
Agent In Charge: Good afternoon.
[The Agent In Charge takes his leave]
Harry Palmer: Thankyou.
Major Dalby: The next time you use CC1 authority, just you make sure you have it.
Harry Palmer: You know its funny: if Radcliffe had been here, I'd have been a hero.
Major Dalby: He wasn't. And you're not.
The Ipcress File
German Barman: Bitte?
Harry Palmer: No thanks. A pint of Lowenbrau, please.
Funeral In Berlin
