Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was an English author best known for creating James Bond.
Born into a wealthy family, Fleming worked in naval intelligence during World War II, which informed his spy novels.
He wrote Casino Royale at age 44, followed by eleven more Bond novels and two short story collections.
The series became wildly successful, selling over 100 million copies worldwide.
Fleming also wrote children's fiction and non-fiction.
A heavy smoker and drinker, he died of heart disease at 56.
His Bond character has since appeared in numerous films and continuation novels by other authors, cementing Fleming's legacy in popular culture.
