Barry Nelson, the first actor to portray the James Bond 007 character on-screen in 1954's made-for-TV-movie Casino Royale, has passed away at the age of 89.

Casino Royale (1954) was featured on the hour long TV show Climax! on the CBS television network. The first and only American actor to play James Bond, Barry Nelson played the important role of bringing Ian Fleming's character to movie audiences around the world - paving the way for the 007 movie franchise as we know it today.

For me, Barry Nelson's Bond revealed the challenges of converting Ian Fleming's secret agent from a faceless persona in a novel to a believable on-screen character. Judging by the success of the billion-dollar franchise and a fan base that reaches every corner of the globe, Nelson can now rest easy knowing that his tenure as 007, although short, will be remembered as having a monumental impact on both James Bond and cinematic history.

My condolences to Mr. Nelson's friends and family.