Desmond Llewelyn 1999. On 19 December 1999, Llewelyn was driving home alone from a book signing event when his blue Renault Megane had a head-on collision with a bronze Fiat Bravo driven by a 35-year-old man on the A27 near the village of Berwick, East Sussex. Despite attention from a doctor called to the scene and being taken by helicopter to Eastbourne District General Hospital, he died shortly thereafter at the age of 85. The other driver was seriously injured. An inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death. Llewelyn's death occurred three weeks after the premiere of "The World Is Not Enough".
In Which We Serve and newsreel footage of their visit proved to be good publicity for the film. During the filming, the character of Albert Fosdike, "Shorty" Blake's brother-in-law, was recast after actor William Hartnell turned up late for his first day of shooting. Coward berated Hartnell in front of cast and crew for his unprofessionalism. He then made him personally apologise to everyone before sacking him. Michael Anderson, the film's first-assistant director took over the part (credited as "Mickey Anderson"). Coward was anxious that it succeed, not only because it was his first film project, but because he felt it was his contribution