Sir Fredrick Gray is a recurring James Bond character in the films The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View to a Kill and The Living Daylights. He is the Minister of Defence in the films and is portrayed by British actor Geoffrey Keen.

Geoffrey Keen as Minister of Defence Sir Frederick Gray.

Sir Fredrick Gray is the Minister of Defence for the British government. He appears along side Bond’s boss M or in his own office. In The Spy Who Loved Me he is introduced at the submarine crisis. Bond obviously knows Gray as they talk informally, Bond calling him ‘Freddie’. At the end of the film, Gray, along with General Gogol, M and Q, witness Bond and Anya Amasova under the sheets in an escape pod. This embarrassment might explain the apparent souring of his relationship with Bond, who hereafter is treated formally and/or disdainfully, and calls Gray ‘Minister’ or ‘Sir’.

In Moonraker, Gray walks into a suspected laboratory with M and Bond, all wearing gasmasks, but it is revealed to be nothing more than an ornamented office with Hugo Drax waiting inside to chide them. Gray – who angrily tells M, “Your man should be taken off the case!” – is again present at the end of the film to witness Bond under the sheets, this time in space with Holly Goodhead.

In For Your Eyes Only, Gray is seen alongside Chief of Staff Bill Tanner (M is away) trying to find out what happened to spy ship St Georges. Once again, at the end of the film Gray is embarrassed, this time by linking Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with Max the (rude) Parrot instead of 007, whom he accuses of having gone mad. In Octopussy, Gray suggests that Bond go with Jim Fanning, the art expert to see the auction of a Fabergé egg. Gray is seen at the end of the film celebrating with Gogol and M.

In A View to a Kill, the minister is seen talking with Bond and M about Max Zorin and microchips. At the end, Gray is once again seen celebrating (though they think Bond may be dead) with M and Gogol in the former’s office, this time about 007 preventing Silicon Valley from being destroyed.

In The Living Daylights, he is seen with M, Bond and General Koskov at the Bladen safe house – this is Koskov’s debriefing following his supposed defection. Later, Gray proclaims, “We’re the laughing stock of the intelligence community!” when Koskov is apparently abducted. Reference is made to his having to explain all this to the PM: “She’ll have our guts for garters!”

It is unknown what happens to Gray, but in Tomorrow Never Dies, a new Minister of Defence is seen (portrayed by Julian Fellowes) alongside M and Admiral Roebuck. This suggests that Gray has retired and moved on.

See also:

• Bond allies