Dryden is a villain from the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale. Although technically not a henchman, he is not a main villain either. He was portrayed by Malcolm Sinclair.

Malcolm Sinclair as Dryden in ‘Casino Royale’.

Film biography: Dryden is seen in the pre-title sequence. In Prague, he drives up to his office. He is about to sit down when James Bond interrupts him. Bond says M knows he is selling MI6 secrets. Dryden replies that if M is so sure, she would have sent a double-0 (00) agent. Bond, who is not yet 007, tells Dryden he has already killed one (Fisher) and needs another. Dryden attempts to shoot Bond, but finds that Bond has removed the ammunition. Bond then kills Dryden.

In the moment when Bond shoots him, a photo of Dryden together with his wife and daughter is shown for a split second, which he takes with him to his death.

Novel biography: Although never mentioned by name in the books, Ian Fleming mentions how Bond obtained his 00 licence. One of the men he kills is a Japanese cipher expert on the 36th floor of the RCA Building in New York (although this attack was carried out with a sniper rifle from an adjoining building). The other man he kills is a double agent in Stockholm, which is probably the inspiration for Dryden, even though he was, in the book, killed with a knife. It also says “and.. well he just didn’t die so quickly.”

See also:

• Bond henchmen