Albert R “Bert” Saxby is a character in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. One of Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s leading henchmen, Saxby was portrayed by King Kong star Bruce Cabot (who passed away the following year).

Bruce Cabot as Bert Saxby in ‘Diamonds Are Forever’.

Bert Saxby works for Willard Whyte, until Blofeld takes over; Saxby then becomes Blofeld’s right-hand man. Saxby manages Whyte’s end of the casino and first meets 007 while the latter is posing as Peter Franks. Later Saxby goes up to he office to inform Blofeld that Shady Tree is dead; he then tells his boss to turn on one of the cameras watching 007. Blofeld commands Saxby to “just get me the diamonds.”

A few days later, Bert hires a person to steal the diamonds, that SPECTRE needs to complete their project, from jewel smuggler Tiffany Case’s locker at the McCarren International Airport. The hired person takes the diamonds to Saxby in a Ford minibus, who then delivers them to Dr Metz at a gas station. He is shot and killed by CIA agents on attempting to assassinate Whyte while taking cover behind a rock with a sniper rifle as Whyte is being rescued by Bond and the CIA. As the dead Saxby tumbles down a hill, Whyte spouts one of the movie’s best-remembered deadpan-lines: “Tell him he’s fired!”

His name is a direct reference to Bond film-producer Albert R “Cubby” Broccoli.

See also:

• Bond henchmen