British actor Daniel Craig, left and French actress Berenice Marlohe pose for photographers during a photo call session for the presentation of the new James Bond movie Skyfall in Paris, Thursday Oct. 25, 2012.

In the half-century since audiences first tracked his silhouette across the screen through a gun barrel, James Bond has become one of cinema's most enduring and recognizable icons.

On Oct. 5, 1962, Her Majesty's greatest super spy debuted in "Dr. No." He returns to the silver screen for the 23rd time in "Skyfall," which will be released here Nov. 9.

James McKissic, 40, said Bond's persona is established the moment the camera pans up in "Dr. No" on a tuxedoed Sean Connery, who iconically introduces himself to English starlet Eunice Gayson as "Bond, James Bond."

McKissic, 40, is the chief operating officer of the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga and a lifelong fan of the films. He was introduced to Agent 007 through the series' third entry, "Goldfinger" and was hooked from the moment British pop vocalist Shirley Bassey sang the theme song.

"The reason why I keep coming back to the movies is because of the action, the amazing places around the world that Bond travels, the gadgets he uses [and] the wardrobe," McKissic said. "Everything that Bond does and has is first-class, top-of-the-line.

"I think every person wants, at least a little bit, to be James Bond."

The spies who loved us

Connery portrayed Bond for five films before he left and was replaced in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" by then-unknown actor George Lazenby, who left after the film. Connery renewed his license to kill for 1971's "Diamonds Are Forever" and again in 1983's "Never Say Never Again," a remake of 1965's "Thunderball" that is not considered an official entry in the series.

To date, six men have portrayed Bond, but the elements that define the character and the series have persisted, even though the plots occasionally stray from the source novels written by Ian Fleming.

Regardless of who is starring, Agent 007 is clever, ruthless and a bit of a womanizer with a love for sexual innuendo. He drives fast cars -- most frequently models of British Aston Martins -- and wields gadgets disguised as everyday objects.

That signature tech is designed for Bond by intelligence agency MI6's quartermaster, Q, a role long held by Desmond Llewelyn until his death in 1999. Other recurring characters include M, the head of MI6, and Miss Moneypenny, an MI6 secretary engaged in a long-standing flirtation with Bond.

"Skyfall" is the third entry to star the series' latest leading man, Daniel Craig. The film centers on the accidental release of the real names of MI6 operatives, which initiates a government review of the agency and calls into question Bond's loyalty to M, played by series veteran Judy Dench.

Despite its lack of a continuous cast, the Bond series is one of cinema's most enduring franchises and trails only "Star Wars" and "Harry Potter" in ticket sales, according to box-office statistic database The- Numbers.com.

bond films are forever

Although they frequently featured fantastic elements, Bond films typically reflect the concerns of the era in which they were released, said Drew Hartl, 28.

In the '60s, the slow boil of the Cold War was reflected in the plots of Bond films such as "Thunderball" and "From Russia With Love." "The Man With the Golden Gun" (1974) featured a story that drew on concerns over the energy crisis of the early 1970s. Later-era Bond films have increasingly featured incidents of cyberterrorism, as in 1995's "GoldenEye" and 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies."

"If you look at the evolution of the villainous themes throughout the films, they always manage to stay within the realm of current events while at the same time pushing the bounds of science fiction," Hartl said.

The series' more exciting reflection of the real world is what drew Soddy-Daisy's Roy Roberts to Bond.

Roberts, 45, has been in love with Bond since he saw Roger Moore in 1977's "The Spy Who Loved Me." Then 10 years old, Roberts said he was fascinated by Bond's gadgets, which included a car that turned into a submarine and a ski pole with a built-in rifle. Later, he became more interested in the film's espionage elements, which offered a chance to experience a more adventurous lifestyle.

"I think the reason the series has lasted so long is because people want escapism," Roberts said. "They want to broaden their horizons.

"Audiences love adventure, and they want to be taken to exotic locales they've never been to and may never get to go to. I think the series will continue long after we're gone."

Contact Casey Phillips at cphillips@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6205. Follow him on Twitter at @Phillips CTFP.