Plenty O’Toole – Busting onto The Bond Scene
Plenty O’Toole is a small character, Bond girl, who her mark in the 1971 film Diamonds Are Forever. Portrayed by American actress Lana Wood, Plenty O’Toole’s brief but memorable appearance is certainly one of the highlights of the film.
From her explosive introduction at the Whyte House Hotel casino to her tragic and untimely demise, we look at Plenty O’Toole’s short Bond life, and examine the character and actress to play such a short but memorable character.
Plenty O’Toole
Plenty O’Toole is an opportunistic, young and beautiful woman seeking wealthy companions. She’s a regular frequenter at the Whyte House Hotel casino, where she befriends affluent men, hoping to profit from their winnings.
After leaving one such man, she is drawn to James Bond, who’s disguised as diamond smuggler Peter Franks. Introducing herself, she offers to help him gamble.
Bond and O’Toole’s initial collaboration results in losses, but she’s soon amazed when Bond wins back the money and more. Delighted to receive $5,000 for her assistance, Plenty insists on celebrating with drinks.
As they have dinner, Bond maintains his Peter Franks persona. Upon noticing Bond’s interest in a female harpist, Plenty suggests they leave so she can properly thank him.
In Bond’s hotel room, Plenty kisses him, and as she prepares for the evening in the bathroom, three thugs barge in. They throw Plenty, dressed only in her underwear, out of the window and into a swimming pool below.
Later that evening, after Bond has fended off the henchmen and started to seduce Tiffany Case, a drenched Plenty returns, modestly draped in just a towel. Finding Bond in bed with Tiffany, a jealous Plenty searches through Case’s belongings and finds her Las Vegas home address.
The next day, Plenty visits Tiffany’s home, but Tiffany isn’t there. Unfortunately for Plenty, Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, who either mistake her for Tiffany or want to eliminate a potential witness drown her in the swimming pool.
Lana Wood
Lana Wood, an American actress and producer, is best known for her roles as Sandy Webber on the soap opera Peyton Place and Plenty O’Toole in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever.
Born Svetlana Lisa Gurdin on March 1, 1946, to Russian immigrant parents, her family adopted the Wood surname after her sister, Natalie Wood, embarked on a successful acting career as a child. Lana followed in her sister’s footsteps and also took the Wood stage name.
Lana’s film debut came in The Searchers (1956), and she continued to enjoy a thriving acting career, appearing in over 20 films and more than 300 television series, including The Fugitive, Bonanza, and Fantasy Island.
In 1970, Wood posed for Playboy magazine and later resumed acting in several low-budget films. She has authored two memoirs, Natalie, A Memoir by Her Sister (1984), and Little Sister (2021).
Plenty O’Toole – A Short-Lived but Memorable Bond Girl
Bond girl Plenty O’Toole, portrayed by the talented Lana Wood, remains an unforgettable character in the James Bond universe. Despite her brief appearance in Diamonds Are Forever, Plenty’s magnetic charm and her unique interactions with Bond left a lasting impression on audiences.
Her short story, filled with intrigue and tragedy, is both stereotypical and tragic, but is certainly one of the highlights of Sean Connery‘s last outing in an official Bond film.
