By Sean Tuohy

The Name is France. Michael France.

You may have never seen his name before, but you know his work. James Bond fan boy-turned- Hollywood screenwriter Michael France penned films that have grossed nearly a billion dollars. Yes, you read that correctly, billion with a big ole “b.” France brought James Bond back to life on the big screen, unleashed The Punisher, and hung Sly Stallone off a cliff.

As a movie nerd growing up in South Florida, I was thrilled to discover that France was not only from Florida, but lived in the Sunshine State while writing Hollywood blockbusters. It’s no surprise that he was one of my idols. France started out in Saint Petersburg, Fla., where in school he was the president of a magazine devoted to James Bond (for our younger readers, a magazine has glossy pages filled with pictures and words). France went off to University of Florida and then moved on to Columbia to finish his degree.

He caught the limelight early with his spec script sale to a major Hollywood studio in 1991. Within the next year, the film had a major star, a big name director, and the green light to start filming. “Cliffhanger” ended up as one of the biggest hits of the year.

France then began pumping out screenplays for major Hollywood studios. He penned the first drafts of “The Punisher” and “Hulk.” His early insight on the scripts made those films pop, but it was his next project that really cemented his legacy.

In 1994, James Bond was a relic of the Cold War. The last film had been produced in 1987 and the franchise had been in limbo ever since. France was hired to pen the draft the newest installment of the saga. He obviously knew Bond well from his schoolboy days, so he gleefully took the assignment. France attacked the script as if it was his version of War and Peace. His research for the film included traveling to the former Soviet Union in order to tour army bases, KGB stations, and a even a casino! To write a worthy James Bond film, France became Bond.

“GoldenEye” was a smash hit and one of the highest grossing films in the series. France also penned a good chunk of “The World Is Not Enough,” but did not get a credit.

A guy with salt air and sunshine in his veins stayed close to home and eventually bought a movie theater in Saint Pete for $800,000 cash that for many years ran classic films.

In 2013, Michael France passed away at the young age of 51, likely from throwing a martini in someone’s face and instigating an epic gunfight.

BADASS WRITERS OF THE WEEK ARCHIVE

James Gardner shooting a camera man who got too close to his car.

By Sean Tuohy

Did you just ask yourself, "Who is John Gardner?" Seriously? Fuck off! #Badasswriter Gardner was born and raised in England and didn't waste time becoming a badass. At the outbreak of World War II, he joined the British Army's Home Guard when he was 13-years-old. At that age, my biggest worry was hair growing in new places. Gardner was fighting Nazis. Nazis!

In 1942, he joined the Royal Marine Commandos where he became a small arms and explosives expert, and learned to fly a plane. He became a priest after the war, but that only lasted until 1958 when he lost his faith in God and turned to drinking. When Gardner sobered up, he turned his badass skills toward writing and he produced some of the most acclaimed spy thrillers of his time.

What do you do after fighting Nazis? You fucking write James Bond novels.

In 1979, Gardner took over the long running and, at that time, sagging James Bond book series. He turned the series back in to a top seller. During his time penning James Bond, Gardner produced 14 novels, each a massive best-seller. So, not only did he save the world from Nazis while still a teenager, he saved one of pop culture's biggest icons from extinction.

John Gardner died of a heart attack at the age of 80. We assume at the time of his death he was fighting a brown bear that had chainsaws for hands.

BADASS WRITERS OF THE WEEK ARCHIVE

Badass Writer of the Week: Michael France

Badass Writer of the Week: John Gardner