Dr. Kaufman

Dr. Kaufman was a fictional professional assassin and German scientist in the employ of media mogul, Elliot Carver. A supporting antagonist portrayed by the late American actor, Vincent Schiavelli, the character first appeared in the 1997 James Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies, was subsequently adapted in Raymond Benson's accompanying novelization as well in 1999 video game adaptation of the film, voiced by Zimbabwean actor Miles Anderson.

Biography[]

A professor of forensic medicine, Kaufman is hired by Media mogul Elliot Carver after he learns about the relationship between James Bond and Carver's wife Paris. After first murdering Paris, Kaufman waits for Bond in his hotel room; intending to kill Bond in such a manner as to make Paris's death appear a murder-suicide. Confronting Bond at gunpoint, he brags about his professionalism and how his services as an assassin are in demand all over the world. Of all the methods at his disposal, apparently his specialty is the celebrity overdose.

Fortunately for Bond, Kaufman's attempt to shoot the MI6 agent is suddenly interrupted by a phone call from his protégé, Richard Stamper. Stamper and his men are attempting to break into Bond's BMW 750iL to retrieve the GPS encoder he had stolen back from them earlier in the film. They are, however, having difficulty bypassing the car's security system. In desperation, Stamper asks Kaufman to make Bond disable the vehicle's security.

Providing Kaufman with his mobile phone - the car's remote control device - 007 tricks him into activating the phone's taser feature, shocking him and giving Bond the opportunity to gain the upper hand. His own weapon now pointing at him, the assassin protests that he is merely a professional doing his job, but Bond simply replies that he is too and pulls the trigger and shoots Kaufman in the head killing him.

Henchman[]

Richard Stamper

Behind the Scenes[]

The novelisation has Bond reflecting that Kaufman's death is one of the rare occasions where he has killed someone whom he knew unquestionably deserved to die.

Gallery[]

Dr. Kaufman/Gallery

References[]