Which James Bond villains only lived twice and died another day by featuring in more than one 007 adventure? As one of the longest-running movie franchises in existence, it's no surprise that James Bond has enjoyed a huge cultural impact, especially when it comes to the villains. Thanks to Bond's escapades, stroking a white cat on one's lap will forever look sinister, and the term "Bond villain-esque" is regularly applied to any shady-looking politician with a vaguely intimidating facial expression.
The vast majority of Bond's baddies are one-and-done types, appearing for a lone story, being defeated by Bond, and fading quietly into the night with their tail between their legs. Even some of 007's best enemies have only featured in a single installment - the likes of Auric Goldfinger, Dr. Julius No and Alec Trevelyan. But a select few do-badders defy the odds, elude Bond's famously lethal Walther PPK, and come back for another round against MI6's promiscuous protagonist.
The following James Bond characters have physically appeared in more than one official Eon-produced movie. Some merely returned for cameos, some morphed from outright villains to morally gray allies, and others were played by a host of different actors, but all of them enjoyed more than one appearance within the continuity of the James Bond franchise.
Blofeld
The obvious entry and one true recurring villain plaguing James Bond's existence: Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Positioned as the overarching enemy behind 007's earliest big screen offerings, Blofeld made his first appearance in From Russia With Love, but the character's face was obscured, with only the famous white feline to identify SPECTRE's shadowy head. After another partially-covered scene in Thunderball, Blofeld finally made his full debut in You Only Live Twice played by Donald Pleasence, the first of many actors to take the role. Blofeld returned (now portrayed by Telly Savalas) for 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service and in 1971 for Diamonds Are Forever, with Charles Gray taking over the part. With the villain beset by legal copyright issues, the opening sequence of For Your Eyes Only made use of an "I Can't Believe It's Not Blofeld" substitute.
After an unofficial appearance, Blofeld debuted in the modern James Bond movies with Spectre in 2015, and Christoph Waltz was the man breathing sinister new life into Bond's nemesis. Blofeld is set to rear his charismatic head once again in the forthcoming No Time To Die, and will break a long-standing tradition by having Waltz reprise the role.
General Gogol & Miss Rubelvitch
General Gogol was a recurring figure throughout the Roger Moore era of James Bond, sometimes as an antagonist and sometimes as 007's ally in the face of greater danger. As the fictional head of the KGB, General Gogol was naturally opposed to MI6 thanks to the real-world political backdrop of the Cold War, and made his debut in 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me, played by Walter Gotell. Unlike Blofeld and his litany of actors, General Gogol was consistently played by Gotell, who went on to feature in Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View To A Kill and The Living Daylights.
Perhaps the closest Gogol ever comes to true bad guy territory is his pursuit of a British targeting system in For Your Eyes Only, but even after Bond foils the KGB plot, Gogol magnanimously accepts defeat. For the rest of his tenure in the James Bond franchise, Gogol is a voice of political reason, increasingly working alongside 007 until his final appearance as a diplomat during the Timothy Dalton era. General Gogol is accompanied by his secretary, Miss Rubelvitch, in three of his movie appearances: The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy, played by Eva Reuber-Staier on each occasion. Although not considered an adversary in her own right, Rubelvitch is noteworthy as the KGB counterpart of MI6's Miss Moneypenny, as suggested by her surname.
Jaws
James Bond is well known for its inventive selection of fictional assassins, each with their own unique method of dispatching unsuspecting victims. Among the most famous is Jaws, the big guy with the bad dental plan. Jaws first appeared against Roger Moore's 007 in The Spy Who Loved Me played by Richard Kiel, and was an immediate threat to Bond thanks to his physical stature and set of metal teeth that could supposedly bite through anything. A man of few words, producers opted to have Jaws escape at the end of his adventures in Atlantis, and this proved wise, as the character would go on to become one of the most memorable additions to James Bond canon in the entire film.
Richard Kiel returned as Jaws in Bond's next adventure, Moonraker, but this time became a more sympathetic entity. Once again, Jaws and James Bond battle through the story, with the assassin using his sheer power and 007 trying to outsmart the steel-smiled giant, but Jaws ultimately becomes an ally to the British secret agent. This is down to to Jaws' girlfriend, Dolly, whom he cares about very much, despite being a lumbering, fearless murderer. Although the reference to Steven Spielberg's shark film was made especially for The Spy Who Loved Me, Jaws is based on Sol Horror from Ian Fleming's original novels.
Valentin Zukovsky
Again dipping into James Bond's Russian contingent, Valentin Zukovsky is similar to General Gogol in that he's more a help to 007 than a hindrance. Nevertheless, this former KGB agent isn't exactly on MI6's Christmas card list either; not only did Bond once permanently injure Zukovsky by shooting him in the leg, but the Russian spends his retirement leading the mafia. Played by Rubeus Hagrid himself, Robbie Coltrane, Zukovsky is first seen opposite Pierce Brosnan in 1995's Goldeneye, providing 007 with information, albeit only in exchange for a hefty bribe. Coltrane's second James Bond appearance came in The World Is Not Enough, when Zukovsky is targeted by Elektra King. Although the femme fatale eventually kills him, Zukovsky uses his dying moments to assist 007.
Zukovsky is more an off-screen antagonist against Pierce Brosnan's Bond, with most of his villainous antics coming in the pair's younger years. But even in the James Bond movie timeline, Zukovsky bears a strong grudge against 007, and only aids Britain's favorite hero when their interests align. Zukovsky puts their differences aside first to score a big shipment of weapons, and then later in the hope that his old enemy will get revenge on Elektra.
Mr. White
The Daniel Craig James Bond movies have been far more interconnected than past eras, so it's natural to expect characters crossing between installments. Aside from the aforementioned Blofeld, Mr. White is the most notable returnee among Bond's recent foes, emerging in Casino Royale then reappearing in both 2008's Quantum of Solace and 2015's Spectre. Initially, Mr. White was an outright villain, representing Quantum (and by proxy SPECTRE) by bankrolling Le Chiffre in Casino Royale, only to assassinate him for betraying the evil organization. Mr. White was responsible for the downfall of Vesper Lynd, and this incites the rage of Bond, who hunts White down and captures him ahead of Quantum of Solace. White and Blofeld have a falling out, and Bond tracks his former enemy down for information on SPECTRE and its enigmatic leader. As with others on this list, White begins to see the error of his ways and helps Bond, while also playing cupid between his daughter and 007.
