His name was Popov, Dusko Popov. Not a household name like James Bond, Sean Connery or Roger Moore, but nevertheless, he was the spy who came in from the cold that author Ian Fleming reputedly based 007, his legendary secret agent on. On Friday, June 22 beginning at 8 p.m. (et/pt), Encore presents True Bond, an original special on Fleming's inspiration, followed by a 52-hour Bond-A-Thon featuring 16 classic Bond films, including Dr. No, The Spy Who Loved Me, Goldfinger, From Russia With Love and Thunderball, among others.

Popov, a Yugoslav playboy, was recruited by Britain as a double agent during World War II after earlier agreeing to work for the Germans. Popov's codename was "Tricycle," originally thought to be attributed to him for his penchant for menages a trois'. However, his original codename "Scout" was changed when he appointed two sub agents under him (hence referencing the three-wheeled cycle).

Around the same time, author Ian Fleming worked in British naval intelligence and was detailed to trail the charismatic Popov, who stayed at the most posh hotels, ate at the finest restaurants, played at the top casinos and was indeed a suave ladies man -- a worthy predecessor to the fictional 007.

True Bond will be followed by a 52-hour Bond-A-Thon featuring the action thrillers that made Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and, hmmmm, George Lazenby, famous. Other notables who appear in some of the Bond-A-Thon films include Kim Basinger, Benicio Del Toro, Rowan Atkinson, Jane Seymour, Yaphet Kotto, Carey Lowell, Jill St. John, Donald Pleasance, Ursula Andress and Britt Ekland.

007 in '07

A 52-hour marathon of James Bond films beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, 6/22 through Sunday, 6/24.

Friday, 6/22
-- True Bond (documentary) at 8 p.m.
-- Dr. No at 9 p.m. - (Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman)
-- The Spy Who Loved Me at 11 p.m. - (Roger Moore, Barbara Bach, Curt Jergens)

Saturday, 6/23
-- You Only Live Twice at 1:10 a.m. - (Sean Connery, Akiko Wakabayashi, Donald Pleasence)
-- Moonraker at 3:10 a.m. - (Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale)
-- On Her Majesty's Secret Service at 5:20 a.m. - (George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas)
-- License to Kill at 7:45 a.m. - (Timothy Dalton, Carey Lowell, Benicio Del Toro)
-- True Bond (documentary) at 10 a.m.
-- Never Say Never Again at 11 a.m. - (Sean Connery, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Kim Basinger)
-- The Man With the Golden Gun at 1:20 p.m. - (Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland)
-- Octopussy at 3:30 p.m. - (Roger Moore, Maud Adams, Louis Jourdan)
-- Live and Let Die at 5:45 p.m. - (Roger Moore, Yaphet Kotto, Jane Seymour)
-- Goldfinger at 8 p.m. - (Sean Connery, Honor Blackman, Gert Frobe)
-- For Your Eyes Only at 10 p.m. - (Roger Moore, Carole Bouquet, Topol)

Sunday, 6/24
-- A View to a Kill at 12:15 a.m. - (Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, Grace Jones)
-- The Man With the Golden Gun at 2:30 a.m. - (Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland)
-- The Living Daylights at 4:35 a.m. - (Timothy Dalton, Maryam D'Abo, Jeroen Krabbe)
-- From Russia With Love at 6:50 a.m. - (Sean Connery, Daniela Bianchi, Robert Shaw)
-- Dr. No at 8:45 a.m. - (Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman)
-- Diamonds Are Forever at 10:40 a.m. - (Sean Connery, Jill St. John, Charles Gray)
-- True Bond (documentary) at 12:45 p.m.
-- Goldfinger at 1:45 p.m. - (Sean Connery, Honor Blackman, Gert Frobe)
-- You Only Live Twice at 3:45 p.m. - (Sean Connery, Akiko Wakabayashi, Donald Pleasence)
-- License to Kill at 5:45 p.m. - (Timothy Dalton, Carey Lowell, Benicio Del Toro)
-- Thunderball at 8 p.m. - (Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi)
-- From Russia With Love 10:15 p.m. - (Sean Connery, Daniela Bianchi, Robert Shaw)