Paris Theodore, Innovative Gunsmith and Firearms Inventor, Dead at 63

An inventor of state-of-the-art firearms, innovative holsters, and original shooting techniques used by government agencies and police departments, Paris Theodore passed away shortly before this issue went to press. Theodore was born in New York City in 1943. His father, John, was a sculptor and art professor at The Horace Mann School. His mother, Nenette Charisse, was a renowned ballet instructor and member of a dance company.

Following his graduation from The Browning School on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Theodore supplemented his work as an abstract painter by serving as an independent contractor for the Central Intelligence Agency. For several years, he performed a number of dangerous covert missions for the Agency. In 1966, at the age of 23, Theodore founded Seventrees Ltd., a company that produced holsters for professionals who needed quick access to concealed weapons.

Demand among undercover investigators and intelligence agents grew quickly for his innovative designs, and Seventrees was awarded contracts from a variety of U. S. agencies. By day, Theodore and his team manufactured customized holsters, while at night, Seventrees’ West 39th Street offices were transformed into a clandestine weapons manufacturing operation, designing special classified concealment weapons for government agencies through a sister company, Armament Systems Procedures Corporation (ASP).

One of ASP’s first products was a Theodore-designed handgun bearing the name of the company. The ASP, based on the Smith & Wesson Model 39, featured many innovations, including clear grips which enabled the user to see the number of unfired rounds remaining, the "guttersnipe" sight designed for close-range combat, and a "forefinger grip" which has become a standard feature on the trigger guard of many modern handguns.

The ASP inspired Ian Fleming’s successor, John Gardner, to replace Bond’s renowned Walther PPK as 007"s weapon of choice. Beginning with 1984"s Role of Honor, the ASP would go on to be featured in 11 James Bond novels. In 1962, Theodore married Lee Becker, the Tony-nominated dancer and choreographer and founder of The American Dance Machine, who died in 1987. He is survived by his sons, Ali and Said Theodore and Paris Kain.

Kain, a filmmaker, is currently producing a documentary based on the life of his late father. You can find a wealth of information about this interesting individual by plugging the name Theodore Paris into your favorite search engine. What’s New in American Gunsmith? Beginning this month is a series of articles by retired master gunsmith Arthur J. Hunt Sr. Under the banner "Shop Talk," Art will be sharing his experience from more than 50 years as a successful gunsmith and gunsmith-shop owner.

Whether you’re a working professional or an aspiring amateur, I believe you’ll find something of value in each installment. Art’s first article, "Making the Gunsmith Shop a Success," begins on page 10. Editor Keith Lawrence Technical