Sir Roger George Moore (born October 14, 1927) is an English actor known for his suave and witty demeanour. He is best known for portraying two British action heroes, Simon Templar in the television series The Saint from 1962 to 1969, and, as James Bond in the successful film series from 1973 to 1985. He has been a UNICEF ambassador since 1991.

Roger Moore (right) became a household name in the UK in the Sixties with the popular television serial ‘The Saint’.

Moore was born in Stockwell, London. The only child of George Moore, a policeman, and Lillian “Lily” (née Pope), a housewife, he attended Battersea Grammar School, but was evacuated to Holsworthy, Devon during World War II and was then educated at Dr Challoner’s Grammar School. He then attended the College of the Venerable Bede at the University of Durham. Upon turning 18, shortly after the end of the war, Moore was conscripted for National Service. He was commissioned as an officer and eventually became a Captain.

Moore served in the Royal Army Service Corps, commanding a small depot in West Germany. He later transferred to the entertainment branch (under luminaries such as Spike Milligan), and immediately prior to his National Service, there was a brief stint at RADA (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), during which his fees were paid for by flamboyant, film director Brian Desmond Hurst, who also used Moore as an extra in his film Trottie True. Moore was a classmate at RADA with his future Bond colleague Lois Maxwell. The young Moore first appeared in films during the mid to late-1940s, as an extra.

During the early 1950s, Moore worked as a male model, appearing in print advertisements for as wide a range of products as toothpaste and knitwear, something which many critics have used as typifying his lightweight credentials as an actor. His earliest known television appearance, at a time when the BBC was the only channel, was on May 27 1950, in Drawing Room Detective, a one-off programme.

It was not until 1961 that worldwide fame arrived, when Lew Grade cast him as Simon Templar in a new adaptation of The Saint novels by Leslie Charteris. The television series was made in the UK with an eye on the American market, and its success there (and in other countries) made Moore a household name. It also established his suave, quipping style which he would carry forward to James Bond. Moore would also go on to direct several episodes of the later series, which moved into colour in 1967.

The opinion has often been expressed that the monochrome episodes of the series, which were closer adaptations of Charteris’ work, were superior to the colour episodes, which displayed a stronger leaning towards fantasy and were arguably trying too hard to imitate other shows of that time. The Saint ran for seven years and 118 episodes, making it (with The Avengers) the longest-running series of its kind on British television. Moore however grew increasingly tired of the role, and was keen to branch out.

Moore is the longest-serving James Bond actor, having spent twelve years in the role, and made seven official films.

There are many stories as to when Moore’s name was first dropped as a possible candidate for the role of James Bond. Some sources, specifically Albert R Broccoli from his autobiography When The Snow Melts, claim that Moore was considered for Dr No, and that he was Ian Fleming’s favourite for the role after apparently having seen Moore as Simon Templar in The Saint; however, this story is often debunked by fans and Bond-film historians, who point to the fact that the series did not begin airing in the United Kingdom until October 4, 1962 – only one day before the premiere of Dr No.

Other sources claim that Moore was passed over for Bond in favour of someone who was older. As Moore is older than Sean Connery, this is probably not true. Publicly, Moore wasn’t linked to the role of 007 until 1967, when Harry Saltzman claimed he would make a good Bond, but also displayed misgivings due to his popularity as Simon Templar. Nevertheless, Moore was finally cast as James Bond in Live and Let Die (1973).

Moore played Bond in:

1. Live and Let Die (1973)
2. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
3. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
4. Moonraker (1979)
5. For Your Eyes Only (1981)
6. Octopussy (1983)
7. A View to a Kill (1985)

To date, Moore is the longest-serving James Bond actor, having spent twelve years in the role (from his debut in 1973, to his retirement from the role in 1985), and made seven official films. (Connery also made seven, but his last Bond film, Never Say Never Again (1983), is not part of the official EON Productions Bond series.) He is also the oldest actor to play Bond: he was 45 when he debuted, and 58 when he announced his retirement on December 3, 1985, as it was agreed by all involved that Moore was too old for the role by that point. Moore himself was quoted in the contemporary press as saying that he felt embarrassed to be seen doing love scenes with actresses young enough to be his daughters.

It is agreed that of the six to have played Bond, Moore’s portrayal was the furthest removed from the character created by Ian Fleming.

Moore’s James Bond was light-hearted, more so than any other official actor to portray the character. Connery’s style, even in its lighter moments, was that of a focused, determined agent. Moore often portrayed 007 as somewhat of a playboy, with tongue firmly in cheek. The humour served Moore and his fans well through most of his Bond tenure. Fans also relished the moments when his Bond was all business, especially in the more intense parts of The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only, and Octopussy.

Despite all the commercial success, some Bond fans were unhappy at Moore continuing to play the character until his late-fifties with a consensus that For Your Eyes Only (1981) should have been his Bond swansong, by which time he was almost 54 at the time of filming. It is generally agreed that of the six actors to have played Bond, Moore’s portrayal was the furthest removed from the character created by Ian Fleming. Moore has also been blamed by some for turning the Bond character into a parody of himself. His role in Cannonball Run (1981) amounts to elaborate self-parody: he plays a dentist, Seymour Goldfarb Jr, who believes himself to be Roger Moore in the James Bond role.

It is often overlooked that during Moore’s Bond period he starred in 13 other films, including the successful thriller Gold (1974) and even played Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Curse of the Pink Panther (1983). However, most of these films were not critically acclaimed.

See also:

• Bond, James: Actors