Roger Moore

[StrangerInAStrangeLand]

Sir Roger George Moore, KBE (/mɔər/; 14 October 1927 – 23 May 2017) was an English actor. He is best known for playing secret agent James Bond in seven feature films between 1973 and 1985. He also played Simon Templar in the television series The Saintbetween 1962 and 1969.

Moore took over the role of Bond from Sean Connery in 1972, and made his first appearance as 007 in Live and Let Die (1973). He went on to portray the spy in six more films.[2][3] Appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991, Moore was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003 for "services to charity". In 2008, the French government appointed Moore a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Moore's friend Audrey Hepburn had impressed him with her work for UNICEF, and consequently he became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991. He was the voice of Father Christmas or 'Santa' in the 2004 UNICEF cartoon The Fly Who Loved Me.[36]

Moore was involved in the production of a video for PETA that protests against the production and wholesale of foie gras. Moore narrates the video.[37] His assistance in this situation, and being a strong spokesman against foie gras, led to the department store Selfridges agreeing to remove foie gras from their shelves.

His family announced his death in Switzerland from a brief battle with cancer on 23 May 2017.[71][72] He died in Crans-Montana.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Moore

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[exchemist]

Sir Roger George Moore, KBE (/mɔər/; 14 October 1927 – 23 May 2017) was an English actor. He is best known for playing secret agent James Bond in seven feature films between 1973 and 1985. He also played Simon Templar in the television series The Saintbetween 1962 and 1969.

Moore took over the role of Bond from Sean Connery in 1972, and made his first appearance as 007 in Live and Let Die (1973). He went on to portray the spy in six more films.[2][3] Appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991, Moore was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003 for "services to charity". In 2008, the French government appointed Moore a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Moore's friend Audrey Hepburn had impressed him with her work for UNICEF, and consequently he became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991. He was the voice of Father Christmas or 'Santa' in the 2004 UNICEF cartoon The Fly Who Loved Me.[36]

Moore was involved in the production of a video for PETA that protests against the production and wholesale of foie gras. Moore narrates the video.[37] His assistance in this situation, and being a strong spokesman against foie gras, led to the department store Selfridges agreeing to remove foie gras from their shelves.

His family announced his death in Switzerland from a brief battle with cancer on 23 May 2017.[71][72] He died in Crans-Montana.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Moore

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I never liked Moore as James Bond, I have to say. He turned the films into a simple joke, rather than operating at dual level, part thriller, part parody, as I felt Connery did. Moore seemed to me rather a preening tailor's dummy in the films, whereas Connery's Bond was someone you really could believe might kill you. Some of Moore's other films were better, e.g. "The Man Who Haunted Himself".

But I was touched to read that it was during filming on location in India and witnessing the extreme poverty there that he became involved with UNICEF.

Amazing to realise he was so old, actually. But that probably says more about my own age than anything else......

 

[The God]

But I was touched to read that it was during filming on location in India and witnessing the extreme poverty there that he became involved with UNICEF.

......

Where did you read it? Can you refer your source please.

 

[exchemist]

Where did you read it? Can you refer your source please.

I think it was in his obituary in the Financial Times.

 

[The God]

I think it was in his obituary in the Financial Times.

If I recall Bond shot Octopussy in India in early 80s and became UNICEF brand ambassador much later. Moreover shooting visits are of short duration and quite focused.

During those times it was in vogue to portray poverty of developing countries whether it was of India or any sub saharan African country. I personally feel Englishmen of Bond and a generation earlier era would have surely pondered over how a country termed as "golden bird" was so badly administered by Englishmen that it became so impoverished in just couple of centuries.

India is back now in just 6-7 decades after the Englishmen departure.

 

[StrangerInAStrangeLand]

I never liked Moore as James Bond, I have to say. He turned the films into a simple joke, rather than operating at dual level, part thriller, part parody, as I felt Connery did. Moore seemed to me rather a preening tailor's dummy in the films, whereas Connery's Bond was someone you really could believe might kill you. Some of Moore's other films were better, e.g. "The Man Who Haunted Himself".

But I was touched to read that it was during filming on location in India and witnessing the extreme poverty there that he became involved with UNICEF.

Amazing to realise he was so old, actually. But that probably says more about my own age than anything else......

I liked Connery but I liked Moore a little more.
Moore was not responsible for that. The directors, writers & producers were. He could've played it differently if it was called for.

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[Q-reeus]

He also played Simon Templar in the television series The Saintbetween 1962 and 1969...

Which role suited him better than as James Bond, where I agree with exchemist he was more of a debonair dandy than a polished super spy.

Moore took over the role of Bond from Sean Connery in 1972,..

No, he took over from ridiculously attired kilt wearing Bond one time wonder Aussie George Lazenby. [mea culpa - I forgot Connery returned in 1971: 'Diamonds are Forever'. And once more in 1983 but in an 'unofficial' Bond movie where he was well past his prime for that role.]
The passing of imo the one and only real Bond - Sean Connery will be an occasion to shed a tear. A truly great actor.

 

[exchemist]

If I recall Bond shot Octopussy in India in early 80s and became UNICEF brand ambassador much later. Moreover shooting visits are of short duration and quite focused.

During those times it was in vogue to portray poverty of developing countries whether it was of India or any sub saharan African country. I personally feel Englishmen of Bond and a generation earlier era would have surely pondered over how a country termed as "golden bird" was so badly administered by Englishmen that it became so impoverished in just couple of centuries.

India is back now in just 6-7 decades after the Englishmen departure.

Yes! That was what I read. Octopussy. Exactly.

I read that the experience led him to UNICEF, via the prompting of Audrey Hepburn.

 

[C C]

I liked Connery but I liked Moore a little more. Moore was not responsible for that. The directors, writers & producers were. He could've played it differently if it was called for.

In interviews from the past he'd remark that he didn't view himself as a hero, and that's why he played such roles tongue-in-cheek when allowed to. Or, on occasions like those exemplified here, he'd emphasize his dislike of guns / graphic violence and the type of characters which had to depend upon that. The assorted production heads had to persuade him to be amenable to more and more of such as the Bond films progressed. His bantering version of Bond apparently helped him feel like he was mitigating the aggression.

The change in personality was a tad reminiscent of Tom Baker bringing facetiousness and a touch of sarcasm to Doctor Who (Jon Pertwee's occasional cynical barbs might have already opened a backdoor to the latter). But that was arguably welcomed from the standpoint of garnering increased popularity of the series in North America and perhaps the rest of the world. (Since from the start it was low-budget and neck-deep in pseudoscience, it was probably waiting well beforehand for an actor like Baker to come along and fun-up any ridiculousness and prior cheesy self-seriousness into a cult asset).

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[StrangerInAStrangeLand]

In interviews from the past he'd remark that he didn't view himself as a hero, and that's why he played such roles tongue-in-cheek when allowed to. Or, on occasions like those exemplified here, he'd emphasize his dislike of guns / graphic violence and the type of characters which had to depend upon that. The assorted production heads had to persuade him to be amenable to more and more of such as the Bond films progressed. His bantering version of Bond apparently helped him feel like he was mitigating the aggression.

The change in personality was a tad reminiscent of Tom Baker bringing facetiousness and a touch of sarcasm to Doctor Who (Jon Pertwee's occasional cynical barbs might have already opened a backdoor to the latter). But that was arguably welcomed from the standpoint of garnering increased popularity of the series in North America and perhaps the rest of the world. (Since from the start it was low-budget and neck-deep in pseudoscience, it was probably waiting well beforehand for an actor like Baker to come along and fun-up any ridiculousness and prior cheesy self-seriousness into a cult asset).

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The producer & director decide what kind of movie they will make & what the characters will be like.

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[C C]

The producer & director decide what kind of movie they will make & what the characters will be like.

• While filming 1974’s “The Man With the Golden Gun,” director Guy Hamilton wanted More to embrace the idea of a more violent Bond.
  
  “That sort of characterization didn’t sit well with me,” Moore wrote in his book. “I suggested my Bond would have charmed the information out of her by bedding her first. My Bond was a lover and a giggler, but I went along with Guy.”
  
  When he sat down and watched the last of his seven Bond films ― 1985’s “A View to a Kill” ― he found himself disgusted by the level of violence.
  
  “That wasn’t Bond,” he later told Reuters. (LINK)

And yet Moore still managed to wriggle in occasional wry facial expressions and vocal tones. There's only so much a truly tyrannical production staff can do to stifle an actor's particular style (i.e., "We are not going to be receptive to any tweaks and changes in the script that you suggest, Roger."). And a potential limit to how inconsistent they could make Moore's version of Bond from the existing portrayals in other movies which featured his version of Bond, wherein less tyrannical management may have allowed him liberties. (In terms of their avoiding raising the eyebrows of audience and critics too much in the latter's reactions to an excessive degree of character inconsistency) .

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