Roger Moore
"Just Being Disarming"
Roger Moore was considered a Bond candidate since the series' early production stages. Moore was up against Sean Connery for the role of 007 in 1962 but was passed over due to prior commitments he held. So, the first James Bond was Connery instead of Roger Moore.
The role of 007 came around again in 1969 when Cubby Broccoli was looking for a replacement, but again prior commitments kept Moore out of James Bond's tuxedo. In 1971, the role was up for grabs again when Lazenby announced that he was through. For the third time, Moore had commitments to star in a television series called The Persuaders, and would again have to turn down Bond.
Not many people get a second chance but Moore was lucky enough to get a fourth chance to play James Bond 007. In 1973, Connery was done with Bond and Moore was finally free of commitments. With enthusiasm, Roger Moore accepted the role of 007.
Moore was much better recieved than George Lazenby was. Moore was far better known than Lazenby had been and, in fact was quite popular with fans. Moore's first Bond film, Live and Let Die did quite well at the box office worldwide so the producers signed him to a multi-picture deal to play Bond.
Producers wasted no time in coming up with the next installment of the James Bond film series. The very next year following 1973's Live and Let Die was released, Moore's second Bond film was released.
The Man With the Golden Gun was released in December of 1974. However, the film did not do nearly as well as its predecessor had in terms of profit. The Man With the Golden Gun is considered by many fans to be one of the series' low points, which may account for the three-year layoff producers endured before making the next Bond film.
By 1977, Moore was getting the role of 007 down quite nicely and his third film, The Spy Who Loved Me became one of the most successful Bond films in the franchise's history. The film transformed Moore from a mediocre success into an immensely popular fan favorite; much like James Bond himself.
Moore proceeded to do Moonraker but afterwards announced he was through with playing James Bond. Nobody knows if the announcement was final and the producers assured that it wouldn't be. They offered him a generous amount of money and persuaded him to continue the role he had made famous. Moore had regenerated interest in Bond films with his two previous blockbuster films and producers thought it would severely damage the franchise should Roger Moore desert.
Sure enough, Moore returned in 1981 to play James Bond once again in For Your Eyes Only. The film did fairly well and Moore would play Bond for two additional films before finally ending his association with 007 in 1985. Albert R. Broccoli wanted Moore to play Bond in The Living Daylights but Moore felt that he was too old and it was time to move on.
It is said that Roger Moore is closer to Ian Fleming's original idea of James Bond than the rough-and-tumble Sean Connery was. In fact, Fleming wanted Moore to play James Bond in 1962 instead of Connery.
Moore has appeared in dozens of films over his long acting career. He has played several roles that range from Maverick to Simon Templar (The Saint) to Sherlock Holmes to James Bond. He now spends his time aiding in the UNICEF organization which helps raise funds for children in underdeveloped countries. Moore succeeded the late Audrey Hepburn as the Special Representative for the Film Arts for UNICEF.
