Actor Roger Moore has passed away at 89 following a short battle with cancer. The British actor was most known for playing James Bond seven times from 1972 to 1985 in films like The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, and Live and Let Die.
The news was announced via the actor’s Twitter which read:
“With the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moore, passed away today. We are all devastated.”
Moore was born in 1927 in Stockwell, London. He began acting in a collection of small roles in film and television productions before signing a contract with MGM and moving to the United States where he acted in films such as The Last Time I Saw Paris, starring Elizabeth Taylor, and Interrupted Melody, with Glenn Ford and Eleanor Parker. He got his first leading role in 1956 as the title character on the television series Ivanhoe. He went on to act in more television shows such as Maverick and The Saint.
In 1972, Moore took over the role as James Bond from in the iconic 007 film series from Sean Connery. Thus began the Moore era of Bond films which were characterized by a great deal of ludicrous action and tongue in cheek humor. The Moore era found Bond swinging on vines like Tarzan, driving a car underwater, and even going into space.
In this author’s mind, the Bond movies hit their peak in the Moore era. None of the films before or since have been as much fun as those films are and a lot of it is due to Moore’s goofy charm. We’ve lost a true acting legend and he shall be missed greatly.