Roger Moore

October 14, 2024

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Sir Roger Moore, born October 14, 1927, was a popular actor who gained fame after playing the role of James Bond. He started his acting career as an extra in both “Perfect Strangers” and “Caesar and Cleopatra” in 1945. Moore’s first major roles were in the films “Gaiety George,” “Piccadilly Incident,” and “Trottie True.” He also worked as a model for knitwear products in the early 1950s. In 1973, Moore was cast to play the role of James Bond. We’ll help you celebrate Moore’s birthday right here.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Roger George Moore

Nickname:

The Big Knit

Birth date:

October 14, 1927

Death date:

May 23, 2017 (age 89)

Zodiac Sign:

Libra

Height:

6' 1"

Net Worth:

$110 million

Background

Sir Roger Moore was born on October 14, 1927, in Stockwell, London, to George Alfred Moore and Lilian Pope. He was educated at Dr. Challoner’s Grammar School, Battersea Grammar School, and Launceston College. After graduating, Moore worked as an apprentice at an animation studio but was fired after he messed up while at work. In the early 1940s, Moore’s father introduced him to a popular film director named Brian Desmond Hurst. Desmond, seeing Moore’s potential, hired him as an extra for the 1945 film “Caesar and Cleopatra.” Hurst was impressed with Moore’s acting skills and decided to pay his fees at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Moore appeared in several films including “Perfect Strangers,” “Gaiety George,” “Piccadilly Incident,” and “Trottie True.” It was in these films that he developed his Mid-Atlantic accent and relaxed demeanor. Moore stated in his book, “Last Man Standing: Tales from Tinseltown,” that his first television appearance was in “The Governess” by Patrick Hamilton. He also played minor roles in films including “The Interrupted Journey,” and “Paper Orchid.” In the early 1950s, Moore appeared in several print advertisements for knitwear as a model, earning him the nickname “The Big Knit.” Several years later, he traveled to the U.S. and appeared in adaptations of “Black Chiffon” and “Julius Caesar.”

In 1973, Moore was finally cast as James Bond in “Live and Let Die.” He played the character for over 12 years. Moore holds the record for playing Bond the most times in the Eon Productions of “James Bond.” Moore acted in several more movies until his death in May 2017.

Career timeline

1945 to 1946

The Debut Appearances

Sir Roger Moore makes his first appearances in “Perfect Strangers,” “Caesar and Cleopatra,” and “Gaiety George.”

1973

The Legend of James Bond

Moore is cast to play the role of James Bond in “Live and Let Die.”

1977

The Box Office Success

Moore returns for a third outing as “James Bond” in “The Spy Who Loved Me,” a massive box-office success.

2017

The Death of a Star

Moore succumbs to lung and liver cancer in the presence of his family.

Why We Love Roger Moore

He was strong
Sir Roger Moore suffered from a series of illnesses during his time, including cancer. Despite this fact, he still managed to appear in several movies afterward.
He was talented
Moore was a talented actor. After he died in 2017, the Roger Moore Stage was opened to celebrate his work.
He had a charming personality
Moore had a Mid-Atlantic accent and a relaxed demeanor. He developed this persona when he was starting his acting career.

5 Surprising Facts

He was named in “G.Q.”
In 2015, Sir Roger Moore was named one of “Gentlemen’s Quarterly” 50 best-dressed British men.
He was the oldest Bond
Moore was the oldest actor to have played James Bond — he was 45 in the first film and 58 when he retired.
He is buried in Monaco
Moore is buried in Monaco Cemetery.
He was a sickly child
Moore suffered from a series of diseases during his childhood, including chickenpox, measles, pneumonia, and jaundice.
He suffered from kidney stones
Moore was a long-term sufferer of kidney stones, often affecting him during film shoots.