Another sad day is upon us as Sir Roger Moore passed away in Switzerland today after battling cancer. He was 89 years old. Moore was no stranger to health problems as they plagued him for most of his life. He nearly died from pneumonia when he was five years old and had a number of other childhood diseases as well. He also was a prostate cancer survivor after undergoing successful surgery in 1993. In 2003, he had a pacemaker installed , nearly died from pneumonia again in 2012, and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2013.
Moore began his acting career in the mid-1940’s in a handful of small roles before his first credited role in the television movie, The Governess, in 1949. He was cast in a number of unsuccessful films for MGM and was released early from his contract with the studio. After a stint with Warner Bros., Roger Moore found his footing in television. Between 1958 and 1969, he starred in television shows like Ivanhoe, The Alaskans, Maverick, and The Saint.
Of course, Moore is most well known for his work as James Bond. Despite actually being the third man to play 007, Moore remains the longest running Bond in the series. He played the character in seven films starting with 1973’s Live and Let Die. His other films include The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, and, finally, 1985’s A View to a Kill. He was also the oldest actor to play James Bond as he was 45 in Live and Let Die and 58 in A View to a Kill. There has always been controversy as to who’s the greatest James Bond and Roger Moore’s name is always somewhere near the top.
All respects go to the family and friends of Roger Moore.
