‘One of nature’s true gentlemen’: your Roger Moore stories
Guardian readers share their stories of meeting the legendary James Bond actor, who has died at the age of 89.
‘I hung out with him on the set of Octopussy’
In the summer of 1982, a man called to book a disco and asked if I was a Sikh and wore a turban. I ran a mobile disco with my brother and was curious why my religion mattered. He then explained he was from Eon Studios, the company behind the James Bond films.
He explained that the next Bond film, *Octopussy*, would have scenes filmed at the steam railway in Peterborough. The main villain would be wearing a turban, and they needed someone who could tie one. He asked if I could do this for them.
That unusual conversation led to me meeting Roger Moore and Kabir Bedi, the movie’s villain, at a local hotel. I got the job, possibly because I had my own turbans.
I spent the next four weeks on set tying my grey school turban on Kabir’s head because the ones they had bought in India were too small and kept falling off.
I was paid £50 per day for about 10 minutes of work tying the turban. The rest of the time, I hung around the set, chatting with the Bond Girls or spending time in Kabir’s trailer, which was next to Roger Moore’s.
Roger often sat outside his trailer smoking a cigar, and I found it easy to chat with him because he loved cinema as much as I did. He wasn’t even offended when I told him Sean Connery was my favorite Bond.
Reporters on set tried to stir up the Connery vs. Moore rivalry since Connery was coming back to do a remake of *Thunderball*, *Never Say Never Again*. But Roger never took the bait; he simply said that both he and Sean interpreted Bond in their own way.
Roger had a fantastic, dry sense of humor and never took himself too seriously. The ability to laugh at oneself is a gift many lack, but not Sir Roger. He will be sadly missed.
Del Singh, 54, Peterborough
‘He asked me to join him for lunch’
My first job was on the women’s page of a Scottish newspaper when I was about 18. One day, the editor sent me to cover a press conference for the launch of a new perfume at a big hotel in Glasgow. When I arrived, the only person in the reception room was Roger Moore, a director of the perfume company.
He said, “You’re a bit early; we don’t start until 3 pm.” Embarrassed, I apologized. He then invited me to join him for lunch in the hotel restaurant. During lunch, he chatted amiably about his work and family. Before we went back to the event, he gave me a special edition bottle of the new perfume and wished me well.
He was a lovely person and a true gentleman.
Janice Hood Di Benedetto, 63, Italy
‘We bumped into Roger Moore in the waiting room at Nice airport on 9th September last year. He was happy that we recognised him and gladly posed with my wife for this photo.’ Photograph: Fastmx5/GuardianWitness
‘Bond defended me from a nasty broadcaster’
When I was 17, I worked at the Odeon in Leicester Square, which hosted the premiere of *The Spy Who Loved Me*. I was an usherette but was asked to serve drinks and canapés at a private reception. Sir Roger was there, along with many other big names. Since I was under 18, I wasn’t allowed to get drinks at the bar, only to serve trays of canapés.
A well-known broadcaster told me to fetch him a whiskey. I explained I couldn’t, and he shouted at me, almost threatening me. Roger Moore stepped in, apologized to me, and smoothly got the whiskey for the rude man. He told him, “If you speak to the young lady like that again, I’ll have to show you some ‘exit moves’ I learned as Bond!”
He was a very admirable man.
Margie Callanan, 57, East Sussex
‘He showed me his car like it was the latest Bond gadget’
In 2004, I went to Crans Montana in Switzerland to interview Roger Moore for a DVD extra. He spent his winters there and was very popular with the locals. They were so fond of him that I got a free hotel room and free drinks at the bar because I was “a friend of Roger.”
Roger showed up about 30 minutes early on Sunday morning. When I remarked that he must be keen, he replied, “Well, when you get to my age, I like to turn up early; otherwise, you might give my part to someone else!”
The interview went great. Afterwards, we walked to the snow-covered car park, where he pointed out a Volvo 4WD, saying it was the “only car of its type in all of Switzerland.” When I asked how he knew that, he said, “Because it’s mine,” and spent 15 minutes showing me all the car’s features, much like Q showing Bond the latest gadget.
Roger was a brilliant guy, always nice to everyone, and told the worst, most pathetic jokes I’ve ever heard, but everyone still laughed. After all, he was Roger Moore.
Jeff Smart, 54, Manchester
‘I modelled myself on Moore – unsuccessfully, according to my wife’
We were queuing in Leicester Square to see the Barbra Streisand film *Funny Lady* when we noticed Roger Moore and his family in front of us. The cinema manager came out, spotted them, and started making a fuss. But Roger Moore insisted on queuing and buying his tickets like everyone else. What impressed me was how skillfully and charmingly he handled the situation, so the manager’s feelings weren’t hurt, and no one further down the queue noticed.
From that moment, I tried to model myself after Roger Moore, although my wife says I’ve never succeeded. My next encounter with Sir Roger was on his 80th birthday at a Q&A in Kingston. I asked him about his love for baked beans. He revealed he was loyal to Heinz and regretted ending a relationship with a member of the Heinz family, which would have given him a lifetime supply of his favorite beans.
James Lizard, 68, London
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