Sir Roger George Moore was born on 14 October 1927 in Stockwell, London, and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before embarking on a versatile acting career. His early work included uncredited film roles in Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) and television appearances such as The Governess (1949). Moore’s breakthrough came with the 1962–1969 television series The Saint, where he portrayed Simon Templar, establishing a suave, quipping screen presence that led to his iconic role as James Bond in seven Eon Productions films from Live and Let Die (1973) to A View to a Kill (1985); these performances were accompanied by a prolific filmography that also featured The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), and Moonraker (1979). In addition to Bond, he starred in the hit series The Persuaders! (1971–1972) and appeared in numerous other films such as The Wild Geese (1978) and The Cannonball Run (1981). Beyond acting, Moore served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador from 1991, was knighted in 2003 for charitable services, received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2007, and was appointed a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France in 2008; he died on 23 May 2017 in Crans‑Montana, Switzerland.
