Sir Roger George
Moore (CBE) was born on October 14 1927 in Stockwell, south London, the
son of a policeman. Roger's intention was to become a painter
and at the age of 15 attended art school and after graduating he worked
in
an animation studio. Roger's acting debut was as an extra in the
mid-1940's and following this early experience he enrolled at The
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He may be most famous for playing secret agent James Bond,alongside voluptuous beauties like Britt Ekland and Jane Seymour that don't require breast implants or other enhancements, but his television career is equally remarkable.
Roger appeared on the West-End Stage in
several plays before his National Service with the British Army.
Whilst in the army, Roger served with a Combined Services Entertainment
Unit in Germany, with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. After he had finished his National Service, Roger again
worked in the theatre, but also on television and radio, he also worked
for a time as a model and as a salesman.
In 1953 Roger Moore left
the UK and went
to the United States, where he got a movie contract with MGM, and made
several films playing supporting roles. After his contract with
MGM had finished Roger then moved to Warner Brothers where he again
made several films including The Sins of Rachel Cade.
Late in 1956Roger signed with Columbia Pictures and
in early 1957 he started shooting the television series Ivanhoe, a Screen Gems/Sydney Boxco-production
(Screen Gems was the television arm of Columbia). Ivanhoe is set in 12th century
England and is
based on the novel by Sir Walter Scott, Roger plays the lead as Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe. The interior scenes for Ivanhoe were shot at Elstree
Studios in England,
but because of the inclement winter weather in the UK at the the time,
the exterior
scenes were shot at the Columbia Ranch in California. Later in
the filming schedule, the shoot returned to the UK with exteriors shot
at Beaconsfield Studios in England, and the exterior scenes were filmed
in the Buckinghamshire countryside. Ivanhoe first aired in the UK on Independent
Television (ITV) in 1958 and ran for 39 episodes.
Roger returned to the United States in the late 1950s to star as Silky Harris inThe Alaskans (1958-1960).
Roger also stars as Beauregard
Maverick in the western series Maverick
(1960-1962). After Maverick, Roger
Moore returned to the big-screen and made three films for Warner
Brothers, one of these films is the western Gold for Seven Sinners
(1961).
The ITC/ATV series
The Saint is Roger's next role and
in this series he stars as Simon Templar-The Saint. This
series was made in the UK and its original run was from 1962 until
1969. The Saint is based on the character created by
Leslie Charteris in the 1920s. The Saint had a run of
118 x 60
minute episodes in total, the first 71 in monochrome, and then 47
episodes in colour. Roger Moore directed some of the episodes
himself, he also formed a production company, Bamore Film Productions
Limited with Robert S. Baker (Producer of series), to make the
show in colour from 1966. The company which was incorporated on January
4 1966 is now listed as dissolved.
Roger Moore has a
co-starring role as Lord Brett Sinclair in the action/adventure
series, The Persuaders which ran from 1971 until 1972.
Roger's co-star in the series, Tony
Curtis is Danny Wilde. Lew Grade's Incorporated Television
Company (ITC) made the series of 24 x 60 minute episodes. The
location
filming for the series took place in Italy, the South of France, and
England, with the interior shoots being filmed at Pinewood Studios in
England.
From Roger's website: Question to Roger: "What was your most embarrassing moment?" Roger's answer: "At the press conference announcing The Saint, Lew Grade proclaimed
a ”great series of one-hour shows”. I’d agreed the fee on the basis it
was 30 minutes and not 60. Oops."
