Sir Roger Moore, Britain’s favourite James Bond dies

Actor Roger Moore in Colchester in September 1973.

Sir Roger Moore, the longest serving James Bond, from 1973 to 1984, has died of cancer, aged 89, his family has announced..

The son of an Essex policeman, his parents for several years lived in Frinton-on-Sea, he first made his name on television starring in Ivanhoe in 1958 before becoming an international star playing Simon Templar in The Saint from 1962 to 1969.

This was followed by the international jet-setting series The Persuaders, which co-starred Tony Curtis, and ran from 1971 to 1972. They played a pair of trouble-shooters who worked for a retired judge who was making sure that justice reached those who were beyond the long-arm of the law.

Despite huge ratings and an enormous budget of the time, Moore couldn’t resist the allure of the big screen and left The Persuaders to become the nation’s favourite secret agent James Bond – 007 licenced to charm.

Danny Wilde (Tony Curtis) helps Brett Sinclair (Roger Moore) put on his coronation robes in The Persuaders

It was a role he adored and loved to play up to the camera, arching his trademark eyebrow and injecting as many double entendres into the films as he could.

Critically his Bond films were variable: alternating between good and bad. His best films Live and Let Die, The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only were among the most popular of the 55 year old series.

When asked if he did all his own stunts, as had been rumoured at the time, he smiled and said with a straight face: “Of course.” Pausing then to add: “I also do all my own lying.”

Roger was always very committed to the productions he was in and not only did a lot of publicity but during The Saint and The Persuaders earned his credentials as a director on several episodes as well being a producer.

Moore married four times most famously to singer Dorothy Squires and had three children by his third wife Luisa.

Post-Bond he largely devoted himself to charity work and was appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991. He occasionally turned up in cameo appearances in films like Spice World and Michael Winner’s Bullseye with Michael Caine. His last film was the comedy-drama A Princess For Christmas made in 2011.