Sir Roger Moore Reflects On His James Bond Days

A conversation with Sir Roger Moore this past Thursday brought the Albert R. Broccoli centenary season to a close on a high note.

As earlier reported on CommanderBond.net, Sir Roger was scehduled to appear on the BFI Southbank stage to discuss his days as 007 as well as working with the longtime producer of the James Bond series.

Reuters carries a report from the event and features some select quotes from the interview between the former Bond star and Little Britain‘s David Walliams.

‘Where else is a potential Bond going to meet the producers, except over a gaming table?’ said Moore in regards to his 1962 introduction to 007 producers Broccoli and Harry Saltzman in a London gaming club, the White Elephant.

He added that he wasn’t swept up in the Bond fever until later in his life. ‘I knew nothing really about Bond,’ he stated.

I came back to England and started making the Saint series, there was a competition in the Daily Express over who should play James Bond—I really had no idea who James Bond was. Then I started reading some of the books.’

He also mentioned that if given a choice to star in one of Sean Connery’s Bond films, he would have chosen 1971’s Diamonds are Forever (the sole Connery film that fans often say fits in well with the somewhat lighthearted Moore entries).

‘Looking at Sean, I realize how damn good he was,’ he said. ‘I can’t believe I had the ego, when I took over, to think I could replace him. I couldn’t be the tough Bond that Sean was.’

‘Sean felt he was getting a bit long in the tooth for the [Bond] role. I was actually older than Sean when I started. But I did look younger.’

Wrapping the interview up, Sir Roger did mention (with tongue planted firmly in cheek) that he was looking to return to acting on the small screen—specifically, a role on Little Britain.

‘Only if you drag up,’ Walliams replied.

For further details on the numerous James Bond-themed events that took place at the BFI, check out this CBn article.