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Sir Roger Moore, best known for playing James Bond, has passed away age 89, after a short battle with cancer. The actor died in Switzerland, and in a statement, his children said there will now be a private funeral held in Monaco, in accordance with his wishes.
With the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moore, passed away today. We are all devastated. pic.twitter.com/6dhiA6dnVg
— Sir Roger Moore (@sirrogermoore) May 23, 2017
Moore played the iconic 007 for seven Bond films, between 1973 and 1985; Live and Let Die, The Man With the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, and a View to A Kill. His incarnation was known for his dry wit and way with the ladies, and Moore was unashamedly proud to be known as Bond, stating that it never bothered him to be addressed as Mr. Bond when out and about.
Moore trained at RADA before working as a model and then an actor. He first made a name for himself in the 1958 TV series, Ivanhoe. From there, he starred in several more TV shows, and his commitment meant that he missed out on playing Bond when first approached. He finally got his chance when Sean Connery stepped down for good after Diamonds Are Forever. Moore’s Bond was one of the most popular incarnations, a firm favorite of many.
Moore was also a humanitarian, working tirelessly for UNICEF. He was knighted in 2003 for his charity work, something he considered to be his greatest achievement.
“The love with which he was surrounded in his final days was so great it cannot be quantified with words alone,” his family’s statement read. “We know our own love and admiration will be magnified many times over, across the world, by people who knew him for his films, his television shows and his passionate work for UNICEF which he considered to be his greatest achievement.”
His loss will be mourned by fans across the globe.
