AS SEEN ON TV: JAMES BOND, BACK FOR MOORE

My thanks to Jose Ricardo Bondoc of the Facebook Crossovers Forum for finding this!

JAMES BOND

AS SEEN IN:

'Mainly Millicent'

CREATED BY:

Ian Fleming

PORTRAYED BY:

Roger Moore

TV STATUS:

Recastaway

TV DIMENSION:

Skitlandia

From Wikipedia:

Because of his successful television shows, in particular the long-lasting series 'The Saint', Roger Moore was unavailable for the James Bond franchise for a considerable time. His participation in 'The Saint' was not only as actor, but also as a producer and director, and he also became involved in developing the series 'The Persuaders!'.

Moore stated in his autobiography "My Word Is My Bond" (2008) that he had neither been approached to play James Bond in "Dr. No", nor does he feel that he had ever been considered. It was only after Sean Connery had declared in 1966 that he would not play Bond any longer that Moore became aware that he might be a contender for the role.

But after George Lazenby was cast instead and then Connery played Bond again, he didn't consider the possibility until it seemed abundantly clear that Connery had in fact stepped down as Bond for good. At that point he was indeed approached and accepted the producer's offer in August 1972.

Moore says in his autobiography that he had to cut his hair and lose weight, but although he resented that, he was finally cast as James Bond in "Live and Let Die" (1973).
Moore played Bond in "Live and Let Die" (1973); "The Man with the Golden Gun" (1974); "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977); "Moonraker" (1979); "For Your Eyes Only" (1981); "Octopussy" (1983); and "A View to a Kill" (1985).

Moore is the longest-serving James Bond actor, having spent twelve years in the role (from his debut in 1973, to his retirement from the role in 1985), and having made seven official films in a row. Moore is the oldest actor to have played Bond - he was 45 in "Live and Let Die" (1973), and 58 when he announced his retirement on 3 December 1985.

Moore's Bond was very different than the character created by Fleming. Screenwriters like George MacDonald Fraser provided scenarios in which 007 was a kind of seasoned, debonair playboy who would always have a trick or gadget in stock when he needed it. This was designed to serve the contemporary taste in the 1970s.

O'BSERVATIONS:

When we celebrated James Bond's fifty years on movie screens back in October, we never did have a showcase for Roger Moore's incarnation of 007 as seen on TV. Well, now we do - even if it is in Skitlandia - and he became Bond a decade earlier than he did in the Cineverse.

We don't know who this James Bond was really in his previous life, but Simon Templar is always a possibility.

BCnU!