Q&A with Roger Moore

So.

With the premiere of the new James Bond movie, Skyfall, I thought I would share an interesting <and delightful> older q&a with one of the better James Bond actors – Roger Moore.

While I have never been a James Bond fan <although at the end of this post I will share some other books you may want to check out from John Gardner – Ian Fleming’s real name> I have always thought Roger Moore was an interesting person beyond being a good actor.

About Sir Roger.

Moore was born in London in 1927. In the 1950s and 1960s, he worked as the lead in the TV series The Saint. A decade later, he became James Bond, starring in seven films.

I wanted to share the interview because in a world full of pretentious celebrities he is delightfully down to earth … especially for a Knight.

–          When were you happiest?

Now, with my wife Kristina, our children and grandchildren. We have a lovely life.

–          What is your greatest fear?

Walking on stage and not being able to remember a single line.

–          What is your earliest memory?

Christmas Eve, lying in bed and seeing my parents arrange my stocking.

–          What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

My modesty.

–          What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Greed.

–          What was your most embarrassing moment?

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.

–          Property aside, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought?

A Rolls-Royce in the mid-70s.

–          What is your most treasured possession?

My pacemaker.

–          What would your super power be?

Being able to get out of a chair without clicking knees or an aching back.

–          What is your favourite smell?

Baked beans on toast.

–          If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose?

Nice, caring film producers.

–          What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you?

“My grandma is your biggest fan.”

–          What does love feel like?

Rather lovely.

–          Have you ever said “I love you” and not meant it?

Only to my bank manager.

–          Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

My wife, my mother and father, David Niven, Greg Peck, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.

–          If you could go back in time, where would you go?

To childhood, to be with Mum and Dad and eat her steak and kidney pie.

–          Which word do you most overuse?

“Please.”

–          What has been your biggest disappointment?

Not winning the £160m EuroMillions.

–          How do you relax?

I swim, walk, read and watch movies.

–          How often do you have sex?

I forget.

–          What is the closest you’ve come to death?

There have been a few occasions, what with prostate cancer and heart arrhythmias. I’m very lucky.

–          What single thing would improve the quality of your life?

New knees.

–          What is your greatest achievement?

My 20-year involvement with Unicef.

–          What keeps you awake at night?

Indigestion.

–          What song would you like played at your funeral?

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.

–          How would you like to be remembered?

As the oldest living human being.

–          What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

To be grateful.

<note: I could only wish to be as charming and quick if I were ever interviewed … oh … I also wish I could be a knight too … but that is a different post>

There is no need for me to recap all the Life lessons Sir Roger shares with us … they are obvious.

But. They are worth all of us keeping in mind.

Ok.

John Gardner (Ian Fleming)

The author of the Bond books was John Gardner <Ian Fleming’s real name>.

Now.

James Bond was always too slick for me. I sometimes think when I view all the other things Gardner wrote that he created the nom de plume of Ian Fleming so he could just have fun while writing … and not have to think.

Why do I say that?

Well. Most of his other action espionage books are deeper, denser, thinking person type espionage books.

His main characters are much much more complex than James Bond. Maybe that is what makes James Bond so successful. He is simple and dashing and adventuresome <although Gardner actually created another character, Boysie Oakes, who was quite similar to James Bond in many ways and was featured in 8 books all written in the years before he began the Bond books … in fact it has been suggested the publisher approached Gardner for the James Bond series because of Boysie Oakes>.

Regardless of what I am speculating … here is what I do know.

Many of Gardner’s other characters hate the spotlight, are not dashing, do not seek adventure <it seeks them out> and are more human than most of the rest of us humans. They are almost the antithesis of Bond.

And my favorite Gardner character? Herbie Kruger.

That is another famous spy Gardner created. Kind of the everyday genius spy.

The Kruger book series is a fabulous thoughtful smart read. While James Bond is whimsical and a good mindless read … Herbie Kruger will sometimes make your head hurt in its twists and turns and thinking.

Herbie Kruger novels:

The Nostradamus Traitor (1979)

The Garden of Weapons (1980)

The Quiet Dogs (1982)

Maestro (1993)

Confessor (1995)

Herbie Kruger also appears in The Secret Houses and The Secret Families.

Oh … that last piece of information leads me to another fabulous Gardner series.

If you like that Herbie Kruger world war 2/cold war spy intrigue ‘thinking man’ type stuff you could also pick up another fabulous Gardner series “The Secret Generation” trilogy <also known as the Railton family novels>.

The Railton family novels:

The Secret Generations (1985)

The Secret Houses (1988)

The Secret Families (1989)

To close.

All in all I would like to thank Sir Roger for a fabulous interview because not only could I share some nice life reminders from a celebrity, and a Knight, who seems to have kept Life in perspective … but I could also discuss a great author … and the books he should be remembered for but may not be even known for.