It is unfortunate to have some further sad news on a day like this, but I just learned Roger Moore has passed away. However you might feel about the man, he became a legend of screen, big and little. He might not have been the best Bond for some people [a completely subjective argument, that will never be settled] but he was certainly in some of the best Bond films. Against many skeptics, he took on such an entity of a role and made it his own. And, critically-acclaimed or not, he was appreciated by the audiences. Add to this some very memorable performances in Ivanhoe and The Saint and you can see why he became so well-known. Many thanks for 'paying the rent;' you will be missed. Sir Roger George Moore, KBE (14 October 1927 – 23 May 2017), may he rest in peace.
When my Father first turned me onto James Bond, I seemed to gravitate towards Moore's films. Not sure if it was him or the films themselves, but as a child, he was the Bond I wanted to see. Although being the original and the one that he grew up with, my Father wanted me to like Connery. I thought he had his moments, but I recall thinking that Connery was overall a boring Bond (Ha, bring on the flogging). Now much older I no longer think that, nor do I have a favorite (just ones I hate ). But thinking back, Moore and his adventures were a pretty perfect Bond combo for the times and for my generation (granted he certainly overstayed his welcome). Probably too because I rarely saw my Dad, but I'll never forget when he turned me onto the Bond movies and we bonded over rented vhs after vhs. Eventually, out of what I only assume was a realization of financial awareness, we stopped renting and he bought me "Live and Let Die", a film that I all but played the sound right out of and which introduced me to the only Guns N Roses song I'd know by heart
