Movie roles can be more than temporary characters. They can shape those who play them and leave indelible marks on their careers. Roger Moore was one of those actors whose career was defined by his portrayal of James Bond, a role he played seven times between 1973 and 1985. He told The Guardian in 2014 that people continued to call him “Mr Bond” when he was out and about. “Being eternally known as James Bond has no downside,” he said.
Moore, the third Bond of the long-running film series, died on Tuesday. For a character famous for survival, he is the first 007 to leave us (unless you count David Niven in Casino Royale). The world feels a little smaller without Moore, and, perhaps, more susceptible to international villains.
Outside the world of movies, Moore was a Unicef ambassador for more than 25 years. Despite that, most of us will remember him as the spy who we loved.
