2010 NEWS ARCHIVE
November 25
"The Saint" series update. It's been a while since we last heard about the new "Saint" series. In August Dougray Scott confirmed in an interview that he is indeed to play Simon Templar and that the shooting had been postponed due to problems with the script and the studio. However, as we've been told recently, the situation now seems to be cleared and the principal photography of the feature-length pilot episode of the series is set to begin in January 2011 in Vancouver and New Orleans. The latest revelation is that the pilot episode will be directed by Ron Shelton, writer/director of "Bull Durham" and "Hollywood Homicide", and that the role of the Saint went back to James Purefoy, who had been originally announced as the new Simon Templar in 2008.
November 23
Moore in Vienna. Prior to his visit in Kazakhstan, Sir Roger Moore travelled to Vienna in mid November. The actor attended the Christmas market in front of the capital's city hall on Saturday morning, November 13. Moore read excerpts from "The Carnival of the Animals" by Camille Saint-Saens accompanied by violinist Julian Rachlin and cellist Mischa Maisky. All donations from the event went to UNICEF's Emergency Fund and Austrian charity Licht ins Dunkel. On Sunday Moore went on a private sightseeing trip in the city centre of Vienna.
November 22
Roger-Moore.com. The official Roger Moore website has been updated and revised. Although the layout of the website has changed overall, all previous articles and information are available and easy to find (including precious details about Moore's work as UNICEF ambassador). You can now also donate UNICEF via the website and join a new Roger Moore Forum which gives opportunity to talk "all things Moore". The actor is also contributing monthly to the website by answering question's from the fans. Everybody who feels sentimental about the old site, which has been online for about ten years, can also check it via the new website.
November 21
Christopher Lee special featuring Moore. "Christopher Lee, Gentleman des Grauens", a 65-minute documentary about the life and career of Christopher Lee produced by Südwestrundfunk (SWR) in 2009 was finally broadcast on October 31 in France and Germany. The film was directed by Oliver Schwehm and features a host of guests - family, friends and colleagues, including Sir Roger Moore. Moore and Lee have been friends since after the war. They have also worked together a couple of times. In the early days of their careers, the the two were playing bit parts in a musical comedy "Trottie True". A decade later they met on the set of "Ivanhoe", where Lee played the German Knight in one of the episodes. Their most famous encounter was, however, in a 1974 James Bond adventure "The Man with the Golden Gun" were Lee appeared as the villainous Francisco Scaramanga. Originally the film was to be aired on ARTE on January 3, 2010 but was cancelled and hasn't been shown up until now.
November 15
Visit to Kazakhstan. Sir Roger Moore is travelling to Kazakhstan this Tuesday in a first visit here for the popular British actor to help raise awareness and support for vulnerable children, particularly those with disabilities. Accompanied by his wife, Lady Kristina, Sir Roger’s five-day visit will include an event organized by Special Olympics and UNICEF to highlight the importance of sports and healthy living in developing children’s cognitive skills and providing a sense of social inclusion. UNICEF and Special Olympics work in partnership throughout the world to champion the rights of children with disabilities and to encourage national action to ratify and implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted in December 2006. The Convention has increased the status and visibility of disability as a human rights issue. Sir Roger and Lady Kristina will also see a school near Almaty where children are taught how to better protect themselves in the event of disaster such as flooding, fires or earthquakes. In addition, they will visit a home that provides care for abandoned children, including those with disabilities, along with a Youth Friendly Services Centre, which promotes healthy life styles for adolescents and young people by offering free medical, social, psychological and legal assistance.Throughout their trip, Sir Roger and Lady Kristina will meet with high-level officials, members of the business community and civil society to stress the importance of working together to help ensure that children with disabilities have access to proper health facilities, education, supportive care and protection against abuse and neglect.At the end of their stay, the famous couple will attend a special Charity Ball on 20 November in support of UNICEF’s work on behalf of Kazakhstan’s more than 150,000 children with disabilities. These boys and girls are among some of the country’s most vulnerable and marginalized children. Only about one-third of the children with disabilities have access to educational and developmental programmes, and thousands continue to live isolated lives in state-run institutions.
November 5
"Bond 23 needs more humour." Sir Roger Moore is calling on movie bosses to inject "a little humour" into the next James Bond movie because "Quantum of Solace" was too serious. Daniel Craig made his second outing as 007 in the 2008 blockbuster, but the film was not favoured by critics. Moore is convinced a more humorous script for the next Bond picture will impress viewers like in the days he played the suave superspy. He tells Britain's Daily Express, "It (Quantum of Solace) wasn't a great film by any means and the series does now really need a little humour again, as that is part of the charm of Bond." Source: MI6.co.uk.
"The Spy Who Loved Me" screening. The film will be screened in Hamburg, Germany at Metropolis Kino on Friday Nov 26 at 9.15 p.m. For details click here..
The 1977 Bond picture is also shown today at the New Rheem Theatre, Moraga, California with Richard Kiel in attandance.
October 23
Roy Ward Baker (1916-2010). As reported by Saint.org, Roy Ward Baker passed away on October 5. Baker is most famous for directing "A Night To Remember" (1958) for which he won a Golden Globe award, and which was then re-done as the Academy Award winning film "Titanic". Roger Moore fans will remember him for directing many episodes of "The Saint" and "The Persuaders!". However, Baker's experience of working with Moore dates back to late 1940s. It was Baker who gave Moore a small part in a 1949 crime drama "Paper Orchid". Baker has also directed a large number of lavish low-budget British horror films in the 1960s that have a cult following. In 2000 he wrote an autobiography "The Director's Cut: A Memoir of 60 Years in Film and Television" with a foreword by Sir Roger Moore.
October 14
Happy Birthday, Sir Roger! Today Sir Roger Moore turns 83. Best wishes and congratulations from the webteam! And, as usually, it's time for a short summary of Sir Roger's professional activities in the previous year. Apart from numerous journeys as a UNICEF ambassador - to Ireland, Germany and Lithuania amongst others, Sir Roger supported a number of charities, including Know Your Pulse, British Heart Foundation and PETA. The latter named Sir Roger Person of the Year for campaigning against foie gras. Moore was also presented with the German DIVA Lifetime Achievement award for his work as an actor. On the acting front he has been recently busy as ever. In June "Cats & Dogs II" premiered worldwide, with Moore voicing the character of Tab Lazenby. Soon we will also get to see Sir Roger on the big and small screen in "Connemara Days", a feature drama set in the 1950s Ireland, and comedy series "Benidorm". All the best, Sir Roger!
Oct 10
"The Wild Swans" on DVD. "De vilde svaner", a 2009 Danish fantasy film based on the novel by Hans Christian Andersen was released on DVD in Denmark earlier this year. Aside from being really well made, the film is creditable because of involvement of Margarethe II, the queen regnant of Denmark, who co-wrote the screenplay and designed costumes. Sir Roger Moore, a friend of the Danish royal family, voiced the character of the Archbishop in the film, which has yet to be released worldwide.
Sep 27
"Cats & Dogs" on DVD. "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore", an action comedy with Sir Roger Moore in a voice role of Tab Lazenby will premiere on DVD in USA on Nov 16, 2010. Warner Bros. is to release the film in two formats: the combo pack (DVD+Blue-ray+digital vsn.) and a 2 in 1 set, along with "Cats & Dogs", the original film from 2001. Fans of the "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore" are also aware of the Nintendo DS video game of the film, which was released in June. Does it also feature the voice of Roger Moore? Don't know yet, but will check it.
Sep 23
Moore to star in "Benidorm". According to TVSky.com Sir Roger Moore is to star in the fifth series of ITV1's comedy show "Benidorm". However, he won't be expected to pull on a pair of Speedos, neck lager and cause uproar around the pool, as he'll play a local dignitary. The show managed to land Moore after producers learned he was a big fan of the hit comedy. A show insider said: "Roger is a massive fan so we thought it would be fun to get him involved. Producers approached his people and they said he'd love to, so we came up with a role for him. They've gone for something which they think he'll be comfortable with – a local dignitary". The former 007 is due to fly to Spain in the next few days to film his scenes. Other cameos rumoured for this series include Cilla Black and Louie Spence. Visit the official Benidorm website to find out more about the show.
Sep 20
Succesful as ever. MI6.co.uk reports that despite ITV running two James Bond films every weekend, the British agent is still scoring impressive ratings for the UK broadcaster. ITV1 screened Sir Roger Moore's final outing "A View to a Kill" on Sunday afternoon and pulled in an impressive 2.6 million viewers and a 16.6% audience share across all channels, including digital. Considering its afternoon weekend timeslot, where national viewing levels are low, the Bond movies are great value for money for the commercial broadcaster. Rival network Channel 5 screened "Men in Black 2" in prime time on Sunday and only managed 1.694 million (6.3% audience share). "A View To A Kill" even scored more viewers than "Match of the Day 2" on BBC2 that night (2.545 million/13.3%). Moore's interpretation of 007 seems to be succesful as ever.
Sep 9
25 years of "A View to a Kill". The French James Bond fan club "Club James Bond France" has organized a 25th anniversary celebration of the 14th James Bond movie. The event will take place on September 18 at the Chateau de Chantilly in France, where the movie's villain, Max Zorin, had his headquarters. The programme of the event includes a guided tour coupled with the discovery of the locations and anecdotes from the shooting; delivery of the quarterly magazine of the Club "Le Bond Collector's Special 'A View to a Kill' – Chantilly" – 36 pages of interviews, exclusive photos and documents on the film and panoramas of the castle; and a screening of the movie at night, outdoors, on the racetrack, with a presentation by John Glen, director. Fore more details go to Jamesbond007.net.
Sep 2
Bond doublebill in Santa Monica. MI6.co.uk reports that Aero Theatre host Roger Moore double bill tonight in Santa Monica, California (1328 Montana Avenue at 14th Street). The screening starts at 7.30 pm and features the two early James Bond pictures starring Sir Roger - "Live and Let Die" (1973) and "The Man with the Golden Gun" (1974), both directed by Guy Hamilton.
August 30
"The Saint" and "Connemara Days" delayed. In a recent Q&A ar Roger-Moore.com, the actor explains the delay in filming "Connemara Days". "Most of the funding for 'Connemara' was in place," he says, "and the final chunk was due in early July to get it all away - but that failed to come in. So the producers are running around to replace it, and it's in with some potential new best friends right now. If we can't lock everything down very, very soon we'll be losing the summer and will need to push back to Spring. It's all too common a story in the film business I'm afraid. If only it were easy..." Asked about the role he is set to play in the film, Moore answers, "I can't tell you about my part as it'd spoil it. You'll just have to be patient".
Speaking of delays, the new "Saint" series also seem to be in trouble at the moment. According to Dougray Scott, who in the meantime confirmed he will be the new Simon Templar, the producers "have been trying to get it done and I thought we were going to do it this year. But there were problems with the script and the studio, so it's on hold for a bit. That would be for American TV. With these things, even the slightest thing can go wrong. I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon. But it's a great script".
August 29
Help Pakistan. As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Sir Roger Moore is appealing for people to support UNICEF's Pakistan Flood Children's Appeal. Severe flooding in Pakistan has left over three million people in need of urgent help, including one and a half million children. UNICEF is already on the ground with its partners, providing emergency healthcare and safe drinking water to affected families. Read more at Roger-Moore.com.
August 13
Private signing with Sir Roger Moore. Due to an overwhelming demand, Sir Roger Moore has kindly agreed to a further private signing in early November 2010. All orders must be received by 10:00am on the 20th October 2010. Worldwide postage and packaging is included in the price. Your item(s) will be shipped week beginning 8th November 2010. BondStars.com ask that if you would keep your dedications short and simple e.g. "To Chris, Best Wishes" etc. Sir Roger Moore will only sign his name, he will not sign character names such as "The Saint" or "007". There is an excellent range of Roger Moore stills from his days as James Bond, The Saint and The Persuaders to choose from. Details at BondStars.com. MI6.co.uk
August 7
Moore pays tribute to Tom Mankiewicz. Sir Roger Moore has paid tribute to Tom Mankiewicz, calling the 007 screenwriter a "wonderful man" and a "great friend". Mankiewicz passed away aged 68 at his home in Los Angeles on Friday after a brief illness, and actor Moore admits the tragedy came as a "huge shock" for him. The writer penned the screenplay for Moore's first two outings as Bond - "Live And Let Die" (1973) and "The Man with the Golden Gun" (1974), and the two became close friends. Moore told WENN, "Tom was a wonderful man, a brilliant writer and a great friend... His written lines were brilliant. My favourite is from 'The Man with the Golden Gun' when Jimmy (Bond) points a gun at a gun-maker's crotch - 'Speak now or forever hold your piece' he says. Sheer bloody brilliance. The news of his death was a huge shock to me. At 68 it was a tragedy." The actor also paid tribute to Mankiewicz's skill at teasing viewers with his plot developments: "He was without doubt one of the most innovative, clever and inspirational writers of the Bond films. He and director Guy Hamilton would lock themselves away working out 'snake pit' scenarios for 007, and then plan inventive escapes whilst leading the audience up one or two wrong turns. Like in 'Live and Let Die' when Jimmy Bond is stranded on an island in a lake full of alligators. Jimmy sees a boat nearby and switches on his magnetic watch to attract the metal oar rests - aha, say the audience, that's how he does it. But then we see the boat is tethered. Aha, says Tom! Think again, dear audience."
In addition, a highly recommended Tom Mankiewicz obiutuary in "The Guardian" penned by Ronald Bergan.
July 27
Sir Roger Moore is Tab Lazenby. On July 30, "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore", an action-packed Bond-like comedy, premieres in the USA (the UK premiere will follow on August 4). As it was finally confirmed it features former James Bond in a voice-role of Tab Lazenby, a character that is in fact a reference to another Bond, George Lazenby. Brad Peyton, who directed the film, says: "We were lucky enough to get Roger Moore to do a cameo as the voice of Tab Lazenby, which I was freaked out over. It was weird directing him: 'Can you scream like a cat that's just been thrown across the room... a little higher?' It was really odd asking Sir Roger Moore to scream like a cat. I had no idea how he was gonna take it but he was really game. He didn't bat an eyelash and did ridiculous cat sounds." Go to the official website which has now been vastly updated and features a lot of interesting information about the film and a trailer.
July 14
Recent activities. On June 2, Sir Roger Moore was in Berlin, where he took part in the presentation of a UNICEF 2009 report on global child sexual exploitation. Few days later, on June 7, Moore attended "An Evening for Africa" (Ein Abend Fuer Afrika) at the Burda Medien Park in Offenburg. His appearance at the gala was also connected with the actor's work as an UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. He was there to promote an UNICEF aid project to build schools in Africa. Prior to the gala, Moore took part in the press conference alongside Greek singer Nana Mouskouri talking about the project. Three days later Moore was back in Monaco guesting at the 50th Monte Carlo TV Festival.
July 8
"Summer Night, Winter Moon". Imperial Film Productions has announced a new film planned called "Summer Night, Winter Moon" based upon the novel by Jane Huxley. This "story of passion, deceit and death" is set in 1935 and tells a story of an art dealer Trevor and his best friend Dante, an Italian/American fashion photographer, who are visiting Capri where they both fall for Antonia, a local beauty. The film will be shot at Cinecittà Studios in Rome (interiors) and in Capri (exteriors). The cast and crew has yet to be confirmed. As for the moment, both Sir Roger Moore ans Stephen Fry have agreed to play cameo roles. The film has now also an entry at IMDbPro where it is set for a release in 2012.
July 2
Moore laments the demise of the Queen's English. The Telegraph reports: Few, if any, actors speak the Queen's English as beautifully as Sir Roger Moore, but the former James Bond star believes that if he were starting out now in his profession it would prove a handicap rather than a help. "You have to have a regional dialect to get anywhere these days," says Sir Roger, 82. "Deborah, my daughter, complains she is always being turned down for parts because she is not regional in her speech, which is a great pity. "I think it is probably the fault of television. You don't hear what we used to call 'West End actors' voices' on series like "Holby City", "Casualty" and "The Bill". I notice, too, on the children's programmes they are all talking 'a bit like that,' and that's encouraging the next generation to talk in this so-called 'estuary English' we have now. "I think it is sad that proper English is disappearing. I don't see why it went out of fashion." Moore was in London to host the launch of Masterpiece London, a collectibles fair at the former Chelsea Barracks which ended on June 28. It included an auction in aid of UNICEF, which Sir Roger represents as a special ambassador.
UPDATE "Why I'm gunning for people don't talk proper", Moore writes for "The Daily Mail"
June 20
Julian Rachlin & Friends 2010. CroatianVillas.com reports that Sir Roger Moore is set to take part in this years' "Julian Rachlin & Friends" festival. According to Meri Matesic, director at the Croatia National Tourist Office in London, former James Bond will be in the country in September. Moore has become a frequent visitor to the Dalmatian coast in recent years. Ms Matesic explains his visit, saying: "Traditionally at the beginning of September, the Julian Rachlin and Friends concert takes place and this year there is going to be Roger Moore there, who [has] become [a] regular guest." Other attendees of the Julian Rachlin and Friends concert include star of the screen John Malkovich.
June 14
More Saintly music. Never previously released and compiled from the original master tapes, this four-CD set comprises the varied themes and incidental scores for the colour editions of The Saint, containing over 200 pieces of music and songs which were especially composed for the series. Composer Edwin Astley's distinctive take on Leslie Charteris famous literary character – and his familiar musical motif – leads into danger across the world for gentleman adventurer Simon Templar. Added to this are songs and tunes to fit the flamenco dances and calypsos of bars in South American and the West Indies, as well as the night clubs, hippy parties and pop scene of swinging Sixties London. Including extensive liner notes from archive television historian Andrew Pixley, this set is an essential purchase for all ITC aficionados. The set can be purchased at Networkdvd.net.
June 11
"The Saint on TV". Ian Dickerson's highly recommended "The Saint on TV", the ultimate guide to three Saint TV series (plus a failed pilot), is due for release in October. The book documents, for the first time, the very roots of the Saint's TV adventures in 1940s Hollywood and follows them through American TV's formative years in the 1950s to the boom years of the 1960s ITC programme factory. Moving onwards "The Saint on TV" shows the full evolution and production of the 1970s series "Return of the Saint", and takes an in depth look at why the character faltered in the 1980s, going on to document the various attempts made to revive the character on TV in subsequent decades after Val Kilmer had tried to murder him in the movies. The book reveals, for the first time, how plans were for David Niven to be the first TV Saint, in a show written and directed by the Saint's creator, Leslie Charteris and reveals just who was being lined up to play Simon Templar. It tells the story of how Oliver Reed planned to become blood brothers with the Saint's creator, Leslie Charteris and how David Hasselhoff desperately wanted a halo. It also reveals just what Simon Cowell was doing on "Return of the Saint". Using exclusive interviews with the cast and crew on all of the Saint's TV adventures including the forthcoming TV pilot (a new TV series of "The Saint" is currently in development), "The Saint on TV" is the ultimate guide to well, the Saint on TV. The book can be pre-ordered via Hirst Publishing.
June 7
"The Music of ITC". A brand new anthology of the music from the TV series produced by ITC was published last November. The 2-disc compilation, titled simply "The Music of ITC", features a 160 minutes of music: main themes and incidental cues from the cream of Sir Lew Grade's ITC Company, such as "Danger Man", "The Baron", "The Saint", "Randall and Hopkirks (Deceased)" and many more. The Saint fans will be happy to find out that the album also features music from "The Return of the Saint" which had not been released on CD before.
Also on The Saint news front we hear that Burl Barer, author of the splendid "Capture The Saint", is currently working on the new Simon Templar novel titled familiary "Return of The Saint". Read more about Burl Barer's work at adoraburl.typepad.com.
May 19
"Bullseye!". On March 26, "Bullseye!", a 1990 action comedy directed by Michael Winner and starring Michael Caine and Roger Moore was released in Germany on DVD. It's only the second time the film is made available on DVD since the UK edition from 2008. The German release seems to be the mirror version of the English one as it has the same cover and none bonus features. Strangely enough, the film owes its existence to "Gunga Din", Rudyard Kipling's adventure of British soldiers and their dashing deeds during the native uprisings in 19th-century India, and it took quite a long to end up as "Bullseye!". To find out more about the film click here.
May 15
A celebration of Robert S. Baker. On April 18, a celebration of Robert S. Baker, who passed away last September, took place at Pinewood Studios. Although Sir Roger Moore could not be present at the event, a special video message from the actor was presented in which he reminisced hobbies great friendship and business relationship with Baker. Aside from the family and friends, the guest list included many people involved in the making of "The Saint", "The Perusaders!" and "Return of the Saint", such as actresses Sue Lloyd, Caron Gardner, Valerie Leon, Carol Cleveland and Anette Andre, continuity girl June Randall and script writer John Goldsmith. You can read full report from the event at Roger-Moore.com.
May 12
Moore family to chair new multi-media fund. The MultiMediaFund is an absolute return, open ended investment fund investing into the acquisition of intellectual property rights as well as the development and first class distribution of movies, television content, music and gaming. The Monaco-based Advisory Board of the fund is chaired by legendary movie star Sir Roger Moore KBE and it is made up of Markus Lehner and Klaus Lovgreen from Lehner Investments, as well as Christian and Geoffrey Moore. The Moore family is well-connected in the entertainment industry in the United States and Europe, enabling the MultiMediaFund to invest in the world's most exclusive movie and television productions - all with an impeccable track record. "Twenty years ago I was approached by my friend Audrey Hepburn to join her crusade with Unicef helping Children all over the World and have since then been an International Goodwill Ambassador. I had always wanted to initiate an entertainment fund - now that time has come. My two sons, along with Lehner Investments, have now created a multi-media fund advised out of Monaco and Los Angeles to do what I had originally wanted to do, so I guess you could say, good things come to those who wait," said Sir Roger Moore KBE. Read more.
May 4
Lynn Redgrave dies at 67. Lynn Redgrave, OBE, Sir Roger Moore's co-star in "Sunday Lovers" (1980) died of breast cancer on May 2. Daughter of Sir Michael Redgrave and sister of Vanessa and Corin Redgrave, she enjoyed more than three decades of stage, screen and TV work, which made her one the most recognizable English actresses. Redgrave's most prominent film roles were in Silvio Narizzano's "Georgy Girl" (1966) and Bill Condon's "Gods and Monsters" (1998) for which she has won two Golden Globes and was nominated to Oscar. She has also been nominated for Broadway's Tony Award as best actress three times: in 1976 for George Bernard Shaw's "Mrs. Warren's Profession" and seventeen years later for "Shakespeare for My Father," her one-woman show about her relationship with her father, Michael Redgrave; and in 2005 for W. Somerset Maugham's "The Constant Wife".
May 3
Films Without Borders. The Earl of Wessex will help launch an ambitious initiative that aims to give teenagers in Israel, Palestine and Rwanda the opportunity to learn film-making. Films Without Borders (FWB) will help aspiring directors aged 15 to 18, who do not readily have access to equipment or industry professionals, experience all aspects of movie creation. Organisers of the project say it will bring together young people, break down barriers and boost the confidence of participants as they hone their skills in workshops. Edward will host a Buckingham Palace reception and dinner for FWB supporters, who will be joined by three young film-makers picked from the three states. "Star Wars" director George Lucas, former James Bond actor Sir Roger Moore and "Four Weddings and a Funeral" director Mike Newell are expected to attend the event. Edward is a trustee of the International Award Association - the foreign arm of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award - which is working in partnership with FWB. Youngsters will be able to join the movie project, which will count towards the "skill" element of the Award scheme.
April 22
Sir Roger Moore to speak at Oxford Union. Former F1 boss Max Mosley will take on one of the journalists who exposed the MPs' expenses scandal in a debate over privacy at the Oxford Union today. Mr Mosley, who famously took on tabloid newspaper "News of the World" for claims over his private life, will face journalist Heather Brooke in June to battle it out on 'This House Believes that a Public Person has No Right to a Private Life'. The pair are just two in a long list of big names who have been invited to the chambers by the Oxford University Debating Society. James Bond star Sir Roger Moore, model Caprice, and former Prime Minister Sir John Major are also scheduled to speak in the debating chamber, which has in the past welcomed the likes of Nelson Mandela and Michael Jackson. Sir Roger's last visit to Oxford was for a book signing in October 2008.
April 17
Cheltenham Film Festival this October. Gloucestershire.co.uk reports Sir Roger Moore is backing the first ever Cheltenham Film Festival, which will be staged in the town from October 1 to 3. Sir Roger makes no secret of his anticipation to see new talent paving the way for the future of film. "I first visited Cheltenham a couple of years ago during the literature festival and found it a charming and thriving place to be," the actor said. Moore attended the festival to talk about his autobiography "My word is my Bond" in 2008. "I hope the film festival generates as much buzz as the other festivals in Cheltenham do and that along with celebrating classics it might also help unearth new talent and classics of the future," he added. The event already has the support of Sir Michael Parkinson. Co-founder Adam Clarke, a graduate of the University of Gloucestershire, said: "Having the endorsement of acting giants such as Sir Roger is incredible and shows us just how important it is for Cheltenham to continue to broaden its horizons. Iconic characters of the big screen such as James Bond have shaped the history of film and the festival is the perfect way to celebrate both the past and future of film." Visit festival's official website.
April 15
Sir Roger Moore at the London Film Museum. Cinema Retro reports that due to last-minute contractual obligations, Sir Christopher Lee is unable to attend the award ceremony at The London Film Museum on Saturday April 24. However, his life-long friend – and on-screen adversary in "The Man with the Golden Gun" – Sir Roger Moore, has agreed to accept the award on the veteran actor’s behalf. Sir Roger has also agreed to discuss his career as James Bond, and take part in a brief Q&A session too. Sir Roger was the recipient of Cinema Retro’s lifetime achievement award in 2008.
April 10
Lewis Gilbert at Forbidden Planet. Three-time James Bond director Lewis Gilbert will be attending a book signing at London’s Forbidden Planet at the end of this month. The You Only Live Twice director will be signing copies of his just-published autobiography "All My Flashbacks" at the event on Thursday, 29 April from 6:00-7:00pm. The Forbidden Planet Megastore is located at 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8JR. Source: CommanderBond.net
March 23
The Saint BBC audiobooks. Interesting news for Saint fans. BBC Audiobooks are releasing a CD containing two episodes of The Saint on May 6, 2010. These are two of the three shows that were made in the 1990s and star Paul Rhys as Simon Templar, episodes are "The Saint Plays With Fire" and "Saint Overboard". No word yet as to why "The Saint Closes the Case" has not been included. Source: LeslieCharteris.com
March 19
Sir Roger talks cash. The Spring special of Which? Money Quarterly features a spelndid exclusive interview with Sir Roger Moore. The actor talks in it about the man behind Bond, including how he spends his cash, his work as charity fundraiser for UNICEF and his latest voice roles in "Gnomes & Trolls" and "Cats & Dogs II". As well as the Bond info, the magazine is filled with money saving tips, and ways to help take control of your finances. The magazine is available from Tesco, WHSmith High Street & Travel, Martin McColls and selected independent newsagents for £2.99.
March 17
"Connemara Days" update. According to IMDb.com, "Connemara Days" is to be co-written by Steve Mayhew, who also wrote the book, and Andrew V. McLaglen, who has previously worked with Sir Roger Moore as a director of "The Wild Geese", "North Sea Hijack" and "The Sea Wolves". The film is to be photographed by Douglas Milsome and the budget is estiamted £4,500,000. The Irish premiere of the film is set for July 1, 2011. Causeway Pictures, a company that will produce the film, has now launched a new blog, in which updates about the production of "Connemara Days" will be posted.
As for Andrew V. McLaglen, there's an interesting interview with the director at Senses of the Cinema conducted by Wheeler Winston Dixon. A thorough and lengthy interview features McLaglen talking about "The Wild Geese" among other films.
March 9
SimonTemplar.de. Martin Metzler's website dedicated to "The Saint" series starring Sir Roger Moore has been online for nearly ten years. It is based on a detailed and very informative episode guide. You can read about every single episode of the series. Featured information include not only cast and crew listings and summaries but also some really rare and hard to find miscellany. Martin also traces goofs from each episode. Here are two bits from "The Talented Husband": 1) When John Clarron walks over to Adrienne's house the first time she seems to notice him although he's in her back. Seems like Clarron's greeting was forgotten to be edited in (0:07); 2) In the scene when John Clarron visits Adrienne before his departure to London: Look closely at the Clarron's house, when Simon and Clarron leave. It's clearly to see that it's just a painting (0:25). Other rare and precious finds include "The studio back lot", in which Martin shows the various redresses of the set that acted as almost every place in the world. Martin has also assembled an impressive bibliography for "The Saint" series as well as some useful information about Simon Templar's famous Volvo P1800. SimonTemplar.de is clearly a work of fan and an expert. Highly recommended.
March 5
"Connemara Days" update.
The Irish Film & Television Network has posted an article giving insight to how the production of "Connemara Days" had come to fruition. The film's producer producer Chris Patterson explains to IFTN how Moore became involved with the project: "It was really a case of him getting us as much as us getting him. About eight years ago HBO had hoped to do a similar project but then there was a change of management and Gareth Owen, who was the writer, tried to get finance from elsewhere but wasn't successful. Then recently we were looking at possible projects to make and we remembered this one. Roger knew one of the guys on the team here and really the momentum involved with the project has come at the right time." The film is being produced by Chris and Gareth Owen. The director of photography is TBC but it has been confirmed that the film will be shot on film as opposed to a digital shoot to compliment the look and feel of "The Quiet Man". The financing of the project is shaping up well and, if the last of the financing can be secured soon then filming will commence in August. The film will shoot for four weeks in the (two streets) of Cong – which is, as Chris points out, two weeks longer than the John Ford film shoot - and the production will then move to Belfast for another two weeks. Read entire article.
March 2
"Live and Let Die" screening in Hamburg. Sir Roger Moore's debut as James Bond, "Live and Let Die" (1973), directed by Guy Hamilton and co-starring James Seymour, Yaphet Kotto amd David Hedison, will be screened at Metropolis in Hamburg, Germany on March 12 at 21.15 pm. For further information visit www.metropoliskino.de.
While waiting for the German screening of "Live and Let Die", it's worth noting there's a new interview with Sir Roger Moore at The Connexion covering Sir Roger's connections with France.
February 18
Back on the big screen! According to the Irish Times, Sir Roger Moore is to return to the big screen in romantic comedy "Connemara Days", a fictional film about the making of John Ford's "The Quiet Man". The movie is to be made in the village where the 1952 classic was filmed. Moore, returning to the screen after a 10-year gap, is also executive producer of the film which is to be directed by Kevin Connor and produced by Belfast company Causeway Pictures with support from Fáilte Ireland. It will also feature performances from Aidan Quinn and Geraldine Chaplin. Stacy Keach, star of "Escape from LA" and Moore's co-star in "Street People", will play director John Ford, who arrived in Cong in 1951 with the "Duke" John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. The "Connemara Days" plot concerns an 18-year-old girl, Heather O'Dea, who falls for one of Ford’s assistant directors. In a statement issued yesterday by Fáilte Ireland, Moore said he was very excited to be part of a "delightful project". "'The Quiet Man' was undoubtedly the best movie John Ford ever directed. It is also one of my all-time favourite films," he said. "The opportunity to revisit the time when Hollywood arrived in Ireland to shoot it was simply too delicious an opportunity to miss." The script, based on a novel by Steve Mayhew, has been described as "excellent" by director Kevin Connor, who also directed "Marco Polo" and "Black Beard", among other films.
February 17
"The Wild Swans". IMDb.com has recently updated Roger Moore's entry at the database with an unknown film in which the actor played the voice role of Archbishop. "The Wild Swans" (original title: "De vilde svaner") is a 60-minute Danish adaptation of a Hans Christian Andersen story. It was directed by Peter Flinth and Ghita Nørby. An active role in the making of the film was also played by Margrethe II, the Queen regnant of Denmark, who co-wrote the script and took part in designing clothes. The film features perfomances from Stine Fischer Christensen, Jens Jørn Spottag, Benedikte Hansen and Helle Hertz among others. "The Wild Swans" had its theatrical premiere on Sep 11, 2009. It has yet to be announced whether it will be distributed worldwide. An English-language trailer at the official website of the film may suggest that it is indeed the case.
February 12
Red For Heart.
Sir Roger Moore has joined to support the British Heart Foundation's National Wear Red Day on Friday, February 26. "Red for Heart is a brilliant way to raise money for the nation's heart charity – do your bit this February by going red," said Moore. The campaign aims to raise awareness of heart disease in Britain. To find out more about the campaign, visit the British Heart Foundation website.
February 2
"All My Flashbacks", Lewis Gilbert autobiography. Three time-James Bond film director Lewis Gilbert has written his autobiogiograhy, a much anticipated book among all Bond fans. Having directed three of the biggest Bond films - "You Only Live Twice" (1967), "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977) and "Moonraker" (1979) - this is surely to be an entertaining read for any film scholar and Bond aficionados in particular. Other big achievements in Lewis Gilbert's career include directing films like "Sink the Bismarck!" (1960) and "Alfie" (1966). The latter film gave the then unknown Michael Caine an Oscar nomination. In the 1980s Gilbert turned to small-scale dramas, directing Willy Russell's "Educating Rita" and "Shirley Valentine". Published by Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, the book is set for a release in Marchbut can now be already pre-ordered in selected online stores.
January 29
Martin Grace (1942-2010). CommanderBond.net has just reported sad news about the sudden death of Martin Grace, one of the longest serving stunt coordinators in British film business. Grace, who has been active as a stuntman since mid 1960s, has been Roger Moore's double in twelve movies, including all of his Bond pictures. It was during the filming of "Octopussy" when Grace was seriously injured, when he was hanging on the side of a train. He spent several months in hospital and was regularly visited by Moore, who - as he mentioned in a number of interviews - had always had much respect for Grace's courage and skills. In private Grace and Moore have been good friends and often shared memories about working together. Recently Marie-France Vienne of the Roger-Moore.com web team has conducted an extensive and thorough interview with Martin Grace available here. To check Grace's film credits (also as a bit part actor) go to IMDb.com.
January 24
5th Eilat Chamber Music Festival. This year will mark Sir Roger Moore's return as a guest performer at the Eilat Chamber Music Festival in Israel. The actor will narrate in Alexey Igudesman's "Violins of the World". As he did on his visit here last year, Moore will be donating his proceeds from the festival to the cause of fighting against HIV/AIDS. The festival will be taking place on Feb 18-27, 2010. Sir Roger Moore will be performing on Friday 26. Details at the festival's website.
The Jerusalem Post has published an exhaustive article covering Moore's forthcoming visit in Israeli's leading tourist resot. In the article the actor talks about his role in the festival, his extensive collaboration with Julian Rachlin and the main UNICEF cause behind his presence at the festival, which is an initiative to bring together Muslim and Jewish doctors to show how to perform, and encourage male circumcision in various countries in Africa.
The Jerusalem Post article about Sir Roger Moore's forthcoming visit to Eilat.
January 22
UNICEF mission in Lithuania. President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite received UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Roger Moore who is currently visiting Lithuania on a charity mission. The purpose of the visit is a charity campaign, "Education in the Ghor Province of Afghanistan", aimed at raising funds for the construction of schools in the Ghor Province where Lithuania leads reconstruction efforts. "It is the duty of the international community and of all of us to take action together to make sure that peaceful living is restored for people, especially children, of this country devastated by unrest," President Dalia Grybauskaite said. The President thanked the Sir Roger Moore for promoting charity and disseminating ideas for kindness. President Dalia Grybauskaite is a patron of the charity concert "Let's Unite for Children" organised by UNICEF together with Sir Roger Moore this Sunday, 24 January, in Vilnius. Source: CommanderBond.net
Photos of Sir Roger Moore in Lithuania
January 18
UNICEF mission in Ireland. In December Sir Roger Moore travelled to Dublin to promote the work of UNICEF. On Dec 11 he took part in Black Tie Gala Dinner & Casino night at Dublin's Ballsbridge Court Hotel. In addition, as reported by the Diddlyi Magazine, on Dec 13 Sir Roger was very lucky to meet and sing a few carols with Ireland's most famous turkey vulture Dustin.
January 12
DIVA Lifetime Achievement award. On January 26, Sir Roger Moore will be honoured with the German DIVA Lifetime Achievement award at the 20th DIVA Award Ceremony at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich. Former recipients of this honor include Christopher Lee, Lauren Bacall, Liv Ullmann, Vanessa Redgrave, Ursula Andress, Sir Peter Ustinov, Maximilan Schell, and Alain Delon. Fore more information about the DIVA award visit the official website of the ceremony.
In addition due to an overwhelming demand, Sir Roger Moore has kindly agreed to a further private signing on the April 18, 2010. All orders / items must be received by 10:00am (GMT) on April 9, 2010. Details at Bondstars.com.
January 2
James Bond marathon at Mayfair Theatre. As was the case in 2009, this January will see Ottawa's Mayfair Theatre hosting a season of classic and contemporary James Bond films all month long. Scheduled to take place between 3 and 26 January 2010, this 007 season will include eight Bond films including "The Spy Who Loved Me" (Jan 16, 4:30pm and Jan 19, 7:00pm) and "Moonraker" (Jan 17, 4:30pm and Jan 19, 9:20pm). Admission costs are as follows: yearly membership ($10.00), members ($5.00), non-members ($9.00) and seniors/children ($6.00). The Mayfair Theatre is located at 1074 Bank Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 3X3, Canada. To puchase tickets or for further information regarding this James Bond film festival, phone 613-730-6552 or visit the official website. Source: CommanderBond.net
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