Sir Roger Moore is primarily known as a television and movie actor. But before he started his professional career in the 1954 MGM melodrama The Last Time I Saw Paris, he had also worked for some time as a stage actor. First as an extra, then playing supporting roles, and in the end as the star of the play (The Family Tree). In 1953 he even hit Broadway with a one night only performance of A Pin to See the Peepshow, in which he co-starred with Joan Miller. In 1956 Sir Roger appeared on stage for the last time as a full time theatrical actor, mostly due to his television commitments. Since then, he has taken parts in various one-off performances, mostly because of his interest in performing live. Moore's official comeback to theatre was in 2002 with a role of a "mystery guest" in few performances of the critically acclaimed comedy The Play What I Wrote directed by Kenneth Branagh.
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A Star For Christmas
(St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, London)
A Christmas event to raise money for Age Concern and Help the Aged. The event featured performanes from Lionel Blair, June Whitfield, Sir Roger Moore, Sylvia Syms and students of the Sylvia Young Theatre School.
Performed on December 7, 2009.
The Prince's Trust 30th Birthday
(Tower, London)
Sir Roger Moore was among celebrities who appeared at the Prince's Trust 30th Birthday Live at the Tower of London. The evening was shown live on ITV. Moore appeared alongside Richard E. Grant and Chico in a spoof of "Blind Date" with and Dame Edna (Barry Humphries) asking the questions. Sir Roger said if chosen, he would leave her shaken n' stirred!. Luckily for him, Dame Edna went for number 3 - Chico.
Performed on 22nd May 2006.
A Night Under The Stars
(Royal Festival Hall, London)
An annual fund-raising concert for The Passage, a Christian homeless charity.
Hosted by Sir Roger Moore
Guest artists: Ann Murray, Nicola Bendetti, Lucy Rhodes, Fiona Allen, Anthony Andrews, Patricia Hodge
Performed on 25th November 2004.
A Night Under The Stars
(Westminster Central Hall, Storeys Gate, London)
An annual fund-raising concert for The Passage, a Christian homeless charity.
Sir Roger Moore gave a very touching recitation of words from the Ralph McTell song "The Streets of London" and appeared in a sketch with comedian Steve Coogan. Other guest stars included Louis Hoover and Aled Jones. The evening was hosted by Rory Bremner.
Performed on 13th November 2003.
Night of 1000 Voices
(Royal Albert Hall, London)
Annual charity gala. This time hosted by Roger Moore and Glen Close. Nearly thirty guest artists took part in the event including: Trevor Nunn, Clive Rowe, Simon Day, Barry Ingham and Teddy Kempner.
Performed on 4th May 2003.
The Play What I Wrote (2003)
(Lyceum Theatre, Broadway, New York)
Roger Moore has been a guest star several times since the play opened on Broadway. He appeared in it for sure on 7th March and 7th May 2003.
A Night Under The Stars
(Westminster Central Hall, Storeys Gate, London)
An annual fund-raising concert for The Passage, a Christian homeless charity.
Main cast: Maria Ewing, Ning Liang
Guests: Roger Moore, Anthony Andrews, Sir Donald Sinden and Michael Parkinson
Performed on 13th November 2002.
The Play What I Wrote (2002)
(West End, London)
Written by Hamish McColl, Sean Foley and Eddie Braben
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Hamish McColl, Sean Foley, Toby Jones
The play was dedicated to Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise. Every night a different celebrity was invited to take one of the parts in the show. Amongst them was Roger Moore.
Performed in April 2002.
A Night Under The Stars
(Westminster Central Hall, Storeys Gate, London)
An annual fund-raising concert for The Passage, a Christian homeless charity.
Hosted by Rory Bremner
Guests: Roger Moore, John Bird, John Fortune and Sir Donald Sinden
Performed on 8th November 2001.
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A Look-a-like Restaurant
(Lyceum Theatre, London)
A half improvised sketch featuring Roger Moore, Stephen Fry (both as clients) and Prince Charles (as a waiter) and performed at the Prince Charles' 50th birthday gala in November 1998.
Joy to the World Christmas Concert
(Royal Albert Hall, London)
Cast: Roger Moore (Devil), Cliff Richard
Charity performance, December 1992.
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James Bond Spoof
(London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, London)
Cast: Roger Moore, Deborah Moore
Guest appearance at LAMDA with daughter Deborah in a play spoofing 007 movies, second half of 1985.
1 9 5 0 s
The Family Tree
(Connaught Theatre, Worthing)
Written by Richard Buckle (1956)
Directed by Peter Wood
Cast: Roger Moore (Butler), Elspeth March, Daniel Massey, Adrienne Allen
Performed for two weeks in August 1956.
I Capture the Castle
(Aldwych Theatre, West End, London)
Written by Dodie Smith, based on her own novel. Directed by Murray Macdonald. Setting designed by Paul SHeriff. Costumes by Motley. Music by Stephen Hancock.
Cast: Virginia McKenna (Cassandra Mortmain), Yvonne Furneaux (Rose Mortmain), Georgina Cookson (Topaz Mortmain), Andrew Ray (Thomas Mortmain), Roger Moore (Stephen Colly), George Relph (James Mortmain), Joan White (Miss Marcy), Richard Greene (Simon Cotton), Bill Travers (Neil Cotton), Cyril Luckham (Vicar), Vivienne Pickles (Ivy Stebbings), Joan Henley (Mrs. Cotton), Elizabeth Ashley (Leda Fox-Cotton), Victor Lucas (Audrey Fox-Cotton).
Performed for four weeks in March and April 1954.
A romantic comedy by Dodie Smith, best known for her later novel "The Hundred and One Dalmatians". The play opened at the Aldwych Theatre, London on Thursday 4th March 1954, and closed a short four weeks later.
Further reading
"Plays & Players", April 1954
A Pin to See the Peepshow
(Playhouse on 48th Street, Broadway, New York)
Written by F. Tennyson Jesse and H.M. Harwood
Directed by Peter Cotes
Setting by Ariel Ballif
Costumes by Ruth Morley
Cast: Joan Miller, Roger Moore (Leo Carr), Claude Horton, Jerome Kilty, Basil Howes, Margaretta Warwick, Ronald Long, Frederic Warriner and others
Performed only once on 17th September 1953.
Untitled Welsh performance
(Pontypridd, Wales)
A one-off performance as a comedian in a variety show, early 1953.
Jack and the Beanstalk
(Empress Brixton, London)
A one-man pantomime starring Roger Moore. Other performances inculded Dorothy Squires.
A one-off performance in December 1952.
The Little Hut
(Lyric Theatre, London)
Written by Andre Roussin
Directed by Peter Brook
Translated and adapted by Nancy Mitford
Setting by Oliver Messel
Cast: Robert Morley, Joan Tetzel, Geoffrey Toone, Roger Moore
(Lover and an understudy to Geoffrey Toone)
Performed in August 1950.
Mister Roberts
(Coliseum Theatre, London)
Written by Thomas Heggen and Josuha Logan
Directed by Josuha Logan
Cast: Tyrone Power, Gerorge Cotton, Russell Collins, Ray Danton, Bill Travers, Roger Moore (Sailor and an understudy to Ray Danton) and others
Tyrone played Mister Roberts after an absence from the theatre of nine years. He and his fellow cast members received a standing ovation from the 2000 plus audience on the first night. The play was an enormous success and ran for six months. Roger Moore was one of the 35 backing cast to the show. Five of them were actors and the other 30 were stunt men. Moore was also an understudy to the two stars in the show.
The Lady Purrs
(Embassy, Swiss Cottage)
Written by Ted Willis
Directed by Henry Kendall
Produced by Anthony Hawtrey (Envoy Productions)
Cast: Eleanor Summerfield, Charles Heslop, Joss Ackland, Dandy Nichols, Roger Moore (A young man, Julius)
Performed for three and a half weeks starting on March 10th, 1950.
Roger Moore had only one line at the end of the play, after which the curtain went down. He was there for only a few seconds, and the line went: I'm Julius. Where is Sandra?
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Miss Mabel
(unknown touring company production)
Written by R. C. Sherriff (1948)
Cast: Mary Jerrold (Miss Mabel), Roger Moore (Peter)
Performed during Summer of 1949.
The story line of the play was held in a similar vein as "Arsenic and Old Lace", and revolved around the dear old lady who poisons her nasty sister. Roger Moore played a juvenile lead role.
Easy Virtue
(The Intimate Theatre, Palmers Green, London)
Written by Noeuml;l Coward (1926)
Directed by Jimmy Grant Anderson
Cast: Noele Gordon, Roger Moore
Performed sometime in 1949.
The Army Years (1946-48)
During his service in the army Moore was also involved into stage performances. As he was in a rank of an officer he wasn't allowed to perform but he took part in production of many various plays and variety shows. Amongst them were The Shop on Sly Corner, Charley's Aunt and The Hasty Heart.
Androcles and the Lion
(The Arts Theatre, Cambridge)
An Old Fable Renovated by George Bernard Shaw
Produced by Norman Marshall
Settings by Hedley Briggs
Scenery built in the Cambridge Arts Theatre Workshops and painted by Joan Jefferson Farjeon
Costumes by Nathans
Lion skin by Bermans
Wigs by Gustave
Cast: Patrick Young (The Lion/Retiarius), Hedley Briggs (Androcles), Frances Rowe (Magaera, his wife), Peter Madren (Centurion/Secutor), Frances Clare (Lavinia), Christopher Quest (Captain), Robert Bishop (Lentulus/Caius), Roger Moore (Metellus/Menagerie Keeper), Richard Wordsworth (Ferrovius), Derek Randal (Spintho), Anthony Hudson (Lion Keeper/Manager of the Arena) and Michael Anthony (Caesar); Christians and Soldiers played by a contingent from chorus of the C.U.M.S.
Performed from 22th to 27th October 1945.
Circle of Chalk
Written by Bertold Brecht
Cast: Roger Moore
An Italian Straw Hat
(The Arts Theatre, Cambridge)
Written by Eugene Labiche and Marc Michel
Cast: Richard Hannam, Sheila Burrell, Morris Sweden, Peter Jones, Anthony Davies, Peta Shelley, Cameron Hall, Natasha Sokolova, Nadia Radowitz, Gill McLaughlin, Geoffrey Dunn, Helen Goss, Michael Allen, George Cooper, Noel Dyson, Wenda Horshburgh, Elizabeth Fry, John Garside, Gillian Kaufman, Muriel Sollash, Anthony Doonan, George Harris, Basil Hoskins and Roger Moore (French policeman)
Performed from (around) Dec 1944 to May 1945.
This Happy Breed
(The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, London)
Written by Noeuml;l Coward
Cast: Roger Moore
Performed sometime in 1945 (last appearance in RADA).
Henry V
(The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, London)
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Fabia Drake
Cast: Roger Moore (King and Soldier Randolph), Lois Maxwell
Performed in Summer of 1945.
Pride and Prejudice
(The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, London)
Written by Jane Austen
Cast: Roger Moore (D'Arcy)
Performed twice in Spring of 1945.
As You Like It (excerpts)
(The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, London)
Written by William Shakespeare
Cast: Roger Moore (Charles, the wrestler and Silvius, the shepherd)
Performed as part of Winter term exams at RADA in December 1944.
The Merchant of Venice (excerpts)
(The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, London)
Written by William Shakespeare
Cast: Roger Moore (Bassanio, Portia's suitor and Shylock)
Performed as part of Winter term exams at RADA in December 1944.
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