Before he was 007, Roger Moore was a model nicknamed The Big Knit

Art · Published 3 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Long before he defined the suave, eyebrow-raising persona of James Bond, Roger Moore navigated a winding path through Hollywood and British television. From being sacked from an animation studio to starring in Westerns and action-comedies, Moore’s career was a masterclass in persistence, eventually leading him to become the longest-serving Bond actor.

Born in London in 1927, Moore’s entry into acting was serendipitous. After a brief stint in an animation studio ended in dismissal, he was hired as a background performer for the 1945 production Caesar and Cleopatra. This experience caught the attention of director Brian Desmond Hurst, who financed Moore’s training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Following his national service as a captain in the Royal Army Service Corps, Moore struggled to find consistent work, even modeling for knitwear advertisements in the early 1950s, which earned him the moniker The Big Knit.

Moore’s breakthrough came with television. He gained international recognition as Simon Templar in The Saint, a role he played from 1962 to 1969. This series established the sophisticated, quipping style and signature raised eyebrow that would later define his portrayal of James Bond. His versatility was occasionally tested, notably in the 1970 film The Man Who Haunted Himself, which he considered one of his finest performances. By the time he starred in the action-comedy The Persuaders! alongside Tony Curtis, he had become the world's highest-paid television actor, reportedly earning £1 million for the series.

In 1972, Moore accepted the role of James Bond, debuting in 1973's Live and Let Die. At 44, he remains the oldest actor to have been cast as the iconic secret agent. Unlike his predecessors, Moore intentionally steered the character toward humor, famously noting that he was not a cold-blooded killer. He appeared in seven Eon-produced films, ending his tenure with A View to a Kill in 1985. Beyond his film career, Moore was knighted in 2003 for his extensive humanitarian work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, a role he held from 1991 until his death in 2017.

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