This is really sad, but I just learned that James Bond actor, Sir Roger Moore passed away just minutes ago in Switzerland. On a positive note, Sir Roger Moore obviously lived an amazing life, and made it to 89 years of age, which is an excellent run for anybody...Roger Moore played James Bond from 1973 to 1985 in a total of 7 movies, which include Live & Let Die, The Man With The Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopus and View to A Kill.
I was just talking to my good pal, Stan Barrett, this morning and he was telling me how sad he felt about Roger Moore's passing. Stan Barrett knew Roger Moore and worked with him in the 1981 movie named Cannonball Run. Stan said: "When Paul (Newman) was dying, I was by his side and he said to me, 'Stan, you are the last of the good guys'. To my way of thinking, Roger Moore was truly the last of the good guys, in the sense that he was such a great human being. Roger was so personable, and outgoing. He made everybody feel like a star. He was so genuine and always smiling, and upbeat. He would brighten-up any room he walked into. Roger was also an amazing philanthropist, and not just with all the great work he did for UNICEF. So was Audrey Hepburn—by the way—and she introduced Roger to UNICEF. The world lost a great gentleman today with Roger Moore's passing."
My first memories of Roger Moore, were from him playing James Bond on the big screen, while I watched him on the small screen at home, in his role as Beau Maverick, beside Jack Kelley in the epic TV Western named Maverick which ran on TV from 1957-1962 in the Untied States. We see Jack Kelley in the photo below with Roger Moore. James Garner was also one of the Maverick stars.
If you grew up watching Maverick, and you play the video below, it will seriously Deja Vu you out when you hear the Maverick theme song.
If highly recommend watching the Roger Moore documentary below, which does a superb job of telling Roger Moore's story of lifetime achievement.
Sir Roger Moore is pictured below in his later years, after he was done playing James Bond, and we see him wearing his Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet.
Including ALL Watches Worn In All James Bond Movies
The Definitive Guide
Chapter 7: Roger Moore–A Saint To Play James Bond
Sean Connery had grown weary of playing James Bond, so he was replaced by Roger Moore who had been playing a spy on the very successful TV show named The Saint. Roger Moore brought a completely different vibe to the role of James Bond in his first James Bond Movie in 1973 named Live & Let Die. It turns out, that in real life, through his philanthropy with UNICEF, he would become a true life saint.
Roger Moore was tall dark and handsome, but this new James Bond also had piercing blue eyes and a fascinating style all his own. The Saint aired in the United Kingdom on ITV from 1962 to 1969 and was based upon Leslie Charteris' literary character, Simon Templar. The Simon Templar character who was an undercover detective who specialized in elaborate disguises was played flawlessly by Roger Moore who completed 118 episodes that ended up playing on TV in over 60 countries internationally. It should be noted that Ian Fleming once said, that when he envisioned James Bond, he envisioned Roger Moore being the perfect actor to portray him!
Movie #9. Live and Let Die [Roger Moore, 1st] 1973
• Rolex Submariner [Reference 5513]
• Hamilton Pulsar [P2 Digital LED]
In the photos above and below you see Roger Moore as James Bond wearing his Rolex Submariner Reference 5513 with his costar, Jane Seymour who played Solitaire.
Sys Cain's artists rendering below is from the prop/art department and shows the original conceptual art for James Bond's Rolex Submariner Reference 5513, which featured a Buzz Saw Bezel that could cut through rope, as well as a Hyper Intensified Magnetic Field Generator that could stop bullets.
In the movie Bond used the Magnetic Field Generator to unzip Madeline Smith's dress. Roger Moore said, "Sheer magnetism, darling." The prop watch had special hole in it that held the very fine wire that was used to "invisibly" unzip Miss Smith's dress as seen below:
The photo below shows the inside of the watch. The fan blades inside the case were added so that when compressed air was blown inside the watch, as a special effect, it caused the Submariner bezel to rotate and simulate the spinning saw blade.
James Bond Rolex Sold for $198,000
fromLive & Let Die
Reference 5513
In November of 2011, The Rolex "Sawtooth Submariner" [Modified Reference 5513] that Roger Moore wore in Live and Let die sold for $198,00 at Christies Auction House. Notice the saw teeth on the bezel edge in the photo below...
Official Trailer Live And Let Die
It's kind of funny watching old James Bond trailers today, because they almost seem like you are watching an Austin Powers trailer ;-) But back in the 1970s, there was not a whole lot going on in the world. No Internet, or even MTV, and at the time this movie came out, most American households still had black and white TVs...
A Beatle Sings For Bond
Paul McCartney & Wings
Reference 5513
The first James Bond Movie that Roger Moore starred in had its them song composed and performed by non other than former Beatle, Paul McCartney, which he recored with his band Wings in 1973.
The song Live And Let Die was presented during the opening credits in the movie, as seen below in the intro.
Hamilton Pulsar [P2 Digital LED Watch]
When Roger Moore became James Bond in 1973, the times were changing, literally and figuratively (pun intended). In Live & Let die Roger Moore–beside his Rolex Submariner which is pictured above–also wore a Pulsar digital LED watch.
Roger More is pictured above and below with the gorgeous Madeline Smith from Live and Let die.
Movie #10. The Man with the Golden Gun [Roger Moore, 2nd] 1974
• Rolex Submariner [Reference 5512]
Roger Moore is pictured below with Britt Ekland, who is also pictured above as well.
Here is a wrist shot of Roger Moore's Rolex Submariner 5513 from The Man With The Golden Gun.
Christopher Lee
The Man With The Golden Gun Yellow Gold CELLINI KING MIDAS?
Christopher Lee played the villain named Scaramanga in The Man With The Golden Gun. For years I heard many people say he wore a yellow gold King Midas Rolex Cellini, as seen in the photos below. On Jake's Rolex World I have always specialized in separating fact from fiction, and busting false myths. So the obvious question, is Christopher Lee wearing a Rolex King Midas?
The video scene below shows Christopher Lee's character with his Golden Gun, which he is able to build on-deman from his cigaret lighter, cigarette case and his pen.
To date I have never been able to make a positive ID match by finding an exact Rolex model that matches Christopher Lee's watch. The reality is that Rolex made a zillion variations of the yellow gold Rolex Cellini King Midas, with brown wood dials, which look similar to the watch Christopher Lee is wearing.
My best guess is that Christopher Lee is NOT wearing a Rolex, but a Piaget model similar to the one pictured below. In the future, I will continue to explore this issue until I can make a positive ID.
Movie #11. The Spy Who Loved Me [Roger Moore, 3rd] 1977
• Seiko [Model 0674 LC] • Rolex GMT Master
One of the really cool features in the movie was James Bond's Lotus Esprit, which was also a submarine, as seen below. By the way, Elon Musk owns this actual car today ;-)
Roger Moore As James Bond
From The Spy Who Loved Me
Coke Rolex GMT Master
The first image one of the publicity stills associated with the James Bond film, "The Spy Who Loved Me." If I understand it correctly, it was used in as a publicity still but not shown completely in the film.
Ironically, Roger Moore is wearing a Rolex GMT-Master, as apposed to a Rolex Submariner, which we usually see him wear when he played James Bond.
Roger Moore is pictured below receiving the portrait of himself as Commander Bond from The Spy Who Love Me.
On a side note, in the image below Roger Moore is wearing a GMT Coke from a movie he shot in 1976 named Street People. From all the research I have done on Roger Moore, I think it would be fair to say he is a dedicated Rolex fan!!!
Movie #12. Moonraker [Roger Moore, 4th] 1979
• Seiko [M354 Memory Bank Calender]
Movie #13. For Your Eyes Only [Roger Moore, 5th] 1981
• Seiko [H357 Duo Display]
• Seiko [7549-7009]
Movie #14. Octopussy [Roger Moore, 6th] 1983
• Seiko TV Watch / G757 Sports 100
Everybody always talks about how Sean Connery was the best Bond, but as time goes by, the more I appreciate Roger Moore. By the way, Sean Connery began playing the James Bond character when he was 32 (Debuted in Dr. No in 1962), and Roger Moore began playing Bond at age 46 in Live & Let Die in 1973. In many ways Roger Moore was the exact opposite of Sean Connery, in the sense Sean would just take the ladies, and with Roger, the ladies wanted to take him. It is also interesting to note that Roger Moore wears Rolex watches in his private life, as see below in this photo of him pouring coffee.
Sir Roger Moore is pictured below with his wife and son, and notice he is wearing his Rolex Submariner.
Sir Roger Moore and Sir Sean Connery have remained friends for many decades, and we see them together in the photo below.
Historically Rolex has always been extremely secretive and discreet, and no journalists in the past have ever been invited "INSIDE ROLEX" to explore and report on all four Rolex Manufacturing faclities in Switzerland.
In November 2013, this changed when Rolex invited Jake to take an unprecdented journey into the heart of Rolex to learn and report on everything he witnessed and learned.
This Super-Detailed 3 Part Story is a "MUST READ" story for anybody who wants to understand what really makes Rolex tick.
The Hans Wilsdorf Story: Founder Of Rolex
Rolex is one of the most recognizable brands on earth, but very little has been known about its real history. If you really, really want to understand what makes Rolex tick, I very highly recommend you read the fascinating story of Rolex's amazing founder–Hans Wilsdorf.
Support Jake's Rolex World
Jake's Rolex World is supported by viewers like you. Please donate:
