Home Videos Offer Intimate Look at Sir Roger Moore’s Life

While actor Sir Roger Moore, known for portraying James Bond in seven films, captivated audiences on screen with his charming demeanor, deep voice, and refined appearance, he was equally at ease operating a camera in his private life. A forthcoming BBC documentary, scheduled to air on Christmas Day, will showcase previously unreleased home video footage. This material, personally filmed by Sir Roger, captures moments with his family and renowned acquaintances, including actor Kirk Douglas and singer Olivia Newton-John. The footage also features a young Sir Elton John making a helicopter entrance for lunch with Sir Roger and other distinguished guests, such as Joan Collins and David Attenborough. Sir Roger’s son, Geoffrey, discovered these vintage video cassettes stored in cupboards and the garage of the family’s Swiss residence. He vividly recalls the gathering in France, recounting in an exclusive interview for BBC News that he played tennis with Sir Elton before the singer departed for Cannes to film the music video for his hit song, “I’m Still Standing.” Beyond celebrity gatherings, Sir Roger also used his camera to document more personal occasions involving his three children—Geoffrey, Deborah, and Christian—and their mother, his third wife, Italian actress Luisa Mattioli. For Geoffrey and his siblings, seeing these past memories brought back to life on screen proved deeply moving. Geoffrey remarked, “I think the way he was just filming was as any father would film his children. It was just a family guy recording, documenting a time.” He added, “I think it was also because [the camera] was a new toy, so he wanted to use it.” Growing up amidst film stars was a routine experience for Geoffrey. He stated, “I mean [Frank] Sinatra was very close to the family and we used to spend a lot of Thanksgivings and Easters together. Kirk Douglas, Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, they were all very, very dear friends.” Sir Roger’s daughter, Deborah, remembers her father’s inability to match Frank Sinatra’s alcohol consumption, leading him to discreetly pour his whisky into plant pots. Geoffrey recounted that the family would watch the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise on television on Friday evenings, and then Eric and Ernie would visit for Sunday lunch. He also recalled encounters with Clint Eastwood and Sean Connery, the original James Bond, alongside luminaries from Hollywood’s golden age, such as Fred Astaire and Olivia De Havilland. “I mean, if I think about how lucky we were… to the point where even Roger would say, ‘Goodness, look at that, we’ve got Gene Kelly sitting there. Isn’t that wonderful!'” Geoffrey shared. Despite his celebrity surroundings, Sir Roger maintained a very “self-deprecating” nature, according to Geoffrey. Geoffrey explained, “I always say, the bigger the talent, the smaller the limousine. And he was incredibly humble.” After a day of filming, Sir Roger’s simple pleasure was watching television with his family, dressed in his dressing gown and slippers. “His treat was baked beans on toast,” Geoffrey revealed. “He didn’t need caviar.” Sir Roger’s background was modest; he grew up in Stockwell, south London. His father served as a police officer, and his mother worked in a tearoom. He developed his aristocratic English accent at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada) and initially earned money by modelling knitting patterns. His significant career breakthrough occurred in 1962 when he took on the role of Simon Templar in the TV series, “The Saint.” Geoffrey recounted the phone call his father received upon learning he had been selected to assume the role of Britain’s most renowned secret agent. Coincidentally, the final three digits of Sir Roger’s phone number were 007. “He answered the phone with ‘007’, because that’s what you do, and the voice said, ‘That you are Roger,'” Geoffrey recalled. Geoffrey noted that Sean Connery’s portrayal was closer to author Ian Fleming’s depiction of the character in his spy novels, embodying the sentiment of “I’m going to sleep with you and kill your boss tomorrow.” “Whereas, Roger didn’t want to fire a gun really,” Geoffrey explained, “he just sort of killed them with charm.” Sir Roger consistently adopted a sardonic approach, which Geoffrey identified as his personal interpretation of the character. He elaborated, “Let’s make James Bond Roger Moore,” he says, “[as] opposed to Roger having to play a hired gun who is licensed to kill. And I think he was more like ‘licensed to thrill.'” Geoffrey asserted that this interpretation demanded immense talent. Among the Bond films featuring Sir Roger, Geoffrey stated that his father’s favourite was “The Spy Who Loved Me.” Growing up on film sets was a wonderful experience, Geoffrey remembered, but having James Bond as a father often drew considerable attention during school pickups. He recalled a day when Sir Roger arrived to collect him, and the car was instantly encircled by pupils eager to glimpse the star. “I thought, ‘Oh, okay, he’s known, I’m not the only one that sees him on the box,'” he said. However, life in the public eye presented challenges, particularly during scandals. Geoffrey recounted a morning phone call from his father, informing him that the newspapers had obtained the story of his separation from Geoffrey’s mother. “I said, ‘Well, thanks for the heads up! How long have I got?'” Geoffrey shared. The press had already converged on his mother’s house. Geoffrey described the experience as creating “a small scar to see that your pain is exposed,” adding, “I think that’s the worst part of being famous.” Following his separation from Luisa, Sir Roger married his fourth wife, Kristina Tholstrup, also known as Kiki. He had also been previously married to actress and professional ice skater Doorn van Steyn and singer Dorothy Squires. Sir Roger passed away in 2017 at the age of 89. In his later years, actress Audrey Hepburn had requested that he continue her humanitarian efforts for the children’s charity Unicef, Geoffrey revealed. “It says a lot about his love for humanity, his love for children. And that, I think, is probably his greatest role.” The documentary, “From Roger Moore with Love,” is scheduled for broadcast on Wednesday, 25 December, at 21:00 GMT on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.