Roger Moore Official Site

Bryan Forbes Speech to Roger Moore.

"You know there's a truthful saying in our business which we have to grin and bear and that is that nothing recedes like success. But the ageless thespian we're honouring today has happily disproved that rule. Our friendship goes all the way back to the war years we first met in Hamburg, and embraced on the staircase of the Bondi hotel where we were both billeted, naturally he was a dashing impossibly good-looking Lt while I was a non descript company sergeant major.

Now in those far off unenlightened days it was not done for other ranks to embrace officers male or female, and I was put on a fizzer immediately by a superior, saying very bad for morale Forbes and marking my card as a dubious asset to the intelligence Cor, look how wrong he was in my case because my friendship with Roger has always been good for unmarried morale. I've always felt that the least attractive aspects of the tabloid world that we're all now forced to live in is that genuine niceness and real achievement always comes off second-best when set against those that are encouraged to parade their conceit with little or no justification.

Now without looking to my side, I can sense that famous eyebrow raising, at what I'm going to say next, so at the risk of embarrassing this policeman's son let me go on record by saying that Roger's inherent niceness, is not a mask or a pose and that our friendship of 55 years is something I value beyond price. Roger possesses a sense of humour, you need it in our business, and I recall Roger once said to me you know Forbsey I can get a bad notice just by sitting in an audience, (laughter) and that is not the remark of a conceited man it is somebody who has always been aware that nothing in show business can be taken for granted.

He is also one of the most generous men I have ever met, so now I intend to pile on the embarrassment with dollops, knowing that after this luncheon I can embrace him without being put on another charge and I look back over those 55 years and realise how lucky I am to know him and to enjoy so many laughs, and a few narrow escapes which I will not dwell on. His talent's I think have often been underestimated, but you do not stay at the top for five decades without talent, and knowing a bit about acting myself I know his true worth as an actor.

Beyond that he is a credit to Dougie Hayward, his Tailor ( large laughter) and for keeping American Express solvent, he shrugs off the many irritations that our flesh is heir to. He no longer douses himself in Brut perfume (laughter), and he ski's down many a slope with ease. And the love he has had for his own three children is now being extended to all children with his unflagging dedication to the work of UNICEF.

He has used his fame to the benefit of those less fortunate. And it is very right Chief Barker that an organisation, like variety club which has done so much to to alleviate the suffering of children should honour today a man, my dear friend who wears his heart on his sleeve as well as on his lapel. So I raise my glass to Roger and Christina".

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