On another occasion Roger brought his three children, Deborah, Geoffrey and Christian to the studios to watch him work and at lunch time asked me to personally look after them and see that they got what they wanted to eat. For desert Christian who was only about four or five at the time wanted ice cream and we didn’t serve ice cream, but I knew where I could get some so I dashed off and got it for him much to his delight. I don’t suppose they remember the incident as when I went to Hush, Geoffrey’s restaurant, at the end of May (2004) I left a note for him with the photo of Roger and myself and mentioned the time I looked after the three of them but he didn’t reply, much to my disappointment.

During the making of “The Spy Who Loved Me”, the whole second unit crew went to Egypt and spent about three weeks there filming and during that time it was Roger’s birthday the 14 October. I sent him a card care of the location managers and had no idea if he would receive it or not. Then when they all returned to Pinewood to finish off the film Roger had an interview for the BBC with Judith Chalmers and it was in progress when I went on to the set for my usual lunchtime excitement. To my surprise and utter disbelief Roger stopped the interview when he saw me and came over to thank me for his birthday card. What a lovely surprise and what a thrill. Again I felt very flustered and replied “Oh you got it then”. What a stupid remark! The card was a little cheeky, on the front was the word LOVE in huge letters and on opening it, it said WANT A DEMONSTRATION? Unfortunately he didn’t take me up on it. On another day at the lunch table John Glen asked Roger why my necklace with my name on it was not made of real silver, Roger replied that he had not given me my Christmas present yet and winked at me. I knew by the way that he said it that he was only joking as he has that quick wit that enables him to make a very fast reply to any question that is fired at him, but I was satisfied to think that he was even just talking about me and felt that he knew me well enough to be able to joke about it.

The routine went on as the filming progressed and Christmas drew near and with it the end of filming. The tradition is to throw a big party in the restaurant when the film is in the can and this was to be no exception. Lots of overtime was arranged, as we girls in the restaurant were to do most of the work. It was a very exciting time for me and the fact that I was getting paid more made it even better. The evening of the party drew closer and closer, I was to work the normal shift of 9 o’clock till 4 o’clock then have a break for three hours till seven and start hosting the party with the other girls. It was a combined End of Filming and Christmas party so all the usual decorations had to be put up as well. Including lots of balloons and mistletoe.

The evening arrived and this time we didn’t have to wait behind the screens until the first guests arrived we were to circulate with drinks and snacks and make sure every one was having a good time. We were also told that we could dance if we wanted to and enjoy ourselves as well as working. While dancing with Ken Adams the special effects photographer he managed to slip a fiver down the front of my blouse, and although we were supposed to hand in any tips so that they could be shared, I felt that as he had got so personal, this tip was mine and mine alone. The Prime Minister at the time Harold Wilson; was also attending; and I served him with champagne while he was talking to Cubby Broccoli.

Roger and Louisa were also there as were the entire cast and production team. Louisa complained to me that the other staff were quite rude to her and it seemed to her that I was the only one who treated her civilly. I told her not to take it personally as I was the only one who was in love with her husband! Thankfully she laughed. Every one was kissing every one else as they do on film sets, and I felt that I just had to have a kiss from Roger and I think he knew just how I felt because when I came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder he turned around and gave me a smacker, full on the lips, and steadied me as my legs turned to jelly so that I nearly swooned!! The entire company who had seen it cheered and clapped, because they all knew how I felt about him. What a moment. Also at the party Louisa asked me if I knew of anyone who could help her at her home to arrange a children’s Christmas party. Well, I jumped at the chance to visit Roger’s house so I immediately agreed to do it. Louisa gave me their telephone number and asked me to phone the next day to arrange the date and time with her. Can you believe it? In the space of two or three hours I had been kissed by Roger Moore and invited to go to his house by his wife as well. My cup runneth over.

The next evening I phoned the number that Louisa had given me and just like the last time Roger answered the phone, once again I was speechless, I put my hand over the mouth piece and said to Len Roger Moore’s answered!! Then I blabbered out “Oh I didn’t expect you to answer”. I really thought it would be a maid or someone like that, timidly I asked for Louisa as I didn’t want him to think that I was stalking him so he passed the phone to her and we arranged the date and time for the party. As I only lived 7 miles from them it was quite easy for me to find his mansion in Denham, on the evening of the party. It also turned out that he was Cilla Black’s next door neighbour. I parked my car and rang the bell, a maid answered and showed me where to go. It was the kitchen where most of the activities were going on and all I had to do was hand the food to the children and make sure they all had plenty of jelly and ice cream. They had a huge glass table, which would seat at least thirty people I would guess, and the children all sat around that. There was a stream of visitors in the next half an hour including Emma Forbes, daughter of Bryan Forbes and Nanette Newman, she was about 7 at the time and many more arrived some I knew and some I didn’t, Michael Caine’s daughter was also there and Shakira brought her and picked he up so I didn’t see Michael at all.

After the children had had their fill and played the usual party games, the big attraction came in, it was Father Christmas. Well Roger looked so authentic, he had driven to the studios and had been made up by one of the makeup artistes there, he looked absolutely fantastic, the children loved him and as he handed them all out their presents he had a little something to say to each of them that made them laugh.

Then came the time to clear up, so Roger disappeared for a while to have his makeup removed and to bring another surprise to the house. I helped load the washing up machine and clear up the mess that the children had made. Gradually all the children were picked up by their parents and there was just me and their usual maid left in the kitchen, I didn’t quite know what to do. I didn’t want to leave but I also didn’t want to make a nuisance of myself. Then Roger came back driving his first Rolls Royce a Christmas present he had bought himself, it was a dark chocolate colour and very smart, he took Louisa and his mother and father for a quick test ride and told me to wait until they got back. I wondered why as all of the tidying up work had been done but I didn’t argue.

The house itself was beautiful, a lovely mansion, and it had a huge open fire roaring in the grate. An archway led to the kitchen with a beaded curtain hanging down but this wasn’t one of the normal bead curtains that you buy in the high street, it was made of semi precious stones and was extremely beautiful. In the kitchen was a small staircase which the maid said led to Roger’s office, it was a really nice experience to hear about all the little personal things like that. When they all returned Louisa took a big pair of bellows and breathed a bit more life into the fire while Roger opened a bottle of champagne. He invited me to sit with his parents in front of the fire and poured me my first ever champagne, by now it was midnight and Christmas Eve. A Christmas I will never forget as long as I live. I also received a present from Louisa and she paid me. I didn’t tell her that I would willingly have paid her for the experience. I went home that evening/morning in a daze. It was the most magical Christmas that I had ever spent, or will ever spend. The memory will stay with me forever. I became very fond of Louisa and found them to be a loving couple at that time. I realise that things change and relationships break down but I really feel that some of the press remarks have been very unfair to her; she is after all the mother of Roger’s three children.

P. 6