Some people may say he's got a lot to be modest about where acting's concerned. But at 53 he is slim, bronzed, has worldwide recognition, three lovely homes and a million pounds in the bank - the proceeds from his latest 007 Bond epic, "For Your Eyes Only".

It's Roger's fifth outing as the world's most celebrated secret agent since he took over the role in 1973. But, suprisingly, he told us at Pinewood Studios just outside London: "Sean Connery is still probably most people idea of Bond". The fact that the Connery charisma lingers mysteriously on in the public mind doesn't appear to worry him.

"Four thousand actors have played Hamlet, so why not Bond ?" asks Roger, his blue eyes twinkling sharply. Comparisons are inevitable. "I play it differently to Sean", he continues, "a little lighter, a littel more tongue-in-cheeck, but maybe if Sean had continued after the first six, he'd have sent it up a bit more, too".

Whatever the comparisons, the top secret agent has given Roger international fame, skyrocketed his salary and made his work much in demand, "For Your Eyes Only" is his fourth film in a year. "I'm getting sick of saving Queen and Country", says Roger.

"Playing Bond is a lot of hard work but it musn't look like work. It's intensely physical, you don't go mad learning the dialogue, but there is a lot of action. During filming I had chairs blown up beneath me; holes blown in my back, was caught in explosions and immersed in freezing water".

That's why Roger has to keep fit. The oh, so relaxed Mr. Moore is up at 6.15 every morning, execising for thirty minutes. "I do sit ups, push ups, side bends, twists, proper breathing, anything in fact to work up a sweat and get the heart-rate up".

Apart from Roger's lean arrogance, as he strides laconically through the action, the latest Cubby Broccoli offering has all the usual ingredients of success: lots of pretty girls, startling violence, and exotic locations.

"This film is different only in that the villain, played by Topol, is a recognisable human being" says Roger. "He's not up in space creating a new empire, or under the ocean building an underwater city. he's a believable baddie who's a smuggler, does anything for money and is an ex-double agent. Bond is timeless. You don't have to act, you merely reach out. All film acting when you're playing heroes has to rely on personality. There is no personality written for the character in the screen-play, so you have to make it up, ivent it. Naturally, a little of me creeps into the role".

"The real me isn't there though, the man who blinks when guns fire, and lies down when he's about to get kicked in the teeth !". Roger self-deprecating wit is part of his lightly worn charm as he says: "I remember being told very early in my career that you need thirty-three per cent talent, thirty-three per cent personality and thirty-three per cent luck. I say you need ninety-nine per cent luck and the other one per cent takes care of the rest!"

So how does he feel about his daughter, beautiful 17-year-old Deborah, following his footsteps ?

"Deborah now wants to be an actress", he says. "She's very good in the school production; this term she is playing Miss Moffet, the lead in 'The Corn is Green'. She is a sensible girl, level-headed, so I'm sure she can handle coming into the profession. The main piece of advice I've given to her is that first of all you have to want to do it desperately, which means that you'll put up with anything. There is only one leading man, one leading lady. The rest are supporting, they don't get paid as much as they don't work so often. You've got to be prepared to struggle and learn".

It's unlikely though that Deborah, with her contacts, will have to struggle in quite the same way as her father ...

"There was the period when a pound from my mum was a big help, the period when I had to decide whether I was going to have five Woodbine cigarettes and walk to town, or take the busand not have the cigarettes", says the man who now smokes only Davidoff cigars, hand-rolled in Havana and imported from Paris.

"It would have been better for my lungs if I'd taken the bus !".

 

Second part in January 2007

 

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