He's six foot two, fair haired and fabulously handsome. He's
one of the world's best-dressed man and he's tough. He drives
a racy, 100 mile-an-hour-plus sports car and travels internationally.
He's outside the law, but he always gets his man - and his girl.
He's The Saint. The man who plays him on the TV screen
is of course Roger Moore. And all the things The Saint
is you can say Roger Moore is - well practically all the things.
Roger, born in London, travels the world. he tends to regard
Rome as his home. But once it was California that was home to
him.
In his early days, Roger mainly played French parts and, thorough
in everything he does, he went to France to learn the language
and customs. He now speaks perfect French, German and Italian
- as does The Saint, who adds Portuguese and Russian
to his list of languages !
The Saint, created by Leslie Charteris 30 years ago,
has always been a favourite with Roger Moore. "I feel I've
known him, and understood him all my life", he says. Before
he landed the role, he was so keen to play the part that he tried
to buy the TV rights of The Saint books - all 110 of
them !
Roger began acting when he was 16. His first part after training
at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art was a gendarme. he says:
"I was stuck under a gendarme's hat and my parents who came
to see me didn't recognise me" !
After that nearly all his roles were in costume. In repertory
it was all tennis shorts or big brass fats. In Hollywood - and
films - he wore "long wigs, tin armour, more helmets, tropical
gear, long hair and beards, togas, more armour and army rig".
On TV there was the Ivanhoe series with chain mail and
lots of lusty sword-play; The Alaskans series which called
for parkas and furs.; and the Maverick series in which he wore
the fancy and elegant suitings of Beau. Now the clothes Roger
needs for his part as Simon Templar, The Saint, he supplies
from his own extensive and expensive wardrobe. "It's nice
to know the socks I choose in the morning can stay on all day",
he says. Roger is is the tenth actor to play The Saint,
though the first on TV. The other nine were Louis Hayward, George
Sanders, Hugh Sinclair, Felix Marten - in French films only, Edgar
Varrier - on American radio, Tom Conway, Vincent Price, Brian
Aherne and Barry Sullivan.
Looking back on his career so far, Roger Moore says: "I
don't think I've really done anything I can be proud of. The worst
part in the world is a hero. In reality, heroes are highly improbable
- they always win. I think I would enjoy acting more if I played
villains. They are much nearer life as it really is".
Roger has plans to start a company for independant film productions.
"The days of the big studios are numbered", he says
"TV has taken over but there is still scope for good films.
I'd like to make some".
As The Saint, Roger tries to show that everyone - including Simon
Templar - is human. "I try to be as real and honest as possible",
he says. "That's is why The Saint TV series has changed from
the normal cops-and-robbers style of thing. I am trying to show
a man who though almost a superman at times is very much a human
being in reality."
However, for the moment, the role of The Saint - the man with
all the time in the world in his hands - keeps Roger Moore pretty
busy. He doesn't even get much chance for a social life.
Still, Roger - son of a policeman - seems to get a mighty big
kick out whatever he's doing, wherever he happens to be.
Read our previous stories of the month
