Sitting in the plush Screen 1 at the new
BFI Southbank (formerly the National Film Theatre) in London on Monday evening, I was in retro
heaven. Not only were we going to hear from Sir Roger Moore discussing his
often overlooked TV career, but we were being treated with an episode each of The Saint and The Persuaders. Whilst waiting for the lights to go down they
played such TV themes as The Prisoner,
The Avengers and The Champions, and I couldn’t have wiped the child-like grin off my
face if my life depended on it.
First up was “The Miracle Tea Party”, an
episode of The Saint directed by
Moore himself, featuring such cold-war staples as Soviet spies, nuclear
submarine bases and ingenious assassinations. Oh, and Nanette Newman. It
featured many locations including Waterloo
station, which I had just come through on the way to the event, making the
story seem even more real and exciting. Moore
handled both roles well in what was, as he later revealed, his directorial
debut. He went on to direct several more and also acted as co-producer towards
the end of the shows’ run.
Next we were treated with “The Time and the
Place”, a The Persuaders episode Moore also directed. Not
only featuring himself and Tony Curtis it also had a main role for Ian Hendry
as Lord Croxley, plotting to overthrow the government from within the walls of
The Constitution Club, the most exclusive in London. I am sure I don’t need to tell you
the outcome, but suffice to say Moore and Curtis are heroic when they find
themselves caught up in the dangerous scheme. And there are girls. There is
also a great scene where Curtis pretends to be an Inspector from Scotland Yard
and reprises his cod-English accent from Some
Like It Hot.
It was an enjoyable experience to see these
shows up on a big screen with an appreciative audience. Before Sir Roger
himself made an appearance we were also shown a short clip from Ivanhoe, the popular TV series that
helped cement Moore’s
TV reputation in the late 1950s. Moore himself was incredibly self-deprecating
when he came on stage, describing the series as little more than a lot of
horse-riding and bad acting. Having only seen that clip as an example of Ivanhoe I’m inclined to agree! However
it proved to be very popular in America
and enabled him to get starring roles in such shows as The Alaskans and Maverick.
Sir Roger was joined on stage by Cinema
Retro’s own Gareth Owen and they spent almost two hours discussing his
television career and answering questions from the audience. Owen did a great
job of deflecting such inane questions as “Who would win in a fight – The Saint
or James Bond?” Sir Roger clearly has an excellent memory, although I imagine
his recent visits down memory lane whilst writing his autobiography have
probably helped. There were several people in the audience who have worked with
him during his career, and he occasionally turned to them to hear their
opinions and ask questions. Amongst the guests were the actresses Vera Day and
Sylvia Syms, producer Johhny Goodman and film director John Hough.
Sir Roger also told some hilarious stories
about his experiences and demonstrated his talents as an impressionist, with
spot-on portrayals of both Noel Coward and Lew Grade, amongst others. He
discussed the highs and lows of both his television and stage career, and did
occasionally touch on Bond, naming his favourite leading lady as Maude Adams, and
Grace Jones as his least favourite! If Sir Roger ever decides to retire, which
seems unlikely, he could find a second career as an after-dinner speaker and
raconteur.
Finally I was honoured to be invited to
meet him once the event was over and was able to present him with an early
birthday present (Sir Roger turned 81 the following day): an original copy of
Picturegoer from 1955 featuring an interview with a new up and coming star
making a film in Paris
for MGM. Who was this fresh-faced young British actor? Well according to the
interviewer there were indications he could become a star. And fifty three
years later, he’s one of the biggest.
Happy Birthday Sir Roger Moore, and thanks
for a wonderfully entertaining career!
