The British movie star who substituted Sean Connery in James Bond movies, Roger Moore is now Sir Roger Moore. Queen Elizabeth has bestowed on him Knighthood for his services not only for British Cinema but also for the under-privileged children around the world as an Honorary Ambassador of UNICEF.

Blessed with a delightful sense of humor, which he invested in playing his roles on-screen, he had the rare quality of laughing at himself. "If I keep all my bad notices I'd need two houses!"..."My acting range? Left eyebrow raised and right eyebrow raised!" He once said talking about himself!

Roger Moore is one of the most successful British stars who became an international star in 1972 when he played James Bond in Live and Let Die.

Roger George Moore was born in Stockwell, south London on October 14, 1927, his father being a cop. As a teenager he nursed dreams and ambitions of becoming a painter and joined an art school in London. Then he tried his hand in becoming an animation artist. By now the acting bug had bitten deep into him. Knocking on doors of movie studios in England he acted in many crowds scenes! To make his way in theater he studied acting at the famous RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) in London. He enlisted in the British Army during the Second World War (1939-1945).

After being discharged he played minor roles in theatre, radio and also television. Looking for greener pastures he relocated to the Land of Opportunity, in Hollywood. After many trials and misses he made his debut in 1954 in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie The Last Time I Saw Paris. Directed by the noted writer-director Richard Brooks, the film had Elizabeth Taylor, Van Johnson and Donna Reed in major roles with Moore in a supporting role. However the producers were impressed enough to offer him a contract and he appeared in several MGM movies during 1950’s. It enabled him to live in some degree of comfort in Los Angeles while looking for better chances.

He had better breaks in American television and appeared in the TV series Ivanhoe (1957) and Maverick (1961). His handsome looks and the light touch which he invested in his characters attracted attention, and he was cast in the lead role of the phenomenally successful TV Series The Saint (1963-1968).

Not many are aware that when the Bond novels were taken up for filming the producers considered Roger Moore as the first choice to play James Bond. However he was under a long-term contract with the producers of The Saint TV Series and consequently he lost the opportunity of being the first James Bond. The comparatively unknown British actor Sean Connery stepped in and the rest, is history.

However when Sean Connery finished with James Bond, Roger Moore was now free to play Bond in Live and Let Die (1972). Its success enabled Moore to play the debonair British spy in more movies, The Man With The Golden Gun (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983), and A View To A Kill (1985).

The raving success as James Bond brought Roger Moore international acclaim. In sharp contrast to Sean Connery playing Bond, Roger Moore gave the character his light touch, and made him less brooding and less openly menacing. Many critics felt that Moore's portrayal was closer to the hero as created by Ian Fleming in his novels.

After retiring from Bond movies his movie career was not that active though he did continue to act in movies like Bed and Breakfast (1989) and Fire, Ice and Dynamite.

In 1996 he was caught in a controversy when he appeared in a television commercial which was a spoof on James Bond! The producers took the matter to court for infringement of copyright and the commercial was withdrawn.

When Audrey Hepburn passed away UNICEF appointed Moore as the Honorary Ambassador for the upliftment of underprivileged children around the world. This assignment came to him as an excellent opportunity to serve society and humanity. In recognition of such service Queen Elizabeth awarded him ‘Commander of the British Empire' (CBE) in 1996.

In recent years attempts were made to bring him back to play the Saint in a movie version. However it did not fructify and the movie was made in 1997 in which another actor (Val Kilmer) played the lead role.

And then in June 2003 came the greatest moment of his life and the crowning glory of his career when Queen Elizabeth bestowed on him the Knighthood. Roger Moore, the son of the London cop was now Sir Roger Moore. Not a mean achievement that!

He has married four times, and has children and grandchildren too.

In March 2003 he went back on stage and appeared in a play in New York - The Play What I Wrote. While he was acting he was struck down by heart attack. Though he has recovered fully he is taking life easy but still pursuing his goals of excellence in serving society.

Talking of stardom, Moore remarked years ago, "You are not a star until they can spell your name in Vladivostok!" This was of course before an Austrian weightlifter created history in more ways than one, with a name that even his fellow Americans cannot spell, Arnold Schwarzenegger!