One man's heartwarming tale of two meetings with Sir Roger Moore 

Marc Haynes was about seven when he met Sir Roger Moore for the first time.

News Deskbdnews24.com
Published : 24 May 2017, 07:16 AM
Updated : 25 May 2017, 08:15 AM

Sitting with his grandfather at the departure gate he caught sight of the British actor reading a paper.

Having recently seen the adventures of James Bond on the big screen he asked his grandfather to get him an autograph.

His grandfather approached Moore and said:

“My grandson says you’re famous. Can you sign this?”

Moore graciously wrote a note full of warm wishes on the back of Haynes’s plane ticket.

But, as Haynes returned to his seat, he caught a glimpse of his ticket and was crestfallen. Confused, he handed it to his grandfather.

The signature doesn’t say ‘James Bond’, instead it says ‘Roger Moore’.

Haynes’s grandfather, who has heard of neither Moore nor of the iconic Bond, returned to confront Moore.

“He says you’ve signed the wrong name. He says your name is James Bond.”

Moore broke into a smile and called Haynes over.

When he got close the actor leaned over, looked from side to side, raised an eyebrow and said in a soft voice.

“I have to sign my name as ‘Roger Moore’ because otherwise … Blofeld might find out I was here.”

Moore then swore Haynes to secrecy to protect himself from his most notorious villain.

When Haynes’s grandfather asked if he had signed it ‘James Bond’, Haynes told him he had gotten it wrong. After all, as he says, he ‘was working with James Bond now’.

Years later, while working as a scriptwriter, Haynes met Moore in his capacity as UNICEF ambassador. Before a scheduled interview with Moore, Haynes told him the story of their first meeting.

“Well, I don’t remember that,” Moore said. “But I’m glad you met James Bond.”

But, after the filming of the interview and as Moore was passing by, he suddenly paused, looked both ways and said:

“Of course I remember our meeting in Nice. But I didn’t say anything in there because those cameramen – any one of them could be working for Blofeld.”

Moore passed away in Switzerland on Tuesday, at the age of 89. Though best known for playing the British spy James Bond, he was most proud of his work as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Children's Fund.

UNICEF described the actor as "a passionate and highly persuasive advocate for children."