There have been a plethora of actors who have played James Bond, but Roger Moore has a 38-year-old 007 record that can’t be beat, regardless of who portrays the MI6 agent next. Moore was one of six actors to portray James Bond in live-action adaptations, and the third actor to do so after Sean Connery and George Lazenby. Unlike the other actors, however, Moore has a bit more of a unique history playing 007.
James Bond investigates the murders of three MI6 agents, leading him to the Caribbean underworld. He uncovers a drug trafficking operation run by the enigmatic Dr. Kananga. With the help of Solitaire, a tarot card reader, Bond navigates voodoo rituals and dangerous encounters to dismantle the criminal empire.
Roger Moore began his tenure as James Bond in 1973 with Live and Let Die. The character was given a bit more of a comedic edge, playing to Moore’s strengths and light-hearted characteristics. Moore continued playing 007 through 1985, with his final appearance as the debonair agent in the film A View to Kill. Moore was thereafter replaced by Timothy Dalton in the role. While a couple more actors would go on to play the role (and plenty of other actors who have been considered to play James Bond), Moore’s time in the agent’s shoes remains unmatched by anyone who came before or after.
Roger Moore Has The Record For Most James Bond Appearances
No one has played James Bond as long as Roger Moore has. The actor appeared as 007 in a total of seven films — Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, and A View to Kill. Meanwhile, Sean Connery was James Bond in six movies, Daniel Craig played the role in five films, Pierce Brosnan in four, Timothy Dalton in three, and George Lazenby in only one.
Of course, Connery technically portrayed James Bond in seven movies, but 1983’s Never Say Never Again was not an Eon-produced film (the British production company has been making 007 films since 1961), and is therefore not counted among the repertoire. Since Moore, no other actor has managed to stay in the role as long as he has in any of the Eon productions. The amount of films focused on James Bond’s adventures has also dwindled over time. If Daniel Craig continued to play 007 for two more movies, he and Moore would have been tied, but it’s looking less likely that anyone will ever play James Bond for as long.
Why The Next James Bond Won't Beat Roger Moore's 007 Appearance Record
Now that Daniel Craig has ended his run as James Bond, the search for the next 007 is underway. However, with Moore’s seven-movie record within the franchise, and the era of James Bond films being released in such close proximity now over, the next actor to take on the role probably won’t be in it for very long. Moore was in seven movies, which is impressive, but his James Bond movies were released in one right after the other, with only two-three years between them. Moore was able to continue playing 007 for 12 years because of this, whereas Craig did five movies over the course of 15 years.
It’s possible the next James Bond era will have even longer gaps between movies, likely spanning 20 years. With that in mind, there’s no way any actor would be attached to play the role for two decades. Unless Eon goes back to churning out its 007 movies every three years, an unlikely feat considering how long movies take to get made in a struggling Hollywood, Moore will continue to hold the record for most appearances as James Bond. That’s quite a feat, and one, among many, that will forever make him a standout of the franchise.
