One Lucky Bastard: Tales from Tinseltown

Roger Moore, the debonair, handsome actor who has the distinction of portraying a Maverick brother, Simon Templar, The Saint, and the successor to Sean Connery as James Bond from 1973 to 1985, is now reflecting on his career and the myriad of actors, actresses and personalities that he has co-starred with and formed friendships with over several decades. He did a tongue in cheek book about his experiences in making the Bond films, actually two well-received books: My Word Is My Bond and Bond On Bond. Unlike Connery, he got along famously with Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, the Bond producer in partnership with Harry Saltzman, he loved the attention that the Bond role brought him, and he didn’t even seem to mind the typecasting. He became close with iconic stars including Michael Caine, Gregory Peck, David Niven, Frank Sinatra ( Ol Blue Eyes used to watch Moore in The Saint with his then wife Mia Farrow and he hosted an Anniversary tribute to Sinatra) Richard Burton and Audrey Hepburn. He became seriously involved with the UNICEF organization after Hepburn’s death. Moore relished his days in Hollywood, enjoyed working with Tony Curtis in the Brtitish series The Persuaders that preceded the Bond films, and all of his co-stars seemed to enjoy working with Moore. The book is a light and entertaining read, generously illustrated with color photos of Moore in pre and post Bond films and with his gorgeous wife and an attractive family. All in all, it’s an enjoyable experience created by a man who has had a ball and dosen’t take himself and his film work too seriously. It is highly recommended.

Roger Moore lovers enjoyed Moore’s first memoir, “My Word Is My Bond,” and clearly the publishers attempt to cash in on that love with “One Lucky Bastard.” Moore is a delightful bon vivant, but this book contains a few too many funny stories about virtually unknown British actors to work well. When Moore recounts funny moments with major stars, such as Lana Turner and Frank Sinatra, the stories work well. Moore copies David Niven here, the raconteur actor who wrote an excellent memoir entitled “The Moon’s A Balloon,” and then followed it with a lesser tome, “Bring On The Empty Horses.” History repeats itself. That said, the book is a pleasant diversion and Moore is very funny when he’s ratting himself out with self-deprecating wit.

Reads like a dictionary of famous Hollywood names and their foibles. It’s a very entertaining read and he seems like he was a really good guy.

I’m a huge fan of Roger Moore and James Bond 007 and crave behind the scenes stories about those films and anything related to them, what you get with this book is a look back at an era long gone and what it was like to be in the film industry back then. Having said that, Mr Moore mentions so many people that I had to Google because didn’t know who they were, you might want to read his first book,”My Word is my bond” first

Roger Moore is a gifted story teller and I’ve enjoyed his other books about his life in film and specifically his life with Bond. However these seem to be left over stories and it’s over almost before it begins. It’ll put a smile on your face, but I’d advise going with his other books.

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