5 fascinating facts you probably don’t know about the late Sir Roger Moore

Sir Roger Moore, the actor who played world-famous spy James Bond, died Tuesday morning after a short battle with cancer. Moore’s family confirmed the sad news on Twitter.

“With the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moore, passed away today. We are all devastated,” the tweet read.

Moore’s family also released a statement about their beloved father.

As the world mourns the loss of one of its great actors, we take a look back at just a few of the fascinating facts about Moore.

1. He Played James Bond Longer Than Any Other Actor

Just about everyone knows Moore played Agent 007. However, you may not know he played the iconic role longer than any other actor. He made his Bond debut in 1973 with “Live and Let Die.”  He went on to star in six more Bond films: “The Man with the Golden Gun” in 1974, “The Spy Who Loved Me” in 1977, “Moonraker” in 1979, “For Your Eyes Only” in 1983 and “A View to a Kill” in 1985.

2. He Was (Briefly) A Recording Artist

It’s true—well, sort of. While known primality for his acting talent, Moore released a single in 1965 called “Where Does Love Go.” He doesn’t exactly sing on the record. Think of it more as a dramatic reading to music.

Moore held no illusions about his singing ability, though. In 1989, Sir Andrew Lloyed Weber cast Moore in his upcoming musical “Aspects of Love.” However, after weeks of rehearsal, Moore decided he wasn’t up to the task.

“Once we were in the theater with an orchestra, I knew it would be impossible for me to continue,” Moore told British journalist Baz Bamigboye. “You can’t fake it on stage.”

Moore held no illusions about his singing ability, though. In 1989, Sir Andrew Lloyed Weber cast Moore in his upcoming musical “Aspects of Love.” However, after weeks of rehearsal, Moore decided he wasn’t up to the task.

“Once we were in the theater with an orchestra, I knew it would be impossible for me to continue,” Moore told British journalist Baz Bamigboye. “You can’t fake it on stage.”

3. He Left High School For The Movies

Moore dropped out of high school at the age of 15. Instead of attending school, he decided to go to work at Publicity Picture Productions in London. His first job at the company? An animation apprentice!

4. Before Bond, Moore Was “The Saint”

The actor found fame even before becoming James Bond. From 1962 to 1969, Moore starred in “The Saint.” In this British TV show, he played Simon Templar, a man who stole from criminals and kept the money for himself. Working in the mystery/thriller genre provided the perfect training ground for Moore to eventually play 007.

5. He Served As UNICEF Ambassador

Moore took on numerous humanitarian roles throughout his life. He got involved with The United Nations’ Children’s Fund (UNICEF) after learning about friend and fellow movie star Audrey Hepburn’s work with the organization.

“My curiosity got the better of me after Audrey Hepburn introduced me to UNICEF,” he once told the organization. “I wanted to find out more than just the facts and figures.”

He was appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991. He raised millions of dollars for UNICEF and remained active with the organization through 2016.