17 replies to this topic

[SecretAgentFan]

Finally I found a reasonably cheap copy of this diary Sir Roger wrote during the making of his first Bond film.  And it is bloody marvelous.  Also extremely interesting, giving insight into the shooting schedule, the behavior of directors, producers and actors and a myriad of other fun facts.

 

Anybody else in possession of this lovely book?

[Major Tallon]

In the US, it was published as Roger Moore's James Bond Diary, and I got my copy back at the time of LALD's original release.  Very informative and entertaining.

[Turn]

I'm lucky enough to have both American and British copies, which I believe may differ somewhat.

 

The book is lots of fun, pure Roger. Wouldn't it have been great if he'd written one for each film?

 

Which leads me to further wonder how in the hell Broccoli and Saltzman let him publish it in the first place given their iron hand in controlling all aspects of Bond. While I don't recall anything that would have caused them concern in the book, given how strained the producers' relationship was by this point, I'd think Cubby in particular wouldn't have been real enthused, especially as LALD was more Saltzman's film. And Saltzman also seems to be the one pushing more for Moore getting the role. Didn't Cubby say at one point he thought they were scraping the bottom of the barrel with Moore when he was being considered?

[SPECTRE ASSASSIN]

I've heard conflicting stories about the casting of Roger Moore. According to the documentary "Everything or Nothing" it seemed that Cubby wanted Roger, and Saltzman did not. I have not read Roger's diary so I am not certain.

[Guy Haines]

I bought my copy when the film came out back in 1973, and I've still got it on the shelves with my other Bond books. I agree with the above comments - it is very amusing and informative about the movie business in general and of course making a Bond film in particular.

[Simon]

It is a splendid book, full of Roger's wry humour and has been re-read many times.

 

Also nice in that it has ex-wife Luisa's behind the scenes photos in it.

[SecretAgentFan]

I'm lucky enough to have both American and British copies, which I believe may differ somewhat.

 

Interesting.  In what way?

[AMC Hornet]

The photos, for one thing.

Colour photos in one, different, B&W photos in the other (I have both as well).

[sharpshooter]

I've been meaning to get a copy of this book for a while now, but never got around to it.

[Turn]

I checked both copies I have and the American version from Fawcett has about four pages more of information basically talking about Moore's journey to getting the role. The Pan version begins with his first day on the set with the boat chase. Another interesting thing is the Fawcett book is 185 pages and the Pan is 189 pages. I think the type is larger is why.

 

As AMC Hornet pointed out, the photos are in color in the Pan and black and white in Fawcett. But there are two sections of photos in the Fawcett and just one in the Pan, interestingly most of which are different. In fact a few of them I've never seen anyplace else such as Moore getting a massage from his then wife. The front and back covers are different as well. The Fawcett has a red cover with Moore in the all black outfit with the gun and a shattered mirror and some inset photos and the Pan has a black cover with a slightly different Moore photo in all black. The Fawcett back cover has all copy and the Pan has the classic color photo of Moore holding the martini glass with the explosion in the background with different copy.

 

Both are well worth having for any fan interested in something beyond the typical behind the scenes book.

[AMC Hornet]

I'd hoped that Sir Roger would do another for TMWTGG and so on. I'd also hoped that My Word is My Bond would make up for all these missing volumes, but he had other things to discuss in more depth instead.

Ah well, perhaps DC will develop literary aspirations...

[Grard Bond]

I have one pocketversion in English (black cover with Roger in black outfit from the end of the movie) and a Dutch paperback version with complete different black and white photo's and the Live and Let die poster on the frontcover.

[mccartney007]

Anyone remember the name of the guy who was the ghostwriter on this book? I tried to Google it, but couldn't find a name.

[SecretAgentFan]

Anyone remember the name of the guy who was the ghostwriter on this book? I tried to Google it, but couldn't find a name.

 

He did a masterful job - probably writing down what Sir Roger told him since so much of it is very unguarded.

[AMC Hornet]

It was a diary, written in the first person. Moore isn't William Shatner - are you sure there even was a ghost writer?

[glidrose]

Anyone remember the name of the guy who was the ghostwriter on this book? I tried to Google it, but couldn't find a name.

 

According to Blofeld's Cat, YOU were the guy with the info.

 

http://debrief.comma...re/#entry144987

 

http://debrief.comma...e-2#entry146106

[mccartney007]

I had since forgotten who wrote it after all these years!

There are a number of Bond aficionados who say it was Derek Coyte who wrote it it. Coyte worked in the Publicity department on LALD. However,according to Roger himself, it's Dan Slater. According to Moore, he spoke into a tape recorder and Dan Slater took the tapes and made sense of the whole thing.

[scaramunga]

I had since forgotten who wrote it after all these years!

There are a number of Bond aficionados who say it was Derek Coyte who wrote it it. Coyte worked in the Publicity department on LALD. However,according to Roger himself, it's Dan Slater. According to Moore, he spoke into a tape recorder and Dan Slater took the tapes and made sense of the whole thing.

 

Good stuff. Thanks! I never knew this.

 

I also wish there was more books about the making of the Bond films from the 70's and 80's in the Moore era.