Sir Roger Moore, whose dry-martini wit and tongue-in-cheek demeanor embodied 007 in the ’70s and ’80s, has passed away at the age of 89 after “a short but brave battle with cancer.”
The actor’s family posted the 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. pic.twitter.com/6dhiA6dnVg
— Sir Roger Moore (Legacy) (@sirrogermoore) May 23, 2017
Per the Tweet, there will be a private funeral in Mexico for the Iconic Brit, who was knighted for his charity work in 2003.
Moore was the longest-tenured Bond in franchise history, starring in seven movies over 12 years. They included the daringly named (Octopussy), the one with the best theme song (Live and Let Die), and of course, the only Bond movie that took place in outer space (Moonraker).
Moore’s reign was marked by a light-hearted, gadget-heavy vibe that blended camp and cool. He was also the oldest Bond to ever kill an evil henchman, seduce a beautiful woman, or drive a Lotus Esprit underwater. Moore was already 45 when he took over from Connery in 1973’s Live and Let Die, and 58 when he bowed out with 1985’s A View to a Kill.
He once told the Guardian, “Being eternally known as Bond has no downside. People often call me ‘Mr Bond’ when we’re out and I don’t mind a bit. Why would I?”