Sir Roger Moore has spent his acting career playing suave and sophisticated characters – he’s pretty smooth in real life, too. Now 86, he’s still going strong, recently started touring a oneman show and has published a new book of memoirs, entitled Last Man Standing. Here he talks about both, as well as his plans for the future, why he became an actor and what it was like taking over the role of James Bond from Sean Connery

I suppose the first question should be, what should we call you? Will Sir Roger do?

Call me Charlie. Actually, I’ll answer to anything, although I do object to Mary.

You’re becoming the new David Niven when it comes to memoirs, aren’t you?

That’s a great compliment, thank you very much.

I wish it were true! I stole it all from David.

He told me a wonderful story actually, one day when we were down in Cap Ferrat. He said, ‘You know, they’ve paid me an awful lot of money for writing a novel’. I think he said $2m advance or something, a tremendous amount. He said, ‘But I haven’t written a bloody word! But it doesn’t matter, I’ve invested it very well – I’m going to give back the $2m, and I’ve got $1m in profit’.

That’s the way to do it! How did your new book come about?

It was after Bond On Bond and My Word Is My Bond. Gareth Owen (co-writer with Sir Roger) and I had an awful lot of stories left over and thought, how do we put those together? Then the publisher said, it’s time for another book and so we just sat down and worked.

You seem to have worked with just about everybody, but is there someone you wish you could have appeared with?

I’d like to work with some of the new actors.

Well, they’re new to me! People like Johnny Depp, and Matt Damon, who I think is awfully good. George Clooney does some wonderful stuff and is a good director. I always regret that I never did anything with Clint Eastwood.

What inspired you to become an actor?

I thought it was a good way of making a living without having to work too hard.

Did you dream of becoming a star?

I thought I’d be Stewart Granger, but that didn’t happen. The moment I began thinking about it seriously was when I did my first audition at Rada. Walking on stage for the first time, and although I was only performing for about two people, I caught the bug. And I still get it, which is why I do my one-man tour. Although I’m not performing as a character, I’m just going out and playing Roger Moore.

What do you consider to be your breakthrough role?

I’ve been very lucky that there was never one testing moment. Everything just moved on, or stayed as it was, or I moved up a little.

We can’t let you go without mentioning 007. Was taking over from Sean Connery daunting?

No. The only daunting thing was that I had to lose weight and put on some muscles. I could have done that for 400 years and I still wouldn’t have looked like Daniel Craig.

Have you been impressed by the actors who have come after you?

They’ve all been very, very good, and Daniel Craig is just extraordinary.

What do you consider to be your proudest achievement?

Getting up every morning. I did one film in which I was given a chance to act, which was The Man Who Haunted Himself, back in 1970. It has become a little bit of a cult film and people do talk about it, which is gratifying, considering it’s so many years ago.

You’re touring your one-man show again. What can fans expect from that?

Well, if they have to take sleeping pills, they won’t need them that night – they can throw away their store and have a rest for two hours. I reminisce and ramble on. We also do a Q&A with the audience which I rather enjoy.

It must be wonderful to have interaction with your fans

Yes, I love it. It’s wonderful to get a reaction – I don’t care if it’s a boo or a cheer. Actually, they wouldn’t come if they hated me. They’d say, ‘Why the hell should we give him money?’

You don’t seem to be slowing down or thinking of retirement, so do you have any more plans?

Nothing specific. They’re trying to get me to go to America for the book’s launch there, where it has the title I wanted it to have - One Lucky Bastard. The publishers here said there would be resistance from booksellers, but America seems quite happy about it.

No more acting?

I may get to do some guest appearances – if we ever get it going – in a new take on The Saint. It should be called The Great-Great-Grandson Of The Saint Strikes Back And Finds Moses! It’s been going on for a long time and now it looks as if it’s coming to fruition.

  • Last Man Standing: Tales From Tinseltown by Roger Moore, Michael O’Mara Books, £20.
  • An Evening With Roger Moore is at York Grand Opera House on September 24.