Hello all this is a skeleton brief of all the London locations mentioned by Roger Moore in his memoir with Gareth Owen, My Word is My Bond. I will of course colour this in and add more details when I have them.
I welcome anyone else’s input to the ones that I have listed HELP NEEDED. Either in the comments or via email. Thank you.
MOORE in LONDON
Roger talks about going in a lift for the first time at Gamages Department Store when his Mum took him to see Santa Claus. (Page 12). From a Facebook post:
Gamages department store began in 1878 when Albert Walter Gamage opened a small watch repair shop in Holborn, London. It expanded rapidly, eventually occupying most of the block at 118–126 Holborn, famed for its vast toy, hardware, and model railway departments. After nearly a century of trading, the Holborn store closed in March 1972, following a brief, unsuccessful move to Oxford Street. The entire building was later demolished, leaving no trace of the once-beloved London landmark.
At the age of 5, Roger started Primary school that was Hackford Road Elementary. Now Van Gogh Primary, Cowley Rd, London SW9 6HF. (Page 13).
Roger’s Mum worked as a cashier at a restaurant in central London, Hill’s on the Strand (I’ve not managed to find any information about this restaurant. Please leave a comment below if you have any, thanks). (Page 15)
His parents marry at Register Office St Giles 181 King’s Rd, SW3 5EE on December 11th 1926. (Page 15).
One of the things Roger loved to do as a child was roller skate with his mother.
“We’d skate for miles together – sometimes going from Stockwell to Battersea Park, around the Bandstand (SW11 4NJ) and back again, SW11 4NJ: (Page 17)”
Roger gives out the addresses of his mates that he used to hang around with. Reg from number 6 , Norman from 3, Albert Square SW8 1BU and from Albert Terrace around the corner Almo (no number given) and Sergio number 16. (Page 17).
Old Stockwell Road – (Taken from Facebook page, click image for credit).
After a meeting at Cub Scouts on Clapham Road (SW9 0AL), his Dog Pip who he got as a birthday present just 5 weeks earlier, got run over by a taxi. (Page 18).
Roger gets circumcised at the Old Westminster Hospital, located at St John’s Gardens, Horseferry Road, SW1P, before it closed in 1993. (Page 20).
When he awakes from the anesthetic he wakes in a ward where he can see across to Westminster Abbey.
“I could also hear the regular booming of the bell from the clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster, better known as Big Ben.” (Page 20).
Roger and his friend Reg get approached by a pervert whilst camping in Wimbledon Common SW19 5NR (Page 22).
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The family acquire a rhesus monkey “a welcome addition to our menagerie” but it constantly misbehaves so they donated Jimmy, (the monkey) to Chessington Zoo KT9 2NE (Page 24)
Roger talks about how he would go to The Supershow Cinema to see kids films, (Granada Cinemas, Wandsworth Road 128-130 Wandsworth Road, SW8, Now Demolished) on Saturday mornings. (Page 26).
On page 26 Roger mentions three more cinemas he frequented as a child, the Astoria in Brixton. Now famously known as the O2 Academy Brixton, a major live music venue at 211 Stockwell Road. And the Regal in Brixton (Now the Electric Brixton). There is a great article on all old theatres of Brixton which can be found here. – SW2 1RJ. And lastly The Ritz, opposite the green in Stockwell (now demolished and turned into flats).
The old Regal in Brixton -Now the Electric Brixton –
Roger was enrolled as a pupil at Battersea Grammar School – Abbotswood Road, Streatham SW16, (has it’s own wiki page). (Page 27).
When the results of the scholarships were announced Roger’s Mum took him Lyons Corner House on Hackford Road, possibly (32 Hackford Road, SW9 0RF) for the ‘celebrated baked beans on toast and lemonade with real ice and a straw’. (Page 27).
All Corner Houses and Maison Lyonses were closed by 1977. Today, you can see memorabilia and a Lyon Tea Room recreated in the Museum of London.
Roger stood at the side of Clapham North Railway (Page 30) SW4 6EP, as the troops returned from Dunkirk.
Roger talked about the summer of 1940 being the best summer ever as he had the choice of two swimming pools to choose from. The first being Kennington Park which had a popular open-air swimming pool, known as the Kennington Park Lido, built in 1931, which included a main pool and a paddling pool, but it was closed and filled in around 1988, later replaced by tennis courts. Page 31
Kennington Park Lido – Where Roger Moore once swam
And Brockwell Park. Brockwell Lido is a large lido in Brockwell Park, Herne Hill, London. It opened in July 1937, closed in 1990 and after a local campaign was re-opened in 1994. Page 31 SE24 0PA.
He also mentions a natural pool in a former quarry Ashtead Ponds (Page 31) KT21 2BY, which was situated in the middle of fields and bordered by a flower nursery.
Roger enrolled in the local school Dr Challoner’s Grammar School. (Page 33) HP6 5HA
He had long walks around Chesham Bois Woods, (Page 33) Amersham HP6 5PJ
After the raids on London had ceased Roger enrolled at Vauxhall Central School, now Vauxhall Primary School possibly (Page 35) Vauxhall St SE11 5LG.
Vauxhall Central School
New Westminster Hospital – Roger got shot in the leg by his friend Norman with his Dad’s air rifle and was taken to the New Westminster hospital. Today, the original site is commemorated with a Green Plaque marks the former hospital site at Westminster Green, 8 Dean Ryle Street, SW1P 4DA, while the legacy continues at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. (Page 38).
Brockwell Lido – “Once I had recovered, (Roger’s friend Norman had shot him in the leg with his Dad’s Air Rifle) my friends at the lido in Brockwell Park, who, in the main, were all older than me, took me across the road from the park to the pub. (Page 39).
Locarno Dance Hall Streatham “I used to go on a Saturday-night jaunt to the Locarno Dance Hall in Streatham. My shoes were shined and my hair was Brylcreemed.” (renamed 1970 as the Cat’s Whiskers, demolished 2004now demolished) London Square development. (Page 40)
Photo from Facebook,
Locarno Dance Hall Streatham
Publicity Picture Productions 18 Gerrard Street, Soho. W1D 6JF (Page 42). Roger was employed as a trainee animator at the age of 15 and a half. Company has since dissolved. Credit – History of British Animation.
58 Bus from South Lambeth – Roger took this bus on the start of his commute to work. (Page 42).
Roger carried cans of trainig films from his office to Army Kinematography on Curzon St (Page 43) 38 Curzon Street, W1J 7TY
It was closed on 28th August 1963 and demolished in 1964. In its place was built an office block, which contained a cinema in the basement. This opened as the Curzon Cinema in 1966 and continues today as the Curzon Mayfair Cinema. – Cinema Treasures
Garrick Theatre – Roger’s friends from the military were now earning money as extras on films. One day they let me tag along to the office of Archie Woof above a shop opposite the Garrick Theatre. (Page 45) 2 Charing Cross Rd, WC2H 0HH.
Oval Tube and Albert Square – “That night, disgorged from the tube at the Oval, my feet barely touched the pavement as I raced to Albert Square.” (Page 46)
RADA “I walked on to the stage of the small theatre at the Gower Street HQ of the Academy (RADA had been bombed out of its main building) with knees shaking …” 62-64 Gower St, WC1E 6ED (Page 47).
Dumplings’ Legend – featured in the song Werewolves of London
Chinese Restaurant on Gerrard Street – “A group of six of us used to go to a Chinese restaurant on Gerrard Street – long before it became Chinatown.” (Page 50). Roger could be talking about Lee Ho Fook (now Dumplings’ Legend) 15 – 16 Gerrard Street, W1D 6JE. This restaurant was featured in the song Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon. The oldest restaurant in Chinatown still open is Lido.
Cafe next to Goodge St Station. “There was a little cafe next to Goodge St Station where we’d all go after classes.” (Page 50). There are several cafes close to this station take your pick. I recommend Black Sheep Coffee. 5-7 Goodge St, W1T 2PD
Lyons Corner House – from Roger Moore’s childhood
“Then there was Lyons Corner House, where several of us used to go take advantage of the buffet.” Closed in 1970. (Page 50). Pictured above the Lyons Corner House on Coventry Street. (Now Trocadero building opposite the Book of Mormon). W1D 6BW
Roger and his friends are being chatted up in Murphys Irish bar in Piccadilly, and leaves out of the Shaftesbury Avenue exit, leaving his suitor with the bill for four gins and tonics. Page 50-51. (There is no Murphys Bar in Piccadilly, help wanted).
Arts Theatre Club – Roger worked on a production called Circle of Chalk, 50 Frith St, W1D 4SQ (Page 51).
On a night out with RADA Students he ended up at the base of Nelson’s Column (WC2N 5DX) and collected a sign from a pub called The Red Lion. (Page 52) 48 Parliament St, SW1A 2NH.
Click to shop River Chase Keyring for £2.95
Roger joins the army, says goodbye to his family at Paddington Railway. Praed St, W2 1HU (Page 55).
Roger marries Doorn 9th December 1946 the actress and ice skater Doorn van Steyn at Wandsworth Town Hall, SW18 2PU (Page 62).
16 Buckleigh Road, Streatham. “Doorn and I made a our first home together in a room on the first floor of her sister’s house in Streatham.” (Page 68) According to the Streatham Society.
Intimate Theatre on Palmers Green, in operation from 1937 to 2019. Due for demolition/renovation. (Possibly done already). Roger met Jimmy Grant Anderson who out him on the Theatre’s books for £10 a week. (Page 69) Green Lanes, N13 4DH.
Q Theatre in Kew (now demolished). Opened in 1924. It closed its doors in March 1958 before demolition and replacement by a faceless office block. Opposite Station. TW8 9QS. (Page 72) More info on WIKI. Roger was told at the theatre that he should do some modelling by a photographer friend of Doorns.
Alexandra Palace. “In between rep work, I also stage managed at the BBC headquarters at Alexandra Palace for a variety-type series that ran on a Thursday.” (Page 72) N22 7AY
Victoria Station. Roger Moore picks up Doorn from a return trip to Portugal in a taxi where she tells him he’ll never be an actor. (Page 73)
Lyric Theatre. Roger went to the Lyric Theatre to audition for the production The Little Hut. (Page 75) 29 Shaftesbury Ave, W1D 7ES
London Coliseum. Whilst working in the Lyric Theatre he also secured a part in the production Mr Roberts at the London Coliseum, a theatre in St Martin’s Lane, Westminster. WC2N 4ES (Page 76).
Roger went to The historic The Nosh Bar at 42 Great Windmill Street to pass the time as an understudy. Closed in the late 1980s. (Page 78). Now Sophie’s Soho.
The starring acts would converge on Olivelli’s, a real showbiz Italian restaurant in Store Street where, at some point, each of them would stand and entertain their fellow diners. A short history here. (Unsure if this one is still open). Page 82
Copyright acknowledgement to Olivelli
Roger shot The Saint at ABPC Studios in Elstree. Associated British Picture Corporation eventually evolving into the modern Elstree Studios complex, known for both film and TV production, including the EastEnders Albert Square set. (Page 104,118).
There is a Blue Plaque commemorating Roger in Elstree, he said in an interview,
“I’m grateful for this plaque. It is going to be moved to Borehamwood High Street, which was used all the time in The Saint. It was meant to be the Champs Elysees, but all they did was flip the film – they forgot about the London buses.”
Picture credit – https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/elstree-hold-celebration-sir-roger-moore/
For the film 1955 film The King’s Thief, Roger describes the scene being chained in shackles in the Tower of London. Although not specified if this was filmed on location, we can probably assume this was shot in a studio. (Page 107). He also describes a shot filmed for The Persuaders outside the Tower of London on Page 165.
Roger Moore recalls speaking to Oliver Reed at the Baftas hosted at the London Hilton (Page 160) 22 Park Lane, W1K 1BE.
Roger regales an anecdote about being in disguise whilst prepping a shot for The Persuaders outside Waterloo Station (Page 165).
Ricksmanworth Quarry. Roger talks about shooting an episode of The Persuaders called Escape Route with Donald Sutherland. (Page 167). (I cannot pinpoint an exact location as I believe all the quarries have now been filled and are now lakes).
Roger buys his first home, a bungalow, with wife Luisa in Mill Hill, Totteridge (Page 168). Help needed finding exact address, please leave in comments.
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After a couple of years Roger and Luisa started a family, after Deborah and with Geoffrey on the way, they moved to 58 Gordon Avenue, Stanmore, HA7 3QH. close to the golf club. (Page 168).
I whipped into my black tie, and we (Roger and Luisa) dashed into town to The Dorchester. […] We moved to the bar and had a glass of champagne. 53 Park Ln, W1K 1QA (Page 169).
Roger talks about making two guest appearances presenting at The London Palladium (8 Argyll St, W1F 7TF) for Lew Grade’s flagship show, Saturday Night at the London Palladium. (Page 175).
A sequence was filmed with the Royal Horse Artillery in Hyde Park for the 1969 film Crossplot. (Page 185).
Roger Moore married Luisa – Picture credit https://entertainmentnow.com/news/luisa-mattioli-roger-moore-ex-wife-third-wife-affair-marriage-children-divorce/
Roger married Luisa at Caxton Hall, 10 Caxton Street, SW1H 0AQ 11th April 1969. (Page 186).
They moved into Sherwood House Denham, Tilehouse Lane, Uxbridge, UB9 5DE (Page 186). Roger said it would be perfect for growing a family.
Roger Moore met Cubby, Harry and director Guy Hamilton at Scotts Oyster Bar 20 Mount St, Mayfair, W1K 2HE. Relocated to its present location at 20 Mount Street in 1967/1968 – (Page 214). From Wiki below:
As of 2015, the Coventry Street building (18-20 Coventry Street) still exists complete with decorations of an S monogram and shells in stone. It is now part of the Trocadero Centre.
Roger rehearsed some of his Live and Let Die bus scenes at Hammersmith Bus Garage. (Page 220). Since redeveloped. The garage closed in 1983. The historic facade of the building that housed the garage survives and is Grade II listed. Bradmore House, Queen Caroline Street, W6 9BW. From the London Picture Archive;
“It was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1994 as part of the Hammersmith Broadway development, incorporating the restored facade.”
Roger said in My Word is My Bond,
“[…] they had a huge skid-pan, to drive a bus and then apply the brakes hard on the slippery surface. I was terrified the bus would turn over, but such is their design, I discovered, that they rarely do.”
Roger Moore atop a bus whilst filming Live and Let Die – Picture credit – https://www.imcdb.org/v006582.html
Producer Michael Klinger tells Roger how he got his start in the business and tells of a story how he previously owned the Gargoyle Club Wardour Street, (Now Dean Street Town house hotel, 69-71 Dean St, W1D 3SE) Page 227. Interesting backstory to the venue which morphed from a members club, to a comedy club, to a strip club, can be found here.
“They had separate offices, Harry’s (Zaltzman) was on Tilney Street (1, Tilney Street) and Cubby’s (Broccoli) was on South Audley Street, (No. 3 Audley Square) but they faced each other.” (Page 232).
In 1966 at the height of their success, Broccoli and Saltzman fall out and enter into an “agreed estrangement”, after which the latter rents new offices diagonally opposite at 1, Tilney Street. (Sourced from this article featuring my good friend Ajay Chowdhury).
Roger talks about shooting in Hong Kong and meeting an inspector who used to work at 10 Downing Street. Roger recalled that Tony Curtis smoked a spliff outside Downing Street when recording an episode of The Persuaders. (Page 234).
Roger has Dinner with Frank Sinatra and his wife Mia at Annabel’s who tells him he is a massive fan of The Saint. Annabel’s is a Private members club situated at 46 Berkeley Square, W1J 5AT (Page 240).
“You could hear the proverbial pin drop. Then as the Union Jack Parachute opened and the Bond theme roared to a crescendo, the audience stood to offer an ovation. Never before have I witnessed such a thing.”
FYEO premiere at London Odeon – Picture credit – Yahoo Movies
For the film Wild Geese Roger talks about his disappointment with not sharing any screen time with Richard Burton. Although in a sequence filmed outside a big house in Belgrave Square on the opposite corner to the Spanish Embassy, he was tacked onto to the end of it at Burton’s request. (Page 270).
During the filming of Sea Wolves, Roger talks about having Christmas Day off from filming and requesting a dinner for the crew. The producer Euon Lloyd told them not to source the food from Fortnum and Masons, (presumably implying he was tight). Page 291.
In 1999, Geoffrey and a friend joined forces to open a restaurant in London’s Mayfair and soon turned into one of the must-eat restaurants in town. Page 326
Park Tower Knightsbridge Hotel
I enjoy swanking every now and then and, boy, was this the place to swank.
