Lois `Miss Moneypenny` Maxwell talks James Bond and living in Perth

14-Jan-2005 • Bond News

Lois Maxwell played office manager Miss Moneypenny in fourteen Bond films. She's also had an extensive career as an actor on stage and in foreign film. Many people are unaware that Lois lives in Perth. She explains all to big fan Eoin Cameron - including a shock choice as her favourite Bond film, reports ABC.

Eoin began by asking Ms Maxwell how she ended up in W.A. "Well my son lives here with his family" is the response. Lois continues to explain that she was visiting when she ended up in Fremantle Hospital with a huge blood clot in a major artery of the left arm. After recovering from that, she was ready to return to her home in England when she was struck by a clot on her left knee, and in hospital again.

Lois tells a lovely tale of her surgeon being unaware of his patient's famous film role until her second visit. He donned a 007 tie for her.

Lois Maxwell was already an experienced and respected actor before 007, but the story behind her most famous role is a fascinating one. "I had a husband who was desperately ill , with two small children and no money", she says, "so I called producers I had worked with before and said 'help me'". Bond director Terrence Young was one of those people, and offered two Bond roles. Ms Maxwell responded "if you allow me to give her a background I would like to play Miss Moneypenny, and (sic) if you don't put my hair in a bun and horn rimmed glasses on me". She got her way and a Bond career was born.

And which was her favourite Bond film ? "Strangely enough, 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'"...replies Lois Maxwell, "I think it's the best film, I mean I think it's an excellent film. Had it not been a Bond film, had it just been a film it would've been a fabulous film".

OHMSS was , of course, the only Bond film in which Australian George Lazenby played 007. Eoin asks what Lazenby was like to work with. Lois answers with a pause, a throaty chuckle, and one word - "naughty".

Lois Maxwell also spoke about her longtime friendship with Roger Moore, what she thinks of Sean Connery's Bond ("marvellous"), says good things about living in Perth, and why Australians differ from Canadians.

Thanks to `Ken` for the alert.