The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

Sad news for James Bond fans this weekend: Lois Maxwell, forever beloved to generations of movie-goers for her role as Miss Moneypenny, has passed away at the age of 80. Despite the fact that Lois last played her popular role more than twenty years ago (in the final Roger Moore Bond, A View to a Kill), and despite Samantha Bond’s shorter reign in the role during the Brosnan era (I thought she did a nice job of the sexual tension between Moneypenny and Bond while also being a very modern, independent Moneypenny) I think it is fair to say Lois remains the quintessential Moneypenny. She was there at the start and clocked up more appearances in more Bond movies than any of the actors who played the lead roles. With the Bond movies always resurfacing on TV or restored for DVD releases there must be legions of fans who have grown up seeing her in that famous role, frozen in time, always the impeccable Moneypenny. Lois also made a number of other appearance in a very long career, including a number of still well-loved shows from the heyday of telefantasy in series like The Persuaders, The Saint, Department S and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). Sir Roger Moore simply said of her “She was always fun and she was wonderful to be with.”