A while ago we missed the 40th anniversary of the passing of Bernard Lee at the age of 73 at his home in Hampstead, London. He was a significant figure in the history of 007 as he was M in Dr No 1962, so right from the start of the series, then in From Russia With Love 1963, Goldfinger 1964, Thunderball 1965, You Only Live Twice 1967, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service 1969, Diamonds Are Forever 1971, Live and Let Die 1973, The Man with the Golden Gun 1974, The Spy who Loved Me 1977 and Moonraker 1979 (so 11 of the Bond films in all) and would have been in the next but by that stage was very ill with cancer and passed in 1981 before For Your Eyes Only was released, with the script being changed to reflect that M was on leave. His career went far beyond Bond and he amassed 153 screen credits and was in other memorable films:- The Black Tulip (1937 as William of Orange), The Third Man (1949), The Blue Lamp & Odette (1950), The Battle of the River Plate (1956), Fire Down Below (1957), Dunkirk (1958), Kidnapped (1959), Whistle Down the Wind (1961) and even during the Bond series The L-Shaped Room (1962), The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1965), Crossplot (1969) & Dulcima (1971), as well as numerous appearances in TV series and plays, often playing figures in authority. There is some mystery as to his birth, either Brentford, Middlesex, or Cork in Ireland, though he had strong connections to both. Born into a theatrical family, he later attended RADA [Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]. Before WW2 he concentrated on the stage and worked repertory in Cardiff and Rusholme, Manchester, first appearing in the West End in 1928. During the war he served throughout in the Royal Sussex Regiment, and after the war he concentrated on acting for cinema. Had a tragedic later life, losing his first wife in a house fire at their home in Oare, Davington, Faversham, Kent in 1972, in the same year losing a lot of money in a mugging, so descending to drink & depression, during which time he met Richard Burton who gave him a cheque for his losses and he recovered and later met his second wife. Was the grandfather of Johnny Lee Miller, and his hobbies were golf, fishing, reading, music and sailing. We believe him more than worthy of a match in his honour and hope you accept – if the number or ratings do not suit, then please make contact.
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