Bond Girl Madeline’s star turn at museum

Bond Girl Madeline Smith says she had a ‘lovely three days in bed with Roger Moore’ while filming the opening scene of Live and Let Die.

Madeline, made famous after her dress was unzipped by 007’s magnetic watch in Moore’s first Bond outing, made an star appearance at the Sci-Fi and Action Exhibition at Moyse’s Hall Museum today, chatting to fans and signing autographs.

Madeline said it was huge fun playing Miss Carouso in the 1973 movie

“It was absolutely wonderful to play a Bond girl, she said.

“My part has become iconic since then - partly because of that magic watch.

“It was all of 40 something years ago now.

“In those days you didn’t have the world’s eyes on you - no red carpet event as it is now.

“It was a much more relaxed and delightful affair.

“There is a lot of pressure on Bond now.

“Daniel Craig is constantly questioned and under pressure.

“The whole world has changed since then, everything has become more tense.

“For me it was a lovely three days in bed with Roger Moore - it was wonderful.”

Madeline said Roger Moore took the iconic role in his stride.

I don’t think he was nervous taking on the role of Bond.

“They had done most of the filming by the time our scene was filmed, it was filmed almost last. “I think at that point he also knew that the film was going to be good.

“He had also just done the Persuaders with Tony Curtis and for that there was a lot of publicity.

“After filming I went off to do a play in the West End with Alec Guinness - I remember Roger saying ‘now that’s a real job’.

Madeline said Bond girls have a far bigger role to play in the story than when she appeared alongside 007.

“They have got a lot leaner and meaner than in my day,” she said.

“It has become a much bigger role, the parts they play are more as equals now.”

The museum’s collection of 007 memorabilia comes from Bond superfan John Warby, from Walsham-Le-Willows.

Among the rare items on show at the exhibition is an original number plate from Roger Moore’s underwater Lotus, a flash-bang cartridge fired from Little Nellie in You Only Live Twice and a World is not Enough script, signed by Pierce Brosnan.

“I started collecting when I was just nine years old, said John.

“Personally George Lazenby is my all time favourite Bond.

“He was the most accurate portrayal to the Bond in the original books.”