The entire audience at London's Royal Albert Hall raised a glass to toast late James Bond star Sir Roger Moore during a special gala screening of Casino Royale accompanied by a live orchestra. The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra performed composer David Arnold’s fantastic score as the 21st Bond movie played at the iconic London performance hall on Saturday. And David Walliams, who hosted the pre-screening Q&A with the famed movie score writer, proposed a toast to Sir Roger, who sadly passed away in May this year.
Sir Roger Moore and David Walliams were good friends
Also remembered in live discussion was American singer Chris Cornell, who collaborated with composer David on the movie’s title song, ‘You Know My Name’, and who also died earlier this year. After telling the story of the pair’s collaboration, David spoke of his sadness at losing his friend and the entire audience applauded the singer's memory.
The event was part of a series of events titled ‘Films in Concert’ which includes forthcoming performances of Jaws in Concert, Disney Fantasia: Live in Concert, The Addams Family in Concert and Disney in Concert: Beauty and the Beast later this year. Movie fans watched the action-packed film while listening to the soundtrack being literally brough alive in front of them as the orchestra played. At the end, David Arnold took to the stage to play the now-infamous Bond theme tune on an electric guitar, to rapturous applause.
Walliams was a close friend of Sir Roger Moore, and spoke at the beloved actor’s memorial service. Talking about having been asked to eulogise about his late friend he said, “I got asked to speak at Sir Roger Moore’s memorial service. I loved him. He was such a funny man. I remember saying to his family, ‘If he hadn’t been so good looking he would have been a comedian.’ “My ex-wife said he is the sexiest octogenarian I ever met. He never lost that twinkle in his eye.”