Sir Roger Moore, best known for his portrayal of James Bond across seven films between 1973 and 1985, has passed away at the age of 89 following a battle with cancer.

Moore was born on October 14, 1927 in Stockwell, England. Following the conclusion of WWII, he was conscripted into the national service and eventually was promoted to captain. After his service ended, he worked as a model before entering a seven-year contract with MGM in 1954. He was released from that contract, though, after just two years; the films he was appearing in were all largely commercial failures.

He didn’t find significant success until he made his way to television. In 1958-1959 he starred in the title role on Ivanhoe, a series based on the 1819 novel of the same name. Later, he starred in The Alaskans and Maverick, but it wasn’t until The Saint that he became a household name in the role of Simon Templar. The Saint ran from 1962 to 1969 for 118 episodes, and helped to establish Moore’s suave acting style.

Of course, Moore’s stardom truly took off when he was cast as James Bond in 1973’s Live and Let Die. He continued in the role through The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, and A View to a Kill. He remains the oldest actor to have played the legendary role, having been 58 when he decided to step down.

After he retired from Bond, Moore was absent from film and television for five years before returning to act in 1990. Throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s he appeared in such films as Bed & Breakfast, The Quest, and Spice World.

Moore focused largely on humanitarian work around this time, becoming a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF in 1991; he was later involved with PETA as well.

In 1999, Moore was deemed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and in 2003 advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. His knighthood was largely due to his various charitable and humanitarian efforts. In 2008, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

“The love with which he was surrounded in his final days was so great it cannot be quantified in words alone,” said a statement released by Moore’s children. “We know our own love and admiration will be magnified many times over, across the world, by people who knew him for his films, his television shows and his passionate work for UNICEF which he considered to be his greatest achievement.”