NEW YORK (AP) – Roger Moore, the suave star of seven James Bond movies, was recovering in a hospital Thursday after collapsing during a Broadway performance.

Moore, 75, was diagnosed as suffering from exhaustion and dehydration after fainting during a Wednesday matinee performance of the comedy “The Play What I Wrote,” said Jerry Pam, the English actor’s agent in the United States. Moore was expected to be discharged from the hospital Thursday or Friday, said Jackie Green, a spokeswoman for the show’s press agent.

“He is absolutely fine. The doctor is pleased with his progress,” she said.

Moore was playing the part of the “mystery guest star” – a rotating cameo role filled by celebrities – when he fainted toward the end of the second act, Green said.

He finished the performance after a 10-minute break, Green said. After the show, EMS personnel took Moore from the Lyceum Theatre to St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital, Pam said.

The hospital wouldn’t release any information about Moore’s condition Thursday, citing privacy laws.

Pam said Moore had been doing a lot of traveling recently as part of his work as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations’ children’s agency UNICEF and had flown to New York for his role in the play.

“He’s almost given up his career for UNICEF, he’s so dedicated to it,” Pam said.

Moore is best known for his movie roles as the British agent “007.”

His first James Bond film was “Live and Let Die” in 1973, and he went on to star in six other Bond movies: “The Man With the Golden Gun” (1974), “The Spy Who Loved Me” (1977), “Moonraker” (1979), “For Your Eyes Only” (1981), “Octopussy” (1983) and “A View to a Kill” (1985). He also played the hero Simon Templar in the TV series “The Saint.”



On the Net:

Roger Moore’s Web site: http://www.adalarms.force9.co.uk/Roger/

AP-ES-05-08-03 1531EDT



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