REAPER PUTS DRAX OUT OF HIS MISERY
French actor Michael Lonsdale has died aged 89. Acclaimed in his homeland, Lonsdale made international success with roles in films such as The Day of the Jackal, where he plays Commissioner Lebel hunting the titular Jackal played by Edward Fox. He was also a priest in Orson Welles version of Kafka’s Trial, and had roles in The Name of the Rose and The Remains of the Day. However, his most famous role was as iconic Bond villain Hugo Drax in the Roger Moore favourite Moonraker, frequently repeated on UK TV. Oozing charm and sophistication, Lonsdale’s Drax positively purrs in every scene and steals the show with lines such as “you appear with the tedious inevitability of an unloved season”, and “look after Mr Bond, see some harm comes to him”. He based the role on Hitler, whose invasion of France meant Lonsdale spent much of his teenage years in exile in Morocco. Despite his lengthy ‘serious’ career, Lonsdale delighted in his legacy as a Bond villain and would respond delighted to fan mail until late in his life. He was picked by 4 theme teams, including Vive la France et la mort, who went 2 for 2 in 48 hours with death in Paris.
Michael Lonsdale
24 May 1931 – 21 September 2020
4 teams