James Bond director Lewis Gilbert dies aged 97

Lewis Gilbert, famed British director of three James Bond films, has died at the age of 97.

While he made his name helming films such as Alfie an Educating Rita, Gilbert was best known for Sean Connery 007 movie You Only Live Twice and Roger Moore era’s The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker.

The director’s son, John Gilbert, confirmed to BBC that his father had died on Friday in Monaco, saying his father “died peacefully in his sleep” after “suffering from dementia for close to a decade”.

Lewis Gilbert speaking to Alan Whicker in 1967, during filming of You Only Live Twice. The prolific director has died, aged 97. pic.twitter.com/zNJ8A4JBEZ

— BBC Archive (@BBCArchive) February 27, 2018

Gilbert began his career as a child actor – starring in movies like 1934’s Dick Turpin – before turning to directing. After working as an assistant on Alfred Hitchcock’s 1939 film Jamaica Inn, Gilbert helmed his own movies and in 1966 earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture for film Alfie.

Stars including Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright and Ant-Man’s Peyton Reed were among those to pay tribute to Gilbert.

RIP Lewis Gilbert, the great British director who, among his 40 plus credits, directed 'Alfie', 'Educating Rita', 'Reach For The Sky', 'Shirley Valentine' and one of my very favourite Bond films: 'The Spy Who Loved Me'. "Why'd you have to be so good?" pic.twitter.com/cXSItZh6uQ

— edgarwright (@edgarwright) February 27, 2018

Lewis Gilbert, director of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and MOONRAKER, has passed away. SPY was the first Bond film I saw in the theater. (And I have a tiny homage to MOONRAKER in ANT-MAN AND THE WASP.) Rest in Peace.

— Peyton Reed (@MrPeytonReed) February 27, 2018

British director, producer and screenwriter Lewis Gilbert has passed away at the age of 97. Gilbert directed three Bond films; YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967), THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977) and MOONRAKER (1979). Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time. pic.twitter.com/FtfipGrx58

— James Bond (@007) February 27, 2018

I met #LewisGilbert in a restaurant in London. He was having lunch with Sir Roger Moore. I told Lewis how much I loved the Bond films he had directed & he asked me ‘how did you like my friend Jaws?’ as if I was 10 years old even though I was 40! I loved feeling 10 again though.

— David Walliams HQ (@davidwalliams) February 27, 2018