James Bond director Lewis Gilbert dies aged 97
The former child actor helmed You Only Live Twice, The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker
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".
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.
