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Lois Maxwell

Few characters in cinema carried a torch for someone as long as Lois Maxwell's Miss Moneypenny. Over the course of 14 James Bond films, the Canadian actress traded quips and cast many a longing glance at Agent 007, always in vain. Leaving her homeland as a teen, Maxwell made her first screen appearances in England before giving Hollywood a go with pictures like "That Hagen Girl" (1947). The now infamous Ronald Reagan movie earned Maxwell a Golden Globe, but failed to lead to more interesting parts. She began taking parts in Italian productions before a return trip to Britain led to her participation in "Dr. No" (1962), the British spy adventure that launched one of cinema's greatest franchises. Appearing in the first 14 James Bond adventures, Maxwell received much exposure and fan appreciation, even though Moneypenny was mostly confined to the offices of MI6. In between Bond duties, Maxwell guest starred on a number of television programs and earned additional movie assignments, including a pair of European spy spoofs. As her acting career was largely winding down, Maxwell reinvented herself as a writer and penned a popular column for The Toronto Sun newspaper. Moneypenny was Maxwell's signature role, and as its originator, she brought a sophisticated sexiness and sense of humor to the character that her younger successors could never quite duplicate.