Ross Moulton has revealed her integral role in the making of the James Bond franchise, brushing shoulders with celebrities before finding a new community in her Norwich care home. The 92-year-old reflected on her life saying: “We all look back and think we could have done things differently, but that’s what life is, you go with it, and you learn. Embrace the opportunities that come your way, even if they seem daunting. After all, it was a chance encounter and a leap of faith that led to a career among Hollywood stars and cultural icons.”
Completely unbeknownst to her care home neighbours, Ross spent her late twenties working at Warwick Films production company during the 1960s. She was a secretary to film producers Irving Allen and Cubby Broccoli, the producers of the James Bond franchise.
In 1961, one of her work tasks was hand-typing the script for Dr No. The 28-year-old likely didn’t realise she was helping to create a vital piece of cinema history that would launch the James Bond franchise and the career of Sean Connery.
She can still recall her first encounter with the star before he was a household name. Telling What’s the Jam: “I remember him arriving for an interview in a worn suit and barely there pair of shoes. But he still had that undeniable star quality.”
On another casual office day, Ross got a glimpse at Elizabeth Taylor at 9am before she’d had a chance to get to her makeup artist. She said: “But even so, she still looked absolutely beautiful.”
Her other star-studded ventures include Oscar winner Ray Milland commenting on her petite four-and-a-half foot height while she served him tea. She asked the six-foot actor in response: “What’s the snow like on top?”
Ross was already no stranger to celebrities when she joined the film industry as she had worked with Fred Perry when he was transitioning from a Wimbledon champion to fashion icon. At the time, she was working at a wool merchant near London’s Golden Square.
She met the tennis star there as he told her boss about his vision of creating a clothing line under his name with a laurel wreath logo. When the line went into production, she was tasked with checking on the Cardiff factory making the shirts and testing its quality.
As a result, she took samples of some of the first Fred Perry shirts ever made and washed it 40 times to ensure its durability. It was a labour of love though as she noted: “I still see people wearing Fred Perry shirts, and it makes me smile.”
After her moment in Hollywood, Ross and her husband Geoffrey moved to Singapore where he served in the Royal Navy. After his retirement, the couple returned to England, first settling in Bexhill-on-Sea than moving to Daisy Hill Court in Norfolk to be closer to their daughter as Geoffrey’s health declined.
He tragically died soon after the move but Ross has settled herself into the close-knit care home community with a new sense of belonging. She now spends her days playing cards, chess and enjoying performances from visiting entertainers.
She added: “I’m happy in my own skin and can be quite self-contained, but despite that, I’ve made wonderful friends here and it’s reassuring to know that I’ve got people right on the doorstep, especially having family living nearby.”