In
real life, Llewelyn was all thumbs when it came to technology, but he
was kind and gentle to all he encountered. On the movie set, his co-workers
and other fans crowded around to observe when it came time for him to
introduce his new marvel to the Bond de jour, and he spent as long as
it took to sign autographs for anyone who wanted one. Desmond died in
a hospital shortly after the Renault collided with another car near
Firle in East
Sussex, England, on December 19, 1999. He was survived by his wife Pamela, whom he married in 1938, and two
sons. His son Ivor said of his dad,
"He was a kind, very lovable man, and as a father he was great."
The
last word on Desmond Llewelyn will come from Bruce Feirstein, a writer
for the bond movies. He relates my last memory of Desmond was at the
party following the premiere of 'The World Is Not Enough' in Santa Monica,
California.
'At
1am, in a room filled with movie stars, beautiful women
and handsome men, Desmond Llewelyn, 85 years old, sat at a long banquet
table, alone under a blue light, besieged by young fans, merrily signing
autographs well into the night’