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Desmond Wilkinson Llewelyn was born in Newport, South Wales in 1914, the son of a coal mining engineer. He originally wanted to be a minister. In high school, he worked as a stagehand in the school's productions and then picked up sporadic small parts.
The outbreak of World War IIWorld War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the world's nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. The war was fough in September 1939Events January-June January 2 End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Culbert Levy Olson. January 24 Earthquake kills 30. 000 in Chile about 50. 000 sq mi razed January 26 Falangists take Barcelona January 26 halted his acting career, and Llewelyn was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the British army, serving with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. In 1940Events January-February January 5 FM radio is demonstrated to the FCC for the first time. January 6 World War II: Mass execution of Poles, committed by Germans in the Poznan, Warthegau. January 12 World War II: Russia bombs cities in Finland. February 2 F, he was captured by the GermanThe Federal Republic of Germany ( German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland is one of the world's leading industrialized countries, located in the middle of the European Union. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark and the Baltic Sea, to the east army in FranceThe French Republic or France ( French: Republique francaise or France is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents., and was held as a POW for five years.
Since 1963s From Russia With Love, Llewelyn appeared as Q in every Bond film, except Live and Let Die ( 1973), through The World Is Not Enough ( 1999). In the 2002 film Die Another Day, John Cleese, who played the character R, the assistant to Q in The World is Not Enough, was promoted to the head of Q-branch, thus taking on the title of Q. Llewelyn appeared in other films such as the 1981 PBS production of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde. He acted on stage and appeared in an English television series called Follyfoot.
Contrary to his gadget-expert character in the Bond films, Llewelyn always maintained that he was totally lost in the world of technology.
Llewelyn was killed in a road accident on December 19, 1999 after returning home from a booksigning promoting his autobiography in East Sussex. He collided head-on with a car and died shortly after. He was 85.