Cassandra Harris

In fact, Harris was an enthusiastic proponent of the idea to both the producer and her husband, which eventually led to Brosnan landing the part in the mid-1990s. Meanwhile, she decided to dedicate herself to the role of wife and mother, raising her children, Christopher and Charlotte - both from her previous marriage to Dermot Harris, younger brother of famed British actor Richard Harris - and Sean, her only child born of her union with Brosnan. As her husband became the star of the popular series, "Remington Steele" (NBC, 1982-87) and flirted with the possibility of becoming James Bond after Roger Moore retired, Harris was stricken by a sudden battle with ovarian cancer in 1987. For four years, she battled the disease, moving with her family from the bustle of Los Angeles to the quieter canyon life of Malibu, CA, where she struggled to convalesce. Brosnan devoted himself to her recovery and even slowed down his work schedule in order to spend more time with her. Harris initially fought off the disease, but in the 1990s it came back with greater force and eventually led to her death on December 28, 1991. By Shawn Dwyer