Sir Sean Connery has died at 90-years-old. His son told his father passed away peacefully in his sleep in the Bahamas after he had been “unwell for some time.”
Best known for portraying the first James Bond on screen, Connery brought seven 007 films to audiences.
Novelist Ian Fleming created the Bond character, with Connery first taking British agent 007 to the big screen with “Dr. No” in 1962.
Born in Scotland, the iconic Oscar-winning actor’s career spanned decades until his retirement in 2003. In addition to his Academy Award, he won two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globe Awards.
The Queen gave the iconic actor his knighthood in 2000. Connery just turned 90 on Aug. 25, 2020.
His first appearance as 007 came in Dr No in 1962. His other Bond films included From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), and You Only Live Twice (1967).
He returned to the role twice more in Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Never Say Never Again (1983).
Bond was Connery’s breakthrough role following a decade of stage and TV roles in the 1950s.
Dana Broccoli, the wife of the film series’ producer Albert Broccoli, is said to have persuaded her husband to select Connery for the role despite initial opposition from Ian Fleming, the character’s creator.
Fleming felt Connery was too unrefined, stating: “He’s not what I envisioned of James Bond looks”.
The author was won around by Connery’s performance in Dr No and, in his 1964 novel You Only Live Twice, wrote Connery’s heritage into the character’s background.
Connery became disillusioned with the role towards the end of his tenure, with his friend Sir Michael Caine revealing in an interview: “If you were his friend in these early days you didn’t raise the subject of Bond. He was, and is, a much better actor than just playing James Bond, but he became synonymous with Bond. That was upsetting to him.”
Post-Bond, Connery starred alongside Caine in adventure film The Man Who Would Be King (1975), Time Bandits (1981) and Steven Spielberg’s 1989 sequel Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
He played the Harrison Ford character’s father, Henry Jones Sr.
Connery won his only Oscar for the role of Jimmy Malone in Brian De Palma’s 1987 gangster film The Untouchables.
