Former James Bond actor Sean Connery dies aged 90

By Will Dunham

 

FILE PHOTO: British actor Sean Connery smiles as he arrives on the red carpet for the European film award ceremony in Berlin, December 3, 2005. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/File Photo

 

(Reuters) - Scottish movie legend Sean Connery, who shot to international stardom as the suave, sexy and sophisticated British agent James Bond and went on to grace the silver screen for four decades, has died aged 90.

 

"His wife Micheline and his two sons Jason and Stephane have confirmed that he died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family," family spokesperson Nancy Seltzer said on Saturday.

 

Connery was raised in near poverty in the slums of Edinburgh and worked as a coffin polisher, milkman and lifeguard before his bodybuilding hobby helped launch an acting career that made him one of the world's biggest stars.

 

“Sean was a global legend but, first and foremost, he was a patriotic and proud Scot," said Scottish First Minster Nicola Sturgeon.

 

Connery will be remembered first as British agent 007, the character created by novelist Ian Fleming and immortalized by Connery in films starting with "“Dr. No" in 1962.

 

As Bond, his debonair manner and wry humour in foiling flamboyant villains and cavorting with beautiful women belied a darker, violent edge, and he crafted a depth of character that set the standard for those who followed him in the role.

 

He would introduce himself in the movies with the signature line, "Bond - James Bond." But Connery was unhappy being defined by the role and once said he "hated that damned James Bond".

 

Tall and handsome, with a throaty voice to match a sometimes crusty personality, Connery played a series of noteworthy roles besides Bond and won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a tough Chicago cop in “"The Untouchables" (1987).

 

He was 59 when People magazine declared him the "sexiest man alive" in 1989.

 

Connery was an ardent supporter of Scotland's independence and had the words "Scotland Forever" tattooed on his arm while serving in the Royal Navy. When he was knighted at the age of 69 by Britain's Queen Elizabeth in 2000 at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, he wore full Scottish dress including the green-and-black plaid kilt of his mother's MacLeod clan.

 

BECAME FED UP WITH 'IDIOTS'

 

Some noteworthy non-Bond films included director Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie" (1964), "The Wind and the Lion" (1975) with Candice Bergen, director John Huston's "The Man Who Would be King" (1975) with Michael Caine, director Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989) and the Cold War tale "The Hunt for Red October" (1990).

 

Fans of alternative cinema will always remember him starring as the "Brutal Exterminator" Zed in John Boorman's mind-bending fantasy epic "Zardoz" (1974), where a heavily moustachioed Connery spent much of the movie running around in a skimpy red loin-cloth, thigh-high leather boots and a pony tail.

 

Connery retired from movies after disputes with the director of his final outing, the forgettable "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" in 2003.

 

"I get fed up dealing with idiots," he said.

 

The Bond franchise was still going strong more than five decades after Connery started it. The lavishly produced movies, packed with high-tech gadgetry and spectacular effects, broke box office records and grossed hundreds of millions of dollars.

 

After the smashing success of "Dr. No," more Bond movies followed for Connery in quick succession: "From Russia with Love" (1963), “"Goldfinger" (1964), “"Thunderball" (1965) and "“You Only Live Twice" (1967).

 

Connery then grew concerned about being typecast and decided to break away. Australian actor George Lazenby succeeded him as Bond in “"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" in 1969.

 

But without Connery it lacked what the public wanted and he was lured back in 1971 for "“Diamonds Are Forever" with temptations that included a slice of the profits, which he said would go to a Scottish educational trust. He insisted it would be his last time as Bond.

 

Twelve years later, at age 53, Connery was back as 007 in "“Never Say Never Again" (1983), an independent production that enraged his old mentor, producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli.

 

PREFERRED BEER TO MARTINIS

 

In a 1983 interview, Connery summed up the ideal Bond film as having "marvellous locations, interesting ambiance, good stories, interesting characters - like a detective story with espionage and exotic settings and nice birds."

 

Connery was a very different type from Fleming's Bond character with his impeccable social background, preferring beer to Bond's vodka martini cocktails that were “"shaken not stirred".

 

But Connery's influence helped shape the character in the books as well as the films. He never attempted to disguise his Scottish accent, leading Fleming to give Bond Scottish heritage in the books that were released after Connery's debut.

 

Born Thomas Connery on Aug. 25, 1930, he was the elder of two sons of a long-distance truck driver and a mother who worked as a cleaner. He dropped out of school at age 13 and worked in a variety of menial jobs. At 16, two years after World War Two ended, Connery was drafted into the Royal Navy, and served three years.

 

"“I grew up with no notion of a career, much less acting," he once said. "“I certainly never have plotted it out. It was all happenstance, really."

 

Connery played small parts with theatre repertory companies before graduating to films and television.

 

It was his part in a 1959 Disney leprechaun movie, "Darby O'Gill and the Little People," that helped land the role of Bond. Broccoli, a producer of the Bond films, asked his wife to watch Connery in the Disney movie while he was searching for the right leading actor.

 

Dana Broccoli said her husband told her he was not sure Connery had sex appeal.

 

"I saw that face and the way he moved and talked and I said: 'Cubby, he's fabulous!'" she said. "He was just perfect, he had star material right there."

 

Connery married actress Diane Cilento in 1962. Before divorcing 11 years later, they had a son, Jason, who became an actor. He married French artist Micheline Roquebrune, whom he met playing golf, in 1975.

 

(Reporting by Will Dunham and Sonya Hepinstall in Washington and Andrew MacAskill in London; Editing by Bill Trott, Andrew Heavens and Frances Kerry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-01

 

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A real movie star who simply filled up the screen with his presence, a sad loss.

 

RIP -007

The Hill

 

Loved him as Ramirez in the 1986 movie 'Highlander'

 

Ramirez : [narrating]  From the dawn of time we came; moving silently down through the centuries, living many secret lives, struggling to reach the time of the Gathering; when the few who remain will battle to the last. No one has ever known we were among you... until now.

 

 

'  The Hunt for Red October  '   was a great movie ....

RIP scottish Sean C.

Sean Connery found dead in bed this morning. He was Shaken but not Stirred.

Nicked.

i cant recall i ever thought anyone was a loss,

but i liked sean connery on the screen,

RIP

He was unquestionably the best of all of the Bonds. And a tremendous actor. What a screen presence. And what a voice. He had such power, and commanded the respect of everyone he worked with. We will miss him, mightily, even though he retired over 15 years ago. Another great one is gone.

 

What a year. 2020 will go down in the record books. Will be thrilled to see 2021 ushered in, fairly soon. About the only great thing about 2020, will be the inglorious dismissal, of the orange one. 

Yes, he played his movie roles well. Unfortunately, his social responsibility is questionable.  I remember him criticizing rich people and he had a net worth  I understand in excess of 200 Euro million.   No one wants to pay tax, but I  think he was a hypocrite. He was a supporter of the SNP which wanted leftist social policy, but he was in tax exile. He died in the Bahamas. He sold his  mansion in Marabella Spain for development. The end result was that his wife faced tax evasion charges because the  sale was done under her name and income under declared.

As an actor, a fine fellow. As a contributing citizen, I do not think so fine.

Many great films, but a particular favorite of mine was playing alongside Nicholas Cage in "The Rock" (1996). RIP Sir Sean.

 

I'll send him a toast tonight, shaken but not stirred.

Rest easy Sean, you had a good run.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHA-UHwHqh8/?igshid=1gxxu7u9e6d1t

 

R.I.P. and thanks for the years of entertainment you gave us.

 

I did see a couple of James Bond movies but was never a follower of them. However, when Sean Connery diversified I became a fan of his.

My condolences to his family. 

 

4 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 

As an actor, a fine fellow. As a contributing citizen, I do not think so fine.

 

It is frequently the case that those who are "great" at their jobs are far from great as "human beings".

 

 

A goodish actor, but his support for Scottish independence from his luxury home in the Bahamas was hypocritical. 

RIP Mr Connery.  One of the old school never to be seen again.  He may have been a Scotsman but I could actually understand him when he opened his mouth lol

be quite apt if he had already pre-arranged an appropriate cemetary Plot address placement

    @Row/Column... Plot O-07 

Off topic tangent post removed.

Along with The Man Who Would Be K ing, Connery's other best film was The Wind and the Lion. Here are Connery, Michael Caine, and Roger Moore on stage together at the Oscars introducing the award for Best Supporting Actor 1989, which turned out to be Kevin Kline (ugh!).