Sean Connery

Sir Thomas Sean Connery (Sean Connery) born 25.8.1930

Sean Connery is a Scottish actor, best known for starring as the lead role in seven James Bond films. He was knighted in July 2000, by Queen Elizabeth II of England.

Sean Connery: Childhood

Sean Connery was born in the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh, to Euphamia and Joseph Connery. His father was Roman Catholic, whilst his mother was a Scottish Protestant.

Sean's first job was working as a milkman. He joined the Royal Navy but was honourably discharged on medical grounds. His other jobs included being a model for artists at the Edinburgh College of Art, a coffin polisher and a lorry driver.

Connery began to pursue acting work when a fellow contestant in the 1953 Mr. Universe competition suggested that he audition for a stage production of South Pacific.

Sean Connery: Early Career

Connery landed the role in South Pacific and this soon led to a variety of film and television roles. One of his notable early appearances was in the 1961 BBC production of Anna Karenina, by Rudolph Cartier. His debut television appearance in the United States was on the Jack Benny Show.

Sean Connery: The James Bond years

The seven James Bond films, in which Sean Connery appeared as the title character, were: Dr. No (1962), From Russia With Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Never Say Never Again (1983). He beat the likes of David Niven, Cary Grant and James Mason to the role, as the producers were forced to choose an unknown actor to suit the low budget of the film. Although initially doubtful of the casting, the author Ian Fleming went on to create a half-Scottish, half Swedish heritage for the character in his subsequent Bond novels.

Connery quit the Bond series in 1967, fearing that he would become typecast, though he made his last 007 appearance in Diamonds Are Forever, in 1971. He did, however, return to the Bond films in the 1980s, to star in Never Say Never Again, which reportedly earned its title after Connery had said "never again" when asked if he would play Bond again.

Sean Connery: Life After Bond

Following his departure from the Bond franchise, Connery featured in films such as Murder On the Orient Express and A Bridge Too Far, whilst his role as Mulai Ahmed er Raisuli in The Wind and The Lion earned him substantial acclaim, silencing critics who felt that he was a one-dimensional actor.

Showing a capacity for humour and an ability to laugh at himself, Connery accepted the role of Agamemnon in Time Bandits. Michael Palin had described Agamemnon in the script as "Sean Connery (or someone of equal, but cheaper, stature)". Connery overlooked the joke and took the role.

In 1986, Sean Connery won a BAFTA for his role in The Name of The Rose. He followed this up by taking an equally credible role, in Highlander. The next year, he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor: this time for his role in The Untouchables.

Connery went on to appear in a number of box office hits, including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Rock (1996) and Entrapment (1999).

Following these commercial successes, Connery's career took something of a critical nosedive, with films such as First Knight (1995) and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) proving to be something of a laughing subject for many critics.

Sean Connery: Time Out

In August 2008, Sean Connery released his autobiography, Being A Scot, which he had taken time out from acting in order to write.

Sean Connery: Personal Life

Sean Connery's first marriage, to Diane Cilento, lasted from 1962 to 1973. They had one son together, Jason Connery, who is also now an actor. Jason provided Sean with his first grandchild, Dashiell Quinn Connery, in 1997.

Sean's second marriage, in 1975, was to Micheline Roquebrune.