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Sir Thomas Sean Connery, KBE, (born August 25, 1930) is an Oscar-winning Scottish film actor who is best known as the original cinematic James Bond.
Connery is known for his trademark Scottish accent and saturnine good looks, repeatedly mentioned as one of the most attractive men alive by magazines, even though he is considerably older than most other sex symbols.
Personal life
Connery was born in Fountainbridge,Edinburgh, Scotland, to a Christian mixed-denomination couple. His father, Joseph Connery, was a Catholic of Irish descent with roots in County Wexford, Ireland and his mother, Euphamia "Effie" Maclean, was Protestant. Neither Tommy (Sean) nor his brother, Neil, were raised Catholic. He claims he was called by his middle name Sean long before he became an actor, explaining that he had an Irish friend named Seamus and those who knew them both decided to call him by his middle name whenever he was with Seamus, and it stuck.
His first job was as a milkman with St. Cuthbert's Co-operative Society.From the Co-op with love.. the days Sir Sean earned £1 a week He then joined the Royal Navy, and after being discharged on medical grounds he briefly returned to the Co-op then went on to a succession of jobs, including truck driver, labourer, artist's model for the Edinburgh College of ArtEven as an unknown, Sean was still a draw and lifeguard. He competed (under the name Thom Connery) in the 1953 Mr. Universe contest won by Bill Pearl, coming third in the tall man's division. Another competitor, Johnny Isaacs, suggested that he try out for a stage production of South Pacific, which led to work on the stage, TV, and eventually film. As a weight lifter, his nickname was "Big Tam".
He was married to the Australian-born actress Diane Cilento from 1962 until 1973 (he was her second husband). They have one son, Jason Connery (born January 11, 1963), who was educated at Millfield School in Somerset, England, and the rigorous Gordonstoun boarding school in Scotland, before going on to become an actor. According to Jason, his parents' divorce was an extremely bitter and painful affair (Diane Cilento has reportedly just written an autobiography that paints an unflattering portrait of her ex-husband). Since 1975, Sean Connery has been happily married to French-Tunisian artist Michelle Roquebrune Connery.
James Bond
Connery, best known to audiences around the world for his role as James Bond, has appeared as Bond in seven films, beginning with Dr. No in 1962, and concluding with Never Say Never Again in 1983. In all, the Connery-Bond films are:
- Dr. No (1962)
- From Russia with Love (1963)
- Goldfinger (1964)
- Thunderball (1965)
- You Only Live Twice (1967)
- Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
- Never Say Never Again (1983 'unofficial')
Connery was discovered by Harry Saltzman after numerous names as possible contenders for Bond were ruled out or unavailable, including most notably David Niven, who later played Bond in the 1967 spoof Casino Royale, and Cary Grant, who was ruled out after committing to only one film; some sources also suggest that Grant, at 58, turned the role down feeling he was too old for the part. Due to the relatively small budget, the producers were forced to go with an unknown, and Connery was in part cast for that reason.
Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, reportedly had doubts about the casting of Connery, on the grounds that the muscular, 6'2" Scotsman was too "unrefined", but a female companion of Fleming's told him that Connery had "it", and reportedly that was good enough for Fleming. The author went on to introduce a half-Scottish (and half-Swiss) heritage for his literary character in the later books. Connery's on-screen portrayal of Bond is due in part to tutelage from director Terence Young, who helped to smooth over Connery's rough edges while utilizing his imposing physicality and graceful, cat-like movements during action sequences. Robert Cotton once wrote that in one biography of Connery, Lois Maxwell (who played the first Miss Moneypenny) noticed, "Terence took Sean under his wing. He took him to dinner, showed him how to walk, how to talk, even how to eat." Cotton said, "Some cast members remarked that Connery was simply doing a Terence Young impression, but Young and Connery knew they were on the right track."
Connery's own favorite Bond film was From Russia with Love, one of the most critically acclaimed films in the series. He confirmed this in a 2002 interview with Sam Donaldson for ABCNews.com. (American Movie Classics erroneously listed Thunderball as Connery's favorite during its recent Bond retrospectives.)
In 1967, during the unsatisfying experience of filming You Only Live Twice, Connery quit the role of Bond, having grown tired of the repetitive plots, lack of character development, and the general public's growing demands on him and his privacy (as well as fear of typecasting). This led to the producers hiring George Lazenby to take over the role in 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service. However, Lazenby backed out of a seven-film contract, and quit before On Her Majesty's Secret Service was even released, and the film had a mixed response from fans at the time. Broccoli again asked Connery to return to the role and paid him £1.2 million to do so — at the time the highest salary of any actor. Connery returned one final "official" time in 1971's Diamonds Are Forever, quitting the role shortly after release.
As a result of a deal between EON Productions and Kevin McClory (co-writer of Thunderball), McClory was given the right to create a remake of Thunderball after 13 years had passed since the release of the original film. In the late 1970s McClory teamed with Connery to write an original James Bond film, but the idea was blocked by lawsuits brought by EON and United Artists. However, the project was revived in the 1980s and Connery signed to play Bond for the seventh and final time (on screen) in the unofficial film Never Say Never Again. The title of the film has long believed to have derived from Connery's comments after the release of Diamonds Are Forever who, after filming it, claimed he would never play James Bond again. (For the legal battle see the controversy of Thunderball)
Connery returned to the role once more in 2005, providing the voice and likeness of James Bond for the video game adaptation of From Russia with Love.
Over 40 years since he first played the role, Connery is still widely regarded as the definitive cinematic incarnation of James Bond, despite popular interpretations of the character by the likes of Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, and what many believe to be a more authentic literary performance by Timothy Dalton. Connery's own feelings on Bond in interviews has run the gamut from bitter resentment to great fondness. At one point he stated he hated the Bond character so much that he'd have killed him, but he has also stated that he never hated Bond, he merely wanted to pursue other roles. Certainly, when the James Bond series was at its peak in the mid-1960s, his association with the 007 image was so intense that different performances in his non-Bond films, such as Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie, A Fine Madness, and Sidney Lumet's The Hill, were being virtually ignored. When asked if he'd ever escape the identification, he replied, "Never. It's with me till I go in the box." At another point, he stated that he still cared about the future of the character and franchise, having been associated with the icon for too long not to care, and that all Bond films had their good points. He praised Pierce Brosnan's performance as Bond in GoldenEye, but was highly critical of Timothy Dalton's portrayal, saying the actor had taken it too seriously and was not cool . In December 2005 he also voiced his support for Daniel Craig, the latest actor chosen to play Bond, for Casino Royale.
Post-James Bond career
Although his most famous role was that of Bond, Sean Connery has also maintained a successful career since, much more so than any of the other actors who assumed the role. As part of the agreement to appear in Diamonds are Forever, Connery was given carte blanche to produce two films at United Artists but felt that the only film made under this deal, The Offence, was buried by the studio. Apart from The Man Who Would Be King, most of Connery's successes in the next decade were as part of ensemble casts, in films such as Murder on the Orient Express and A Bridge Too Far. After his experience with Never Say Never Again and the following court case, Connery became unhappy with the major studios and for two years did not make any films. Following the critically celebrated European production The Name of the Rose, for which he won a BAFTA award and universal praise, Connery's interest in more credible material was revived. That same year, a supporting role in Highlander showcased his ability to play older, wise mentors to young, leading protagonists, which certainly became a recurring role in many of his later films. The following year, his highly acclaimed performance as a hard-nosed cop in The Untouchables (1987) earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Subsequent box-office hits such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) (in which he played father to Harrison Ford, actually only 12 years his junior), The Hunt for Red October (1990) and The Rock (1996) re-established him as a bankable leading man. Both Last Crusade and The Rock alluded to his James Bond days. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas wanted "the father of Indy" to be Connery since Bond directly inspired the Indiana Jones series, while his character in The Rock, John Patrick Mason, was a British secret service agent imprisoned since the 1960s. In more recent years, Connery's filmography has included its fair share of box office and critical disappointments such as The Avengers (1998) and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), but he also received positive reviews for films including Finding Forrester (2000). He also later received a Crystal Globe for outstanding artistic contribution to world cinema.
In September 2004, media reports indicated that Connery intended to retire after pulling out of Josiah's Canon, which was set for a 2005 release. However, in a December 2004 interview with The Scotsman newspaper from his home in the Bahamas, Connery explained he had taken a break from acting in order to concentrate on writing his autobiography. However, the book project was later abandoned because the publishers wanted to delve too far into his private life. Connery has long denied accusations from his first wife Diane Cilento that he physically abused her throughout their marriage. He also courted controversy by condoning the physical abuse of women in a 1965 interview with Playboy magazine, and in a 1993 interview with Vanity Fair (magazine).
About a month before his 75th birthday, over the weekend of July 30th/31st 2005, it was widely reported in the broadcast media (and again in The Scotsman*), that he had decided to retire from film making following disillusionment with the "idiots now in Hollywood", and the turmoil making and subsequent box office failure of the 2003 film The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. He stated in interviews for the film included on the DVD release that he was offered roles in both The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings series, declining both due to 'not understanding them', and after they went on to have huge box office grosses he decided to accept the League role despite not 'understanding' it either.
At the Tartan Day celebrations in New York in March 2006, Connery again confirmed his retirement from acting, and stated that he is now writing a history book.
As a personality he has been accused of being an overbearing bully but has also been praised as a highly professional and polite actor, courteous and supportive of those around him. He made a big impression on actors such as Harrison Ford, Kevin Costner, and Christopher Lambert, who considered him a great friend during filming. His punctual example and highly vocal refusal to tolerate her tardiness left a lasting impression on Catherine Zeta-Jones.
He was planning to star in a $80 million movie about Saladin and the Crusades that would be filmed in Jordan before the producer Moustapha Akkad was killed in the 2005 Amman bombings. Connery received the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award on 8 June 2006, where he again confirmed his retirement from acting.
Political causes
Connery has long supported the Scottish National Party, a political party campaigning for Scottish independence, both financially and through personal appearances. His involvement in Scottish politics, however, has often provoked severe criticism, since he has not actually lived in Scotland for more than fifty years. His support for the SNP is illustrated by a comment from his official website:
- "While it is generally accepted that his support of Scotland's independence and the Scottish National Party delayed his knighthood for many years, his commitment to Scotland has never wavered. Politics in the United Kingdom often has more intrigue than a James Bond plot. While Scotland is not yet independent, she does have a new parliament. Sir Sean campaigned hard for the yes vote during the Scottish Referendum that created the new Scottish Parliament. He believes firmly that the Scottish Parliament will grow in power and that Scotland will be independent within his lifetime." *
Connery used half of his fee from Diamonds Are Forever (1971) to establish a charity to support deprived children in Edinburgh as well as Scottish Film production. It was suggested in 1997 that the Labour government had prevented him being knighted for his charitable work because of his support for the SNP. At the time a Labour Party spokesman stated Connery's knighthood had been blocked because of remarks the actor had made in past interviews condoning the physical abuse of women. His nationalist beliefs have often been derided by political opponents, especially given his status as a tax exile living in the Bahamas.
Connery received the Légion d'honneur in 1991. He received Kennedy Center Honors from the United States in 1999, presented to him by President Bill Clinton. He received a knighthood on July 5, 2000, wearing a hunting tartan kilt of the MacLean of Duart clan. He also received the Orden de Manuel Amador Guerrero from Mireya Moscoso, former president of Panama on 11 March 2003, for his talent and versatility as an actor.
Health
In 1993 news that Connery was undergoing radiation treatment for an undisclosed throat ailment sparked media reports that the actor was suffering from throat cancer following years of heavy smoking, and he was falsely declared dead by the Japanese and South African news agencies. Connery immediately appeared on the David Letterman show to deny all of this. In a February 1995 interview with Entertainment Weekly, he claimed the radiation treatment was to remove "nodules" from his vocal chords. In 2003 he had surgery to remove cataracts from both eyes. On March 12, 2006, he announced he was recovering from surgery to remove a kidney tumour in January. The tumour is thought to have been benign.
Filmography
| '''JAMES BOND Films | carried out for Sean Connery|
| Dr. No ( 1962 ) | |
| From Russia with Love ( 1963 ) | |
| Goldfinger ( 1964 ) | |
| Thunderball ( 1965 ) | |
| You Only Live Twice ( 1967 ) | |
| Diamonds Are Forever ( 1971 ) | |
| nonofficial Film | |
| Never Say Never Again ( 1983 ) |
Trivia
- Sean Connery, as a youth, had a job delivering milk to Fettes College, in Edinburgh, Scotland. This was James Bond's second school.
- He wore a toupee in all the James Bond movies. He began losing his hair at 21. Privately and in most other movies, he wears none.
- In the cartoon series Sonic Underground, Connery is the voice of Athair, great-grandfather of Knuckles the Echidna.
- His first American television role was as a porter in an episode of The Jack Benny Show.
- Originally it was intended by the producers of The Final Frontier for Connery to play the role of Sybok, but Connery was unavailable at the time. As an in-joke, the mythical planet the crew is searching for in the movie is named "Sha-ka-ree", a play on "Sean Connery".
- Darrell Hammond plays Connery in the Celebrity Jeopardy! sketches on Saturday Night Live. In these sketches, Connery is the contestant on all but two of the sketches, where he insults host Alex Trebek (played by Will Ferrell) with withering invective and sexual innuendo, and answers no questions right. The sketches aired twice a season on SNL from 1996 to 2002, and returned once more when Ferrell guest-hosted in 2005.
- Starred in Never Say Never Again with Klaus Maria Brandauer. Coincidentally, Brandauer was originally considered to play Marko Ramius in The Hunt for Red October.
- He has a tattoo that says "Scotland Forever" on his forearm.
- Was voted to have the worst movie accent by Empire Magazine. He has been derided for using the same accent for every character, despite playing roles as diverse as an Irish cop (The Untouchables), Richard I of England (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), and a Russian submarine captain (The Hunt for Red October).
- Connery had been the original choice for The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) but declined, a decision he later regretted. The role went to Steve McQueen. Coincidentally, the 1999 remake of the same name starred the fifth Bond actor, Pierce Brosnan.
- Sean Connery's line in Finding Forrester, "You're the man now, dog," became immortalized as the phrase that started the YTMND website. In the same scene, another phrase, "Punch the keys for God's sake!", has also become immortalised and used as YTMND's 'parallel universe'.
- He caused an uproar in a December 1987 interview with Barbara Walters in which he said it was OK for a man to hit a woman, assuming that it was required to calm her down or "keep her line check". Connery had made similar remarks in a November 1965 interview with Playboy magazine on the set of Thunderball.
- George Lucas has said on multiple occasions that Connery's portrayal of the character James Bond was one of the primary inspirations for his Indiana Jones character. As a tribute to this, when casting his third Indiana Jones film, The Last Crusade, Lucas chose Connery for the role of Indiana's father, with his reasoning being "Who else could play Indiana Jones' father, but the guy who inspired all of this in the first place, James Bond himself!" (Sean Connery)
- Sean Connery's likeness was used in Metal Gear 2 as a template for the character Big Boss.
- According to the "behind the scenes" features of the DVD for The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Connery is an excellent golfer and also a very fine dancer; castmate Tony Curran recounts that his mother visited the set when they were having "Jazz Night" and Connery danced with her.
- Is the honorary chairman of the Friends of Scotland organization.
- Connery's height is 6'2" (1.88 m).
- While filming "Another Time, Another Place" with Lana Turner, her lover, a hoodlum named Johnny Stompanato, arrived at the studio in response to rumors that she was having an affair with Connery. He waved a gun in Connery's face, and Connery delivered an effective beating. Later, a jury would decide Turner's 14-year old daughter had acted in self-defense when she stabbed the abusive Stompanato to death; according to a forthcoming biography by Robert Sellers, the gangster Mickey Cohen thought Connery was in some way responsible for the death, and Connery spent some time in hiding.
- In his initial interview for the role of James Bond,Connery apparently wore a baggy sweater and slacks, banged the table and told the producers what he wanted, even refusing a screen test. This all however worked in his favour as Cubby Broccoli soon cast him in the coveted part, admiring the actor's "ballsy" attitude.
- In the computer game Warcraft III, clicking on the Mountain King unit produces a variety of lines delivered by Connery and actors portraying him.
References
External links
- His official website
- BBC: 1999 Biography
- Sean Connery Interview
- Classic Movies (1939–1969): Sean Connery
- Sean Connery Fan
- Rotten Tomatoes Sean Connery page
- You're The Man Now Dog.com
- Actor's Compendium
- SEAN CONNERY BIOGRAPHY
1930 births | Living people | Best Supporting Actor Oscar | Edinburghers | Highlander actors | Hollywood Walk of Fame | James Bond actors | Knights Bachelor | Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire | Légion d'honneur recipients | Scottish cultural icons | Scottish film actors | Scottish film producers | Scottish National Party | Scottish stage actors | Scottish television actors | Sonic the Hedgehog voice actors | Worst Supporting Actor Razzie Nominee
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"Sean Connery"