Connery, Sean,
1930-2020, Scottish film actor, b. Edinburgh, Scotland. Connery joined the
Royal Navy in 1946, serving for three years until he was discharged on
medical grounds. After working a number of low-level jobs, Connery began
training as a bodybuilder, taking third place in the 1953 Mr. Universe
contest, and also played amateur football (soccer). He was cast in a small
role in a touring company of South Pacific in 1953, and
landed his first film part working as an extra a year later. During the late
‘50s-early ‘60s, Connery continued to work in regional
theater, television, and films in England. He was launched to international
stardom when he was tapped to play James Bond in the film Dr. No
(1962), appearing in the following four films in the series and two
subsequent returns to the part. He defined the role of the suave secret
agent who was irresistible to the female sex. Later film roles included
The Man Who Would Be King (1975; directed byJohn Huston), Robin and
Marian (1976, with Aubrey Heburn), and The
Untouchables (1987, dir. Brian de Palma; Academy Award, Best
Supporting Actor). Connery retired in 2006. Among his awards and honors were
lifetime achievement awards from the British Academy of Film and Television
Arts (1998) and the American Film Institute (2006).
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