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James Bond actor Sir Sean Connery dies aged 90

  • Sir Sean Connery dies aged 90

  • Actor played James Bond in 7 films

  • Won Oscar in 1988 for The Untouchables

  • Daniel Craig plays tribute to 'one of the true greats of cinema'

Sir Sean Connery, the beloved Scottish actor who starred as James Bond, has died aged 90.

Sir Sean's son Jason told the BBC his father died peacefully in his sleep overnight while in the Bahamas, having been "unwell for some time". Jason Connery said his father "had many of his family who could be in the Bahamas around him" when he died.

He said: "We are all working at understanding this huge event as it only happened so recently, even though my dad has been unwell for some time.

"A sad day for all who knew and loved my dad and a sad loss for all people around the world who enjoyed the wonderful gift he had as an actor."

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.

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

Sean Connery with co-star Ursula Andress, on the set of Dr No (1962) - Getty Images
Sean Connery with co-star Ursula Andress, on the set of Dr No (1962) - Getty Images

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).

Connery with his Best Supporting Actor Oscar at the 1988 Academy Awards - AP
Connery with his Best Supporting Actor Oscar at the 1988 Academy Awards - AP

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.

He won an Oscar in 1988 for his supporting role in The Untouchables.

 


06:11 PM

Catherine Zeta-Jones: 'I will cherish every moment'

Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, who starred alongside Sir Sean Connery in the 1999 film Entrapment, said she would "cherish every moment" she had spent with him.

Alongside a picture of them together on Instagram, she wrote: "Farewell my friend. I love you Sean Connery with all my heart. Until we meet again, I will cherish every moment I shared with you. My love to Micheline and the family. Love "the kid"."

Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones filming Entrapment in 1998

 


05:04 PM

The story behind his final film role

Aside from a few minor voice-over parts, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was the career swansong for Sean Connery. He hated the 2003 steampunk caper – and clashed with its relatively inexperienced director, Stephen Norrington. Did it put him off acting for good? Ed Power has the full story.


04:40 PM

John Cleese: Connery was 'the only one of us to find The Holy Grail'

Monty Python's John Cleese shared a tribute to Connery on Twitter: "A wonderful man who I had the pleasure of working with in Time Bandits. We crossed paths many times over the years. Such immense talent and a vibrant human. And the only one of us to find The Holy Grail."


04:15 PM

How Sean Connery changed men's fashion

"Every man who slips on a black tie has Connery’s Bond in the back of his mind somewhere," writes Telegraph Men's Style editor Stephen Doig. "His martini-ready formalwear is, quite simple, the benchmark of after-dark excellence for men. The black tuxedo in Dr. No, with distinctive silk shawl collar, set a high standard, but arguably one that Connery exceeded years later with a white variation in Goldfinger, accessorised with a scarlet flower in his lapel." Read the full story.

Sean Connery in Goldfinger

 


03:44 PM

Daniel Craig: 'Wherever he is there's a golf course'

Daniel Craig has hailed fellow James Bond actor Sir Sean Connery as "one of the true greats of cinema", adding he hopes that "wherever he is there's a golf course".

The Scottish actor died at the age of 90 in his sleep overnight while in Nassau in the Bahamas, where much of Thunderball was filmed.

Craig, who is due to appear as Bond for the final time in the delayed No Time To Die, shared a tribute via the official Bond Twitter account.

Daniel Craig as James Bond in No Time to Die - PA

The 52-year-old said: "It is with such sadness that I heard of the passing of one of the true greats of cinema. Sir Sean Connery will be remembered as Bond and so much more. He defined an era and a style.

"The wit and charm he portrayed on screen could be measured in mega watts; he helped create the modern blockbuster. He will continue to influence actors and film-makers alike for years to come.

"My thoughts are with his family and loved ones. Wherever he is, I hope there is a golf course."


03:23 PM

Arnold Schwarzenegger salutes a fellow body-builder

"Sean Connery was a legend, one of the greatest actors of all time," Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote in a statement this afternoon. "He provided endless entertainment for all of us & inspiration for me. I’m not just saying that because he was a bodybuilder who placed in the Mr. Universe contest! He was an icon. My thoughts are with his family."


03:04 PM

The real-life dangers of Goldfinger's torture scene

The scene in Goldfinger when 007 finds himself tied to a table with a deadly laser aimed between his legs was one of the most memorable moments of Sean Connery's screen career. But not many fans know that the sparks and flames – and the actor's anxious sweat – were real.

“Sean was absolutely terrified,” production designer Ken Adam recalled. A real oxyacetylene torch was burning beneath the table, and stopped just three inches from the star's crotch. Film critic Tim Robey has the full story in a feature on the making of this classic scene.

Connery and Gert Fröbe in Goldfinger - Alamy

 


02:54 PM

'He was more than just Bond'

As well as celebrating his performance as 007, writers and filmmakers have been paying tribute on social media to the full range of Connery's career. "Sean Connery was far more than Bond," said bestselling author Matt Haig. "He is incredible in The Rock, Highlander, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Man Who Would Be King, Marnie and (my favourite) The Untouchables. Post Bond he really had an amazing hit rate, showing not just talent but great taste."

Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright drew attention to the characters Connery created in the "amazing last act" of his career: "From charming immortal Ramirez to Henry Jones Sr, from being the rock in the centre of the best Michael Bay film to his incredible Oscar winning turn as Malone in The Untouchables, Sean Connery had a hell of a run. Have a vodka martini & a dram of whiskey for him tonight."


02:07 PM

How Sean Connery saved Indiana Jones

Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade was "the best of the Indiana Jones films," due to Sean Connery's charismatic presence as the adventurer's father, writes film critic Tom Fordy in a feature on the making of the movie. “I had a lot of notes as usual about the whole piece,” Connery said about The Last Crusade. “After all, if you’re going to make a film with the father of Indy, you really have to have some kind of eccentricities." The actor insisted on changing the script to reflect his version of the character – and, cheekily, to introduce the idea that he had slept with his on-screen son Harrison Ford's love interest. Read the full feature.

Sean Connery (left) and Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) - Moviepix

 


01:50 PM

Director Kevin Smith: 'It feels like I'm losing my dad'

Kevin Smith, the American director of Clerks and Chasing Amy, recalls growing up with Sir Sean Connery's films. "He was my Dad’s James Bond, so Dad supported Mr Connery’s career his entire life, always taking me to see any movie his fave actor was in," Smith wrote on Twitter. "I have sweet memories of watching Dad watch his movie idol. So Sean Connery’s passing also feels like I’m losing Dad again."


01:48 PM

Gary Lineker on playing golf with Sean Connery

Footballer Gary Lineker, a friend of the actor, wrote on Twitter about how they golfed together, saying he was "shaken and, on this occasion, stirred to hear that Sir Sean Connery has passed away. Had the pleasure of playing golf with him on a couple of occasions. A real character and for me, the best Bond. James Bond should be immortal."


01:22 PM

Film stars pay tribute to 'a true legend and a gentlemen'

Robert Carlyle, the Scottish star of Trainspotting and The Full Monty, called Connery "a trailblazer, a true legend and a gentleman". Sam Neill, who appeared alongside Connery in 1990 submarine thriller The Hunt for Red October, said: "Every day on set with Sean Connery was an object lesson in how to act on screen."

Sean Connery on the set of The Hunt for Red October - Getty Images

Star Trek star George Takei said: "Sean Connery was a movie legend, even far into his golden years. Our strongest Bonds were formed by him, and he was Untouchable. He passed today at age 90, a suave hero to the end."


01:09 PM

Bond film producers Wilson and Broccoli: 'He revolutionised the world'

“We are devastated by the news of the passing of Sir Sean Connery," Bond film producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said, in a joint statement. "He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words 'The name’s Bond... James Bond' — he revolutionised the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent. He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him.”


01:04 PM

Nicola Sturgeon's tribute: 'Scotland will miss him'

Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said she was "heartbroken" by the news of Sean Connery's death. "Our nation today mourns one of her best loved sons," the Scottish National Party Leader wrote on Twitter:

"Sean was born into a working class Edinburgh family and through talent & sheer hard work, became an international film icon and one of the world's most accomplished actors.

"Sean will be remembered best as James Bond - the classic 007 - but his roles were many & varied. He was a global legend but, first and foremost, a patriotic and proud Scot - his towering presence at the opening of [the Scottish parliament] in 1999 showed his love for the country of his birth.

"Sean was a lifelong advocate of an independent Scotland and those of us who share that belief owe him a great debt of gratitude.

"It was a privilege to have known Sean. When I last spoke to him it was clear even then that his health was failing - but the voice, the spirit and the passion that we all loved so well were still there. I will miss him. Scotland will miss him. The world will miss him."