Sir Sean Connery 1930-2020
Tributes have been paid from around the world to James Bond star Sir Sean Connery, who died last Saturday (31 October) at the age of 90.
Before 1962 Connery seemed to be one of those actors that British cinema never used to their best advantage. The Rank Organisation foolishly spurned the chance to sign him to a contract in 1957 on the strength of his supporting performance in the “Dodge Tippers Travelling at 200mph” thriller Hell Drivers. Five years later, the Edinburgh actor’s CV included leading Shakespearean roles for BBC TV and films for MGM and Disney, when he was cast as 007.
And when Dr No went on release on 5 October 1962, it was dominated by Connery’s performance. His Bond was a figure of enviable self-assurance, whether he was dealing with Nehru-suited fiends or a 15/- per day hired Sunbeam Alpine Series II. 1963’s From Russia with Love, the only 007 film to feature the novels’ Bentley, consolidated his fame.
Connery portrayed Bond seven times, most recently in 1983 with Never Say Never Again, but his talents could never be defined by just one role. He won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for The Untouchables, although many believed that Connery should have been declared Best Actor for The Hill, The Offence or The Man Who Would Be King. He was knighted for his services to film drama in 2000.
And for millions of filmgoers around that globe he was always their 007, be he in an Aston Martin DB5, a Toyota 2000 GT, a Triumph Stag, a Ford Mustang Mach I or even a Morris Minor Convertible. ‘Shaken, not stirred’.