No other Scottish actors have the talent, the charm and looks like Sean’s. He has shown the world a different style of acting, more reserved, elegant and effortless. He’s been praised by his co-stars for his professionalism and has earned the respect of every actor/actress he’s ever worked with. Sean has risen from doing menial jobs to joining the Mr. Universe contest to becoming one of the finest Hollywood actors that has ever graced the silver screen.
Sir Thomas Sean Connery was born on August 25, 1930, was knighted at the age of 70 and was dubbed by his homeland as ‘The Greatest Living Scot.’ He’s the eldest son of Joseph Connery and Euphemia Maclean and was born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. His brother Neil is also an actor. His first job was as a milkman then joined the Royal Navy but was later discharged for medical reasons because of a duodenal ulcer. After recovering, Sean worked as a driver, laborer, coffin polisher, and even as an artist’s model at the Edinburgh College of Art. He then took up bodybuilding and helped out at the backstage of King’s Theatre, one of the prominent sites in Edinburgh, where he was probably inspired to do acting.
His bodybuilding hobby paid off when he placed in Scotland’s NABBA regional contest and was able to join the Mr. Universe in 1953. Sean’s excellent physique made him an exceptional footballer and was even offered a contract to play for Manchester United. He turned down the offer and decided to pursue an acting career. A year after the Mr. Universe contest, Sean Connery was casted in several films with small and sometimes uncredited roles. Sean’s path to fame happened when he won the role of a married British reporter that falls for a betrothed American reporter played by Lara Turner in the movie Another Time, Another Place (1958). It was reported that Lara’s boyfriend at that time, the gangster Johnny Stompanato, threatened Sean with a gun out of jealousy. The 6’2” Connery grabbed the gun and knocked the jealous boyfriend off.
Sean averaged two films per year from 1957 to 1961 including the role of Tarzan in Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure (1959). In 1962, Sean starred in the war epic The Longest Day (1962) along with legendary actors such as John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum and Richard Burton. The film was based from the book of the same title written by Cornelius Ryan about the Normandy landing was has become one of the top ten must watch movies about war. That same year, Sean was casted to be an Ian Fleming creation that would hurl him into stardom.
Although Ian Fleming had reservations on casting the Scottish as the very first James Bond, Sean proved himself the perfect choice because of his charisma on and off the screen. The James Bond movie series Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), Diamonds are Forever (1971) and Never Say Never Again (1983) were all commercially successful. These successes certainly paved the way for Sean Connery to be one of the most sought after leading men of his time. Sean’s other memorable portrayals in acclaimed films are Alfred Hitchcock’s Marnie (1964), A Bridge Too Far (1977) with Dirk Bogarde and Laurence Olivier, Jim Malone in The Untouchables (1987 – Academy, Golden Globe, NBR & KCFCC Best Supporting Actor), Harrison Ford’s father in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989 – BAFTA & Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor), a Russian submarine captain in The Hunt for the Red October (1990 – BAFTA Best Lead Actor), Draco the Dragon in Dragonheart (1996), the James Bond loosely based character John Patrick Mason in The Rock (1996), a professional thief in Entrapment (1999), and a recluse writer in Finding Forrester (2000). He also portrayed as kings in Time Bandits (King Agamemnon – 1981), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (King Richard I – 1991) and in First Knight (King Arthur – 1995) which probably befits him more because of his royal and authoritative features.