ACTOR · BORN 1930 · DIED 2020
Sean Connery
- Born
- 25 August 1930, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
- Died
- 31 October 2020
- Known for
- Jurassic Park (1993), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
317 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Sean Connery (25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was an actor best known for Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Sean Connery over the years
317 Interesting Facts About Sean Connery
Interesting Facts (101)
- #001
Terry Gilliam did not intend to cast Sean Connery as King Agamemnon in Time Bandits (1981); he simply wrote in the script that when Agamemnon removes his helmet he looks "exactly like Sean Connery." To Gilliam's surprise, the script reached Connery, who later expressed interest in making the film.
- #002
Sean Connery was once stopped for speeding by an officer named Sergeant James Bond.
Sean Connery: James BondImage: Wikimedia Commons · Unknown author Unknown author – Comet Photo AG (Zürich), CC BY-SA 4.0 - #003
In an interview, Sean Connery said that during the filming of Never Say Never Again (1983) he took martial arts lessons and angered his instructor by breaking his wrist in the process; thinking it was only a minor pain, Connery kept the broken wrist for several years. The instructor was Steven Seagal.
- #004
Sean Connery began losing his hair at 17 and wore a toupee in the Dr. No films. For other roles, various techniques were used to make the best of the hair he still had, and in 1958 he began wearing a hairpiece.
Sean Connery: James Bond and Green KnightImage: Wikimedia Commons · AngFerrao, CC BY-SA 4.0 - #005
Sean Connery improvised his iconic line "Bond. James Bond" in Dr. No (1962) after finding that his first introductory line, "I am James Bond," was flat and did not sound natural. He took several more takes before including the pause and gave the line its impact.
- #006
Sean Connery turned down the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings series (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)) because he did not want to shoot in New Zealand for 18 months and could not understand the novels. His decision not to appear in the trilogy is estimated to have cost the actor $450 million.
Sean Connery: a sceneImage: Wikimedia Commons · John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 - #007
During his time as a milkman, Sean Connery made deliveries to Fettes School in Edinburgh, the same school Ian Fleming's James Bond attended after being expelled from Eton.
- #008
While filming Diamonds Are Forever (1971), Sean Connery also worked with Jill St. John and Lana Wood.
Sean Connery: James Bond, behind the scenesImage: Wikimedia Commons · Rob Mieremet, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl - #009
Sean Connery is a good friend of Michael Caine and of the late Richard Harris and Roger Moore.
- #010
Sean Connery turned down the role of John Hammond in Jurassic Park (1993). Coincidentally, his Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) co-star Harrison Ford was offered the role of Dr. Alan Grant, not to mention that both would have reunited with director Steven Spielberg.
- #011
Sean Connery once worked as a coffin polisher.
Sean Connery: a sceneImage: Wikimedia Commons · Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0 - #012
After leaving the role of James Bond for the second time following Diamonds Are Forever (1971), Connery struggled to find work, for which he had been paid a record salary. Director John Boorman was able to hire him very cheaply for the low-budget production Zardoz (1974).
- #013
While filming the helicopter chase scene in From Russia with Love (1963), Connery nearly died. The inexperienced helicopter pilot came too close and almost decapitated him.
Sean Connery: Green Knight, behind the scenesImage: Wikimedia Commons · Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain - #014
He and his wife lived in the Bahamas.
- #015
Connery was the original choice to play Sybok in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), but he was busy with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). The words "Sha Ka Ree" in the film are a play on his name.
- #016
Connery once worked as a bricklayer.
- #017
He brought the future James Bond, Roger Moore, to a press screening in Paris for Diamonds Are Forever (1971).
- #018
In 1993, Connery underwent radiation therapy for an undisclosed throat condition. In a February 1995 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Connery said his treatment was to remove benign tumors from his vocal cords after he lost his voice while filming Rising Sun (1993).
- #019
Producer Albert R. Broccoli won Connery the role of James Bond after attending a screening of him in Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959). He was particularly impressed by Connery's fistfight with a village bully at the film's climax. Cubby later had his wife, the writer Dana Broccoli, watch the film, and Dana Broccoli confirmed his sexual appeal.
- #020
Connery had his own film production company (Fountainbridge Films). Fountainbridge is a district of Edinburgh, where he was born.
- #021
Connery once worked as a milkman.
- #022
If Never Say Never Again (1983) can be counted as an official 007 installment, Connery ties with Roger Moore for the most portrayals of James Bond — 7 each. Otherwise, Moore holds the record.
- #023
In 2003, Sean Connery had cataracts removed from both of his eyes.
- #024
In 1953, Sean Connery entered the Mr. Universe contest and placed third in the tall man's division.
- #025
James Bond's original producers, Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli, cast Sean Connery because he was a big, tough-looking man who nonetheless moved with grace ("like a cat").
- #026
Sean Connery began smoking at the age of nine.
- #027
Sean Connery was thought to have been considered for a surprise cameo in the 007 film Skyfall (2012). Director Sam Mendes and producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli came close to approaching him but decided it would be too distracting for audiences. The role went to Albert Finney, who had been considered to appear in 007 films alongside Connery himself.
- #028
While filming Playing by Heart (1998), Sean Connery enjoyed the acting so much that he even befriended Piper Maru Anderson, the three-and-a-half-year-old daughter of actress Gillian Anderson, who played his character's daughter.
- #029
After leaving the Bond series, Sean Connery and Albert R. Broccoli were on bad terms. Connery refused to attend Broccoli's funeral.
- #030
When gangster Johnny Stompanato came to the set of Another Time, Another Place (1958) to threaten his then-girlfriend Lana Turner, Sean Connery got into an argument with the underworld tough guy, who had to leave. Shortly afterwards, Stompanato was stabbed to death by the actress's daughter Cheryl in a case that became a sensation.
- #031
In March 2003, Sean Connery declared that he would not return home until Scotland became an independent country. He believed this could still happen in his lifetime.
- #032
In March 2005, Sean Connery pulled out of a seven-figure deal for an autobiography that had been planned for a second time. In 2004, the actor had signed an agreement with ghostwriter Hunter Davies to tell the story of his life from Edinburgh milkman to international film superstar. Six months before his dealings with Davies, Connery had also cancelled a similar agreement with Scottish author Meg Henderson. Henderson later said, "He is not the man I thought he was."
- #033
The role of Mufasa in The Lion King (1994) was written with Sean Connery in mind.
- #034
Sean Connery turned down the role of the Architect in The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003).
- #035
Sean Connery once went to the Paramount executive commissary, which was full of celebrities and executives. When he walked in, the room fell silent, and he joked, "Ah, eat your lunch."
- #036
In his bodybuilding days, Sean Connery measured exactly 6'2.4", making him the tallest actor ever to play James Bond, with both George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton standing exactly 6'2".
- #037
Sean Connery turned down Richard Chamberlain's role in Shogun (1980) because he would not act on television.
- #038
Sean Connery was the first James Bond actor to reach his 90th birthday. Eight days earlier, he had overtaken Barry Nelson to become the longest-lived actor.
- #039
Sean Connery played James Bond in Thunderball (1965). Eighteen years later, he reprised the role in Never Say Never Again (1983), a remake of the film. He is the only Bond actor to have appeared in both EON and non-EON productions.
- #040
Sean Connery appeared in an anti-gun BBC advertisement in which he stated he was against firearms, and in 1999 he called on the Scottish Parliament to ban all handguns in the country. When Connery learned that members of the National Rifle Association in America had blacklisted him as a boycott star, he said he was very happy to be on their list.
- #041
In September 2004 he withdrew from a film, sparking rumors that he would retire. Three months later, however, in an interview with The Scotsman from his home in the Bahamas, he said he had set aside a year to write his autobiography (something he had previously promised never to do) and that he hoped to make another film.
- #042
Sean Connery was parodied by Darrell Hammond on Saturday Night Live (1975), most famously as an inept contestant on the TV game show Jeopardy! (1984).
- #043
The extraordinary success of Goldfinger (1964), released in December 1964, and Thunderball (1965), released in 1965, took Connery to the top of Quigley Publications' annual Top Ten Money Making Stars poll in 1965. He remains the only British male star to have been the number one box office star in America.
- #044
At this point Sean said, "I'm not ashamed of the Bond films. Quality isn't only found at the Old Vic, and playing Bond is as serious as playing Zorro."
- #045
In 1989 Sean Connery was named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive."
- #046
Sean Connery planned the launch of his autobiography "Being a Scot" in his hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland, on his birthday, August 25, 2008.
- #047
Sean Connery played four kings: 'King' Daniel Dravot in The Man Who Would Be King (1975), King Agamemnon in Time Bandits (1981), King Richard in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and King Arthur in First Knight (1995).
- #048
Sean Connery played Robert Shaw's adversary in both From Russia with Love (1963) and Robin and Marian (1976).
Sean Connery: Robin HoodImage: Wikimedia Commons · Columbia Pictures, Public domain - #049
In October 1997 Sean Connery was ranked 14th on Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list.
- #050
When he was not making films, Sean Connery lived near a golf course in Marbella, Spain, where he played every day. He left because of disputes with the local press and later lived in the Bahamas, where he played much less golf.
- #051
Patrick McGoohan turned down the role of King Edward I in Braveheart (1995) because of the filming of Just Cause (1995).
- #052
Connery held a Shodan (first-level black belt) in Kyokushin Karate.
- #053
His most famous photograph, taken as James Bond, is the iconic image of him holding a long-barreled pistol beside his face. The gun never appears in any film and is in fact a BB gun.
- #054
Connery took dance lessons for 11 years. His teacher was the Swedish dancer Yat Malmgren.
- #055
After his death, his body was cremated and his ashes were scattered in Scotland.
- #056
In Italy, fans called him 'Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang'.
- #057
His original idol was the Welsh actor Stanley Baker, because he played convincing tough men in the quality British films he produced.
- #058
In a December 1987 interview with Barbara Walters, Connery caused an uproar by saying it was not a problem to hit a woman if she deserved it or if you needed to keep her in line. He had said similar things in a November 1965 interview with Playboy magazine.
- #059
In 1999, he was named 'Sexiest Man of the Century' by People Magazine.
- #060
In August 2006, he withdrew from an interview for the Edinburgh Politics Festival after the presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament, George Reid, promised to ask him why he had once told a magazine that some women wanted to be 'smacked'. Sir Sean, the SNP's most famous supporter, said this was 'unacceptable' and would jeopardize the interview.
- #061
In A Bridge Too Far (1977), he played Major General Roy Urquhart. The real Urquhart served as a military adviser on the film. Although he had been friends with David Niven since 1920, Urquhart had no interest in films. He therefore had no idea who Connery was or why his daughters were so excited that Connery would portray him in the film.
- #062
In December 2002, a poll by a mobile phone company named him 'The Male Celebrity With The Sexiest Voice'. Kylie Minogue came first in the women's category.
- #063
According to a poll by the British film magazine Empire, he created the worst accent in cinema history in The Untouchables (1987).
- #064
His role as James Bond in the 007 films placed 5th on Premiere Magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
- #065
In his youth, Sean Connery was a competitive bodybuilder.
- #066
Sean Connery was the visual inspiration for the original illustrations of the supervillain Vartox (created in 1974), one of Superman's enemies. Connery was 44 years old at the time. Vartox was modelled after Connery's appearance in Zardoz (1974).
- #067
In 1995, Empire magazine named Sean Connery one of the 100 sexiest stars in cinema history (7th place).
- #068
At the time of his death, Sean Connery's estate was valued at 300 million US dollars.
- #069
With the death of Kieron Moore on 15 July 2007, Sean Connery is the last surviving member of the cast of Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959).
- #070
Sean Connery appeared in four films with Denholm Elliott: Robin and Marian (1976), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Cuba (1979) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
- #071
Sean Connery was awarded the title of Commandeur des Artes et des Lettres by the French government.
- #072
Edinburgh Filmhouse rejected a proposal in November 2005 to rename itself "The Sean Connery Filmhouse" following complaints about Connery's tax exile status.
- #073
Sean Connery died just 6 months after the death of Honor Blackman, his co-star in Goldfinger (1964) and Shalako (1968).
- #074
Gert Günther Hoffmann was Sean Connery's German voice for years and, although his voice was very low, it matched Connery's charismatic and attractive side perfectly. Hoffmann died in 1997. The next dubbing actor's deep voice was incredibly close to Connery's real voice. Manfred Wagner died after dubbing two Sean Connery films, First Knight (1995) and The Rock (1996).
- #075
In 1991, Sean Connery received the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh award.
- #076
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) was initially planned to star Kim Basinger as the abused wife, Sean Connery as her psychopathic husband, and Aidan Quinn as the gentle professor she falls in love with; the roles ultimately went to Julia Roberts, Patrick Bergin and Kevin Anderson respectively.
- #077
Connery strongly criticized Timothy Dalton's dark and serious approach to James Bond, believing audiences at the time were not quite ready for a violent Bond.
- #078
Connery shares two roles with Pierce Brosnan: (1) Connery played James Bond in Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Never Say Never Again (1983), while Brosnan played him in GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999) and Die Another Day (2002); and (2) Connery portrayed King Arthur in First Knight (1995), while Brosnan portrayed him in Quest for Camelot (1998).
- #079
A Sky TV poll (February 2005) named him the Best British Male Actor of All Time.
- #080
He never appeared in a "skiing" James Bond photograph. Although Goldfinger comes close due to its sequences set in the lower Swiss mountains, all the skiing, snow and ice Bond films belong to other James Bond actors: George Lazenby (On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)); Roger Moore (The Spy Who Loved Me (1977); For Your Eyes Only (1981); A View to a Kill (1985)); Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights (1987)); Pierce Brosnan (The World Is Not Enough (1999); Die Another Day (2002)).
- #081
He won the Variety Club of Great Britain Special Award in 1963 for his role as James Bond in Dr. No (1962) and From Russia with Love (1963).
- #082
He never attended drama school.
- #083
Brian De Palma offered him the role of Robert Elliott in Dressed to Kill (1980), and he was very keen, but he turned it down due to prior commitments.
- #084
Along with Robert Rietty, Sean Connery is one of two actors who appeared in both Thunderball (1965) and the remake Never Say Never Again (1983).
- #085
In 2018, it was reported that an ancient Greek mathematical formula calculated Sean Connery to be the most handsome actor to play James Bond in the long-running film series, and that incumbent Bond Daniel Craig was calculated to be the least handsome according to the formula.
- #086
On 10 March 2003, Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso presented Sean Connery with the Manuel Amador Guerrero award, named after the country's first president. She said the award was given to him for his "talent and versatility." Sir Sean was traveling to Panama to visit various humanitarian programs run by the government.
- #087
In Morocco, Sean Connery was presented with the Marrakesh International Film Festival Award by his friend Laurence Fishburne, his co-star in Just Cause (1995).
- #088
Sean Connery's second wife, Micheline Roquebrune, persuaded him to buy the foreign rights to Yasmina Reza's play "Art." It became a great success abroad and made Connery a fortune.
- #089
Sean Connery won the 1965 Variety Club of Great Britain Film Actor Award for his performances in The Hill (1965) and Goldfinger (1964).
- #090
Sean Connery placed first among British male film actors in the Orange Film Survey, which had 10,000 voters.
- #091
Along with Wolfgang Preiss, Sean Connery is one of two actors who appeared in both films adapted from Cornelius Ryan's books: The Longest Day (1962) and A Bridge Too Far (1977).
- #092
Contrary to some reports, Sean Connery was not in A Night to Remember (1958). The character he was claimed to have played was actually portrayed by Larry Taylor.
- #093
Sean Connery appeared in five films directed by Sidney Lumet: The Hill (1965), The Anderson Tapes (1971), The Offense (1973), Murder on the Orient Express (1974) and Family Business (1989).
- #094
Sean Connery advised Nicola Sturgeon on how to project her voice.
- #095
Sean Connery was the older brother of Neil Connery.
- #096
The Name of the Rose was made because Michael Caine had to drop out of the film when the start of shooting was postponed.
- #097
In June 2008, Sean Connery injured his shoulder in a fall while playing golf.
- #098
Sean Connery has two tattoos on his right forearm: 'Anne' and 'Dad' in the shape of a dove, and 'Scotland Forever' with a dagger.
- #099
In his youth, Sean Connery was known as 'Big Tam'.
- #100
In his youth, Sean Connery worked at Edinburgh College of Art as a milkman, a plasterer, a coffin polisher, a lifeguard and an artist's model.
- #101
Sean Connery's only role as a villain was Sir August De Wynter.
Behind the Scenes (159)
- #102
Of the six actors who have played James Bond, he is the only one who served in the Royal Navy like Bond.
- #103
Terry Gilliam did not intend to cast him as King Agamemnon in Time Bandits (1981); he simply wrote in the script that when Agamemnon removes his helmet he looks "exactly like Sean Connery." To Gilliam's surprise, the script reached Connery, who later expressed interest in making the film.
- #104
He was once stopped for speeding by an officer named Sergeant James Bond.
- #105
He was paid a huge sum, a record, to return as James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever (1971). He donated it to a Scottish charity.
- #106
He donated his fee for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) to charity.
- #107
In an interview he said that during the shooting of Never Say Never Again (1983) he took martial arts lessons and angered his instructor, who broke his wrist in the process. Connery, thinking it was only a minor pain, went for years with a broken wrist. The instructor was Steven Seagal.
- #108
He has two small tattoos on his right arm. One says "Scotland forever," the other "Mum and Dad." He got them when he enlisted in the Royal Navy at 16.
- #109
He turned down the lead in the original The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), which he later admitted was a big mistake on his part.
- #110
He wore a toupee in the "Dr. No" films, having begun losing his hair at 17. For other roles various techniques were used to make the most of the hair he still had, and in 1958 he began wearing a hairpiece.
- #111
His favourite Bond film is From Russia with Love (1963).
- #112
He improvised his iconic line "Bond. James Bond" in Dr. No (1962) after finding that the first introductory line, "I am James Bond," was flat and did not sound natural. He shot several more takes before including the pause and giving the line its impact.
- #113
He turned down the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings series (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)) because he did not want to shoot in New Zealand for 18 months and could not understand the novels. His decision not to appear in the trilogy is estimated to have cost the actor $450 million.
- #114
He turned down the role of Simon Gruber in Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) because of the character's villainous nature. John McTiernan, who directed Connery in The Hunt for Red October (1990) and Medicine Man (1992), said he was his first choice for the role.
- #115
During his time as a milkman, Connery made deliveries to Fettes School in Edinburgh, the same school James Bond attended in Ian Fleming's novels after being expelled from Eton.
- #116
After serving in the Merchant Navy, he worked as a nude model for art students in Edinburgh.
- #117
While shooting Diamonds Are Forever (1971) he also worked with Jill St. John and Lana Wood.
- #118
He was delighted to be honoured with the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award, to be presented in Los Angeles on 8 June 2006, and was honoured despite his reputation as a harsh critic of the film industry. "It means a tremendous amount, especially because of some of the things I've said about Hollywood."
- #119
He is a good friend of Michael Caine and of the late Richard Harris and Roger Moore.
- #120
He turned down the role of John Hammond in Jurassic Park (1993). Coincidentally, the role of Dr. Alan Grant was offered to Harrison Ford, his co-star in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Not to mention that both would have reunited with director Steven Spielberg.
- #121
He was given the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award by his Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) co-star Harrison Ford, who told him, "John Wayne gave us the old West. James Stewart gave us our town. You gave us the world" (8 June 2006).
- #122
He used to work as a coffin polisher.
- #123
Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, initially disliked his casting as Bond for Dr. No (1962) because he felt he was too "unrefined." The actor in whom Fleming embodied Bond in his mind was Cary Grant. Fleming later changed his mind and admitted he was an ideal actor for the role.
- #124
As a young man he joined the Merchant Navy, but a stomach ulcer forced him to leave. After that he received a disability pension for a time.
- #125
After leaving the role of James Bond for the second time following Diamonds Are Forever (1971), he had trouble finding work, and for that he had been paid a record salary. Director John Boorman was able to hire him very cheaply for the low-budget Zardoz (1974).
- #126
He nearly died while shooting the helicopter chase scene in From Russia with Love (1963). The inexperienced helicopter pilot came too close and nearly cut off his head.
- #127
He was the original choice to play Sybok in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), but was busy with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). The words "Sha Ka Ree" in the film are a play on his name.
- #128
Of his career choices in the '90s (nearly his last decade in film), The Rock (1996) and Entrapment (1999) are his favourite films. On the other hand, The Avengers (1998) was a film he regretted making.
- #129
He once worked as a bricklayer.
- #130
He brought the future James Bond Roger Moore to a press screening in Paris for Diamonds Are Forever (1971).
- #131
In 1993 he underwent radiation treatment for an undisclosed throat condition. In a February 1995 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Connery said the treatment was to remove benign tumours from his vocal cords after he lost his voice while filming Rising Sun (1993).
- #132
He announced his retirement in an interview in New York during the 2006 Tartan Week celebrations. "I retired for good," he said.
- #133
Producer Albert R. Broccoli attended a screening of Sean in Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959) and afterwards awarded him the role of James Bond. He was particularly impressed by Sean's fistfight with a village bully at the film's climax. Cubby later showed the film to his wife, the writer Dana Broccoli, and Dana Broccoli confirmed his sex appeal.
- #134
He had his own film production company (Fountainbridge Films). Fountainbridge is a district of Edinburgh, where he was born.
- #135
He regarded the character he played in The Man Who Would Be King (1975) as his favourite film role.
- #136
He once worked as a milkman.
- #137
If Never Say Never Again (1983) can be counted as an official 007 entry, Connery ties with Roger Moore for the most portrayals of James Bond — 7 each. Otherwise Moore holds the record.
- #138
Connery received excellent notices for his leading role in Macbeth (1961) and wanted to make a film of "the Scottish play". Plans to make one in the early 1970s ended with Roman Polanski's Macbeth (1971).
- #139
In 2003 he had cataracts removed from both eyes.
- #140
In 1953 he entered the Mr. Universe contest and placed third in the tall man's division.
- #141
The original producers of the James Bond films, Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli, chose him because he was a big, tough-looking man who nonetheless moved gracefully ("like a cat").
- #142
He started smoking at the age of nine.
- #143
He was thought to have a surprise cameo in the 007 production Skyfall (2012). Director Sam Mendes and producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli came close to approaching him but decided it would be too distracting for audiences. The role went to Albert Finney, who had been considered to appear in 007 films alongside Connery himself.
- #144
While filming Playing by Heart (1998) he enjoyed acting so much that he even befriended three-and-a-half-year-old Piper Maru Anderson, the daughter of actress Gillian Anderson, who played Sean's character's daughter.
- #145
Connery and Albert R. Broccoli were on bad terms after he left the Bond series. He refused to attend Broccoli's funeral.
- #146
When the gangster Johnny Stompanato came to the set of Another Time, Another Place (1958) to threaten his girlfriend Lana Turner, Connery got into an argument with the underworld tough guy, who had to leave. Shortly afterwards Stompanato was stabbed to death by the actress's daughter Cheryl, in a case that became a sensation.
- #147
In March 2003 he declared that he would not return home until Scotland became an independent country. He believed this could still happen in his lifetime.
- #148
In March 2005 he pulled out of a seven-figure deal for an autobiography that had been planned for a second time. In 2004 the actor had signed an agreement with ghostwriter Hunter Davies to tell the story of his life from Edinburgh milkman to international film superstar. Connery had also cancelled a similar agreement made with the Scottish author Meg Henderson six months before his relationship with Davies. Henderson later said, "He is not the man I thought he was."
- #149
The role of Mufasa in The Lion King (1994) was written with him in mind.
- #150
In January 2006 he underwent surgery at a New York hospital to remove a tumour from his kidney. Connery's brother Neil said, "As far as I'm concerned the tumour was benign. He seems quite optimistic about it."
- #151
He turned down the role of the Architect in The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003).
- #152
It is said that he was one of John Gardner's favourite actors and was in mind while Gardner wrote "Scorpius", one of his 16 novels about James Bond.
- #153
He once went to the Paramount executive commissary, which was full of celebrities and executives. When he walked in the room fell silent, and he joked, "Ah, eat lunch."
- #154
In the 2000 Queen's Millennium Honours List he received a Knight Bachelor for services to Film Drama. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on 5 July 2000 at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, in a one-hour ceremony attended by his wife Micheline and his brother Neil.
- #155
In his bodybuilding days he measured exactly 6'2.4", making him the tallest actor ever to play James Bond, with George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton both exactly 6'2".
- #156
He turned down Richard Chamberlain's role in Shogun (1980) because he would not act on television.
- #157
He was the first James Bond actor to reach his 90th birthday. Eight days earlier he overtook Barry Nelson to become the longest-lived actor.
- #158
He played James Bond in Thunderball (1965). Eighteen years later he reprised the role in Never Say Never Again (1983), a remake of the film. He is the only Bond actor to appear in both EON and non-EON productions.
- #159
He once appeared in a BBC advertisement stating that he was against guns, and in 1999 he called on the Scottish parliament to ban all handguns in the country. When Connery learned that members of the National Rifle Association in America had blacklisted him as a boycott target, he said he was very happy to be on their list.
- #160
In September 2004 he withdrew from a film, sparking rumours that he would retire. Three months later, however, in an interview with The Scotsman from his home in the Bahamas, he said he was setting aside a year to write his autobiography (something he had previously promised never to do) and that he hoped to make another film.
- #161
He was parodied on Saturday Night Live (1975) by Darrell Hammond, most famously as an inept contestant on the TV game show Jeopardy! (1984).
- #162
The extraordinary success of Goldfinger (1964), released in December 1964, and Thunderball (1965), released in 1965, took Connery to the top of Quigley Publications' annual Top Ten Money Making Stars poll in 1965. He remains the only British male star to be the number one box office star in America.
- #163
He said his favourite moment on A Bridge Too Far (1977) was working with Dirk Bogarde, whom he had long admired.
- #164
He was offered the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (1991), but turned it down because he considered it too violent.
- #165
Before he was cast as James Bond in Dr. No (1962), Cary Grant, David Niven, Patrick McGoohan, Laurence Harvey, Richard Todd, Trevor Howard, Rex Harrison, James Mason, Steve Reeves, Richard Johnson, William Franklyn, Stanley Baker, Ian Hendry, Richard Burton, Rod Taylor and George Baker were considered for the role.
- #166
In an interview he hinted that after more than fifty years he might return to Scotland to live for the first time. He reiterated his belief that the country could achieve full independence in his lifetime (February 2008).
- #167
In 1989 he was named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive".
- #168
He is one of four Scottish actors to be nominated for an Oscar. The others, in chronological order, are Deborah Kerr, Mary Ure and Tom Conti. As of 2011 he is the only one to have won (for his performance in The Untouchables (1987)).
- #169
He planned the launch of his autobiography "Being a Scot" in his home town of Edinburgh, Scotland, on his birthday, 25 August 2008.
- #170
He played Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez in Highlander (1986) and Highlander II: The Quickening (1991). This is the only character other than James Bond that he played in more than one film.
- #171
Although he was 60 when he played Richard the Lionheart in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), Richard was only 41 when he was killed on 6 April 1199.
- #172
He played four kings: 'King' Daniel Dravot in The Man Who Would Be King (1975), King Agamemnon in Time Bandits (1981), King Richard in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and King Arthur in First Knight (1995).
- #173
For his services to the film industry he was awarded a knighthood in the Queen's Millennium New Year Honours list in 2000.
- #174
Tippi Hedren, his co-star in Marnie (1964), named one of her house cats after him.
- #175
He played Robert Shaw's adversary in both From Russia with Love (1963) and Robin and Marian (1976).
- #176
In October 1997 he was ranked 14th on Empire (UK) magazine's list of "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time".
- #177
When he was not making films he lived near a golf course in Marbella, Spain, where he played every day. He left because of disputes with the local press, and later lived in the Bahamas, where he played far less golf.
- #178
He turned down the role of King Edward I in Braveheart (1995), which went to Patrick McGoohan, because of the shooting schedule of Just Cause (1995).
- #179
He appeared in only one film nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, The Longest Day (1962), and was never in a film that won Best Picture.
- #180
Until his death he received a disability pension from the British Navy of nine shillings a week.
- #181
He held a Shodan (first-level black belt) in Kyokushin Karate.
- #182
His most famous photograph (as James Bond) is the iconic shot of him holding a long-barrelled pistol beside his face. The pistol never appears in any film and is in fact a BB gun.
- #183
He took dance lessons for 11 years. His teacher was the Swedish dancer Yat Malmgren.
- #184
After his death. His body was cremated and his ashes were scattered in Scotland.
- #185
In Italy fans called him 'Mr. Kisskiss Bangbang'.
- #186
He and his son, the actor Jason Connery, both played Robin Hood. Sean played an ageing Robin Hood opposite Audrey Hepburn in Robin and Marian (1976). Jason played Robin Hood, also known as Robert of Huntingdon, in the TV series Robin of Sherwood (1984). Jason also played Ian Fleming in the TV film Spymaker: The Secret Life of Ian Fleming (1990). Fleming was the author of the James Bond novels that made Sean famous in 1962.
- #187
In an interview with Barbara Walters in December 1987 he caused an uproar by saying that hitting a woman was not a problem if she deserved it or if it was needed to keep her in line. He had said similar things in an interview with Playboy magazine in November 1965.
- #188
He received the 22nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors, presented by President Bill Clinton in Washington, D.C., on 5 December 1999, for his lifetime contribution to the arts and culture.
- #189
In 1999 he was named 'Sexiest Man of the Century' by People Magazine.
- #190
He was withdrawn from an interview for the Edinburgh Politics Festival in August 2006 after George Reid, the presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament, promised to ask him why he had once told a magazine that some women wanted to be "smacked". Sir Sean, the SNP's most famous supporter, said this was "unacceptable" and that it would jeopardise the interview.
- #191
He received the BAFTA Scotland Lifetime Achievement Award at the Cineworld complex in Edinburgh, Scotland (25 August 2006).
- #192
He played Major General Roy Urquhart in A Bridge Too Far (1977). The real Urquhart served as a military adviser on the film. Although he had been friends with David Niven since 1920, Urquhart had no interest in films. He therefore had no idea who Connery was or why his daughters were so excited that he would be playing him in the film.
- #193
In December 2002, he was chosen as "The Male Celebrity With The Sexiest Voice" in a poll by a mobile phone company. Kylie Minogue came first in the women's category.
- #194
For his role as James Bond in the 007 films, he placed 5th in Premiere Magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
- #195
Time Bandits (1981) originally called for Connery to return as King Agamemnon when he leads a group of Greek soldiers in the battle against Evil and is killed, but the scene could not be worked out around Connery's schedule. A compromise was devised between Connery and the child hero Kevin, played by Craig Warnock, to provide the film's ending.
- #196
In his youth he was a competitive bodybuilder.
- #197
He received a lifetime achievement award on the opening night of Festa del Cinema, Rome's inaugural film festival. Connery was given the Marco Aurelio award in recognition of "his numerous cinematic endeavours over the years" (13 October 2006).
- #198
He was the visual inspiration for the original illustrations of the supervillain Vartox (created in 1974), one of Superman's enemies. Connery was 44 years old at the time. Vartox was modelled after Connery's appearance in Zardoz (1974).
- #199
In 1995 he was chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 sexiest stars in cinema history (7th place).
- #200
At the time of his death, his estate was worth 300 million US dollars.
- #201
With the death of Kieron Moore on 15 July 2007, he is the last surviving cast member of Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959).
- #202
He appeared in four films with Denholm Elliott: Robin and Marian (1976), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Cuba (1979) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
- #203
He was awarded the title of Commandeur des Artes et des Lettres by the French government.
- #204
In the 1960 television adaptation of Colombe, Connery's character Julien believes he is having an affair with the wife of his brother Paul (Richard Pasco), Colombe (Dorothy Tutin), and kisses Pasco on the mouth to find out what it is that makes him such a good kisser. Although it is a non-sexual kiss, it is believed to be one of the first male-to-male kisses on television.
- #205
In 1998 he received a Tony Award for co-producing Yasmina Reza's play "Art".
- #206
He is the father of Jason Connery.
- #207
Edinburgh Filmhouse rejected a proposal to rename itself "The Sean Connery Filmhouse" in November 2005 following complaints about Connery's tax exile status.
- #208
He died only 6 months after the death of Honor Blackman, his co-star in Goldfinger (1964) and Shalako (1968).
- #209
Gert Günther Hoffmann was his German voice for years and, although his voice was very low, it matched Connery's charismatic and attractive side perfectly. Hoffmann died in 1997. The deep voice of the dubbing artist below was incredibly equal to Connery's real voice. Manfred Wagner died after dubbing two Sean Connery films, First Knight (1995) and The Rock (1996).
- #210
In 1991 he received the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh award.
- #211
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) was originally planned to star Kim Basinger as the abused wife, Connery as her psychopathic husband and Aidan Quinn as the gentle professor she falls in love with; these roles were ultimately played by Julia Roberts, Patrick Bergin and Kevin Anderson respectively.
- #212
His father, Joseph Connery, died of throat cancer in August 1972 at the age of sixty-nine.
- #213
He strongly criticised Timothy Dalton's dark and serious approach to James Bond and believed that audiences at the time were not quite ready for a violent Bond.
- #214
He shares two roles with Pierce Brosnan: (1) Connery played James Bond in Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Never Say Never Again (1983), and Brosnan played him in GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999) and Die Another Day (2002), and (2) Connery played King Arthur in First Knight (1995), while Brosnan played him in Quest for Camelot (1998).
- #215
He was voted the 24th Greatest Movie Star of All Time by Entertainment Weekly.
- #216
He was offered the role of Professor Waldman in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) but turned it down. His Time Bandits (1981) co-star John Cleese was eventually cast.
- #217
He was the original voice of Tack the Cobbler, the hero of Richard Williams's cult animated masterpiece The Thief and the Cobbler (1993). In the original version (the workprint and the resulting "Recobbled" fan restoration), Tack was silent until the end, when he spoke with Sean Connery's voice.
- #218
His accent was the model for the voice of Stratos in the 2002 remake of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
- #219
He was presented with a lifetime achievement award at the European Film Awards in Berlin by Jean-Jacques Annaud, who directed Connery in The Name of the Rose (1986). (3 December 2005).
- #220
He was voted the Best British Male Actor of All Time in a Sky TV poll (February 2005).
- #221
He shares two roles with his son Jason Connery: (1) Sean played the title character in Macbeth (1961), while Jason played him in Macbeth (1997), and (2) Sean played Robin Hood in Robin and Marian (1976), while Jason played him in Robin of Sherwood (1984).
- #222
In 1988 he received an honorary DLitt from the University of St Andrews.
- #223
He never appeared in a "skiing" James Bond photograph. Although Goldfinger comes close because of its sequences set in the lower Swiss mountains, all the skiing, snow and ice Bond films belong to other James Bond actors: George Lazenby (On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)); Roger Moore (The Spy Who Loved Me (1977); For Your Eyes Only (1981); A View to a Kill (1985)); Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights (1987)); Pierce Brosnan (The World Is Not Enough (1999); Die Another Day (2002).
- #224
Before he took up acting, he seriously considered becoming a professional footballer.
- #225
He was offered the role of Robert Elliott in Brian De Palma's Dressed to Kill (1980) and was very keen on it, but turned it down due to prior commitments.
- #226
His grandson Dashiell Connery (Dashiell Quinn Connery) was born in 1997.
- #227
Premiere magazine ranked him 36th on its list of the Greatest Movie Stars of All Time with Stars in Our Constellation (2005).
- #228
Along with Robert Rietty, he is one of two actors to appear in both Thunderball (1965) and its remake Never Say Never Again (1983).
- #229
In 2018 it was reported that an Ancient Greek mathematical formula had calculated that Connery was the most handsome actor to play James Bond in the long-running film series, and that the incumbent Bond, Daniel Craig, was calculated to be the least handsome according to the formula.
- #230
On 10 March 2003, Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso presented him with the Manuel Amador Guerrero award, named after the country's first president. She said the award was given to him for his "talent and versatility." Sir Sean was travelling to Panama to visit various humanitarian programmes run by the government.
- #231
His first film in the role of Bond earned him £6,000.
- #232
His second wife and widow, Micheline Roquebrune, is the grandmother of Stéphanie Renouvin.
- #233
He was presented with the Marrakech International Film Festival Award in Morocco by his friend and Just Cause (1995) co-star Laurence Fishburne.
- #234
In 2003 he placed 8th in an online poll for Channel 4's (UK) 100 Greatest Movie Stars.
- #235
He had been invited to the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July 2014, and it was said at the time that he had withdrawn from the event due to eye surgery.
- #236
Connery's second wife, Micheline Roquebrune, persuaded him to buy the foreign rights to Yasmina Reza's play "Art". It was a great success abroad and made Connery a fortune.
- #237
He is the godfather of Dimitri Hamlin.
- #238
He won the Variety Club of Great Britain Film Actor Award in 1965 for his performances in The Hill (1965) and Goldfinger (1964).
- #239
He placed first among British male film actors in the Orange Film Survey, in which 10,000 voters took part.
- #240
Along with Wolfgang Preiss, he is one of two actors to appear in two films adapted from Cornelius Ryan's books: The Longest Day (1962) and A Bridge Too Far (1977).
- #241
Contrary to some reports, Connery was not in A Night to Remember (1958). The character he was claimed to have played was actually played by Larry Taylor.
- #242
He wrote a Bond script with Len Deighton as an exercise.
- #243
His mother was from Clan Maclean.
- #244
In an interview on Wogan (1982), Connery stated that he had initially signed up for 12 years in the British Navy, but served only three (1946-1949) and had to leave due to an ulcer. He reached the rank of Able Seaman.
- #245
He appeared in five films directed by Sidney Lumet: The Hill (1965), The Anderson Tapes (1971), The Offence (1973), Murder on the Orient Express (1974) and Family Business (1989).
- #246
He advised Nicola Sturgeon on how to project her voice.
- #247
He is the former father-in-law of Mia Sara.
- #248
I was born at 18:05 (GMT).
- #249
He is the older brother of Neil Connery.
- #250
Three stepchildren: stepdaughter Marie-Christine 'Micha' Garbe-Renouvin (b. August 2, 1950) and stepson Olivier Garbe (b. August 15, 1954) from Micheline's first marriage to Jean-Pierre Garbe; and stepson Stephane Cosman (b. March 7, 1964) from Micheline's second marriage to Michael Cosman.
- #251
At the age of 58, he played the father of Harrison Ford, who was 46, in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and of Dustin Hoffman, who was 51, in Family Business.
- #252
He was impersonated by Craig Ferguson's character Nigel Wick in the film Drew Blows His Promotion (1997).
- #253
In June 2008, he fell while playing golf and injured his shoulder.
- #254
His son Jason Connery nearly signed on to the Bollywood film Namastey London (2007). He was to play a major role, but producer Vipul Shah and Jason could not reach an agreement.
- #255
He has 2 tattoos on his right forearm: Mother and Father in the shape of doves, and Scotland Forever with a dagger.
- #256
In his youth he was known as 'Big Tam'.
- #257
In his youth he worked at Edinburgh College of Art as a milkman, plasterer, coffin polisher, lifeguard and male model.
- #258
His only role as a villain was Sir August De Wynter.
- #259
The marriage to Micheline put an end to Sean's well-documented relationships with Lynsey de Paul and Nina Kraft in 1989 and 1996 respectively.
- #260
His insistence on seeing the entire script before accepting a role astonished Alfred Hitchcock, who called to offer him the part in Marnie (1964); as the legendary director put it, "a phone call from me is usually enough"; he turned down Blow-Up (1966) because the only thing Michelangelo Antonioni could show him was "about seven sketchy pages and something written on a Woodbine packet".
Characters & Cast (12)
- #261
Sean Connery turned down the lead role in the original The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), which he later admitted was a big mistake on his part.
- #262
Sean Connery turned down the role of Simon Gruber in Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) because of the character's villainous nature. John McTiernan, who directed Connery in The Hunt for Red October (1990) and Medicine Man (1992), said Connery was his first choice for the role.
- #263
Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, initially disliked Connery's casting as Bond for Dr. No (1962) because he felt he was not "refined" enough. The actor Fleming had in mind to embody Bond was Cary Grant. Fleming later changed his mind and admitted Connery was an ideal actor for the role.
- #264
Connery received excellent reviews for his leading role in Macbeth (1961) and wanted to make a film of "the Scottish Play." Plans to make a film in the early 1970s ended with Roman Polanski's Macbeth (1971).
- #265
Before Sean Connery was cast as James Bond in Dr. No (1962), Cary Grant, David Niven, Patrick McGoohan, Laurence Harvey, Richard Todd, Trevor Howard, Rex Harrison, James Mason, Steve Reeves, Richard Johnson, William Franklyn, Stanley Baker, Ian Hendry, Richard Burton, Rod Taylor and George Baker were considered for the role.
- #266
Sean Connery played Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez in Highlander (1986) and Highlander II: The Quickening (1991). This is the only character other than James Bond that he played in more than one film.
- #267
When Sean Connery played Richard the Lionheart in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), he was 60 years old, although Richard was only 41 when he was killed on April 6, 1199.
- #268
Tippi Hedren, the star of Marnie (1964), named one of her house cats after Sean Connery.
- #269
Time Bandits (1981) originally called for Sean Connery to lead a group of Greek soldiers in King Agamemnon's battle against Evil and to return as he is killed, but the scene could not be worked into Connery's schedule. A compromise was devised between Connery and Craig Warnock, who played the child hero Kevin, to provide the film's ending.
- #270
He was offered the role of Professor Waldman in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) but turned it down; John Cleese, the star of his Time Bandits (1981), was eventually cast.
- #271
He was seriously considered for the role of King Philip of Macedon in Oliver Stone's Alexander (2004).
- #272
Sean Connery's insistence on seeing the complete script before accepting a role astonished Alfred Hitchcock, who called him to offer the part in Marnie (1964); as the legendary director put it, "a phone call from me is usually enough". He turned down Blow-Up (1966) because the only thing Michelangelo Antonioni could show him was "about seven sketchy pages and something written on a Woodbine packet".
Career & Awards (14)
- #273
Sean Connery was happy to be honored with the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award, which he received in Los Angeles on June 8, 2006, and was honored despite his reputation as a harsh critic of the film industry. "It means an enormous amount, especially because of some of the things I've said about Hollywood."
- #274
Sean Connery was presented with the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award by his Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) co-star Harrison Ford, who told him, "John Wayne gave us the old West. James Stewart gave us our town. You gave us the world" (June 8, 2006).
- #275
During the 2006 Tartan Week celebrations, Connery announced his retirement in an interview in New York. "I retired for good," he said.
- #276
For his services to the film industry, Sean Connery was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the Queen's 2000 Millennium New Year Honours List.
- #277
Sean Connery appeared in The Longest Day (1962), which was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, and never appeared in a film that won Best Picture.
- #278
On December 5, 1999, in Washington, D.C., he received the 22nd Annual Kennedy Center Honor from President Bill Clinton for his lifetime contributions to the arts and culture.
- #279
He received the BAFTA Scotland Lifetime Achievement Award at the Cineworld complex in Edinburgh, Scotland (August 25, 2006).
- #280
Sean Connery received a lifetime achievement award on the opening night of Festa del Cinema, the opening film festival of Rome. Connery was given the Marco Aurelio award in recognition of "his numerous cinematic endeavours over the years" (13 October 2006).
- #281
In 1998, Sean Connery received a Tony Award for co-producing Yasmina Reza's play "Art".
- #282
Entertainment Weekly named him the 24th Greatest Movie Star of All Time.
- #283
He received a lifetime achievement award at the European Film Awards in Berlin, presented by Jean-Jacques Annaud, who directed Connery in The Name of the Rose (1986). (3 December 2005).
- #284
Before taking up acting, he seriously considered becoming a professional footballer.
- #285
Sean Connery's first film in the role of Bond earned him £6,000.
- #286
In 2003, Sean Connery placed 8th in an online poll for Channel 4's (UK) 100 Greatest Film Stars.
Life & Family (31)
- #287
Of the six actors who have played James Bond, Sean Connery is the only one who served in the Royal Navy like Bond.
- #288
Sean Connery was paid a record-breaking sum to return as James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and he donated it to a Scottish charity.
- #289
Sean Connery donated his fee for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) to charity.
- #290
Sean Connery has two small tattoos on his right arm. One says "Scotland Forever" and the other "Mum and Dad." He got them when he enlisted in the Royal Navy at age 16.
- #291
Sean Connery's favorite Bond film is From Russia with Love (1963).
- #292
After serving in the Merchant Navy, Sean Connery worked as a nude model for art students in Edinburgh.
- #293
As a young man, Connery joined the Merchant Navy, but a stomach ulcer forced him to leave. He then received a disability pension for a time.
- #294
Connery considers the character he played in The Man Who Would Be King (1975) to be his favorite film role.
- #295
His father Joseph was of half-Irish and half-Scottish descent, and his mother Euphemia was of Scottish descent.
- #296
In January 2006, Sean Connery underwent surgery at a New York hospital to remove a tumour from his kidney. Connery's brother Neil said, "If you ask me, the tumour was benign. He seems quite optimistic about it."
- #297
In the 2000 Queen's Millennium Honours List, Sean Connery received a knighthood for his services to film drama. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on 5 July 2000 at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, Scotland, in a one-hour ceremony attended by his wife Micheline and his brother Neil.
- #298
Sean Connery said his favorite moment on A Bridge Too Far (1977) was working with Dirk Bogarde, whom he had long admired.
- #299
In an interview, Sean Connery hinted that after more than fifty years he might return to Scotland to live for the first time. He reiterated his belief that the country could achieve full independence within his lifetime (February 2008).
- #300
Until his death, Connery received a disability pension from the British Navy of nine shillings a week.
- #301
He and his son, the actor Jason Connery, both portrayed Robin Hood. Sean played an aging Robin Hood opposite Audrey Hepburn in Robin and Marian (1976). Jason played Robin Hood, also known as Robert of Huntingdon, in the television series Robin of Sherwood (1984). Jason also played Ian Fleming in the television film Spymaker: The Secret Life of Ian Fleming (1990). Fleming was the author of the James Bond novels that made Sean famous in 1962.
- #302
He made significant contributions to the Scottish National Party (SNP). This was halted for a time when the ruling Labour government said that people living outside the United Kingdom would not be allowed to donate to British political parties.
- #303
In the 1960 television adaptation of Colombe, Sean Connery's character Julien believes his brother Paul's wife Colombe (Dorothy Tutin) is having an affair and kisses Paul (Richard Pasco) on the mouth to find out what makes him such a good kisser. Although the kiss is non-sexual, it is believed to be one of the first male-to-male kisses on television.
- #304
Sean Connery is the father of Jason Connery.
- #305
Connery's father, Joseph Connery, died of throat cancer in August 1972 at the age of sixty-nine.
- #306
Connery shares two roles with his son Jason Connery: (1) Sean played the title character in Macbeth (1961), while Jason played him in Macbeth (1997); and (2) Sean played Robin Hood in Robin and Marian (1976), while Jason played him in Robin of Sherwood (1984).
- #307
In 1988 he received an honorary DLitt degree from the University of St Andrews.
- #308
In 1997, Sean Connery's grandson Dashiell Connery (Dashiell Quinn Connery) was born.
- #309
Sean Connery's second wife and widow, Micheline Roquebrune, is the grandmother of Stéphanie Renouvin.
- #310
In July 2014, Sean Connery had been invited to the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and it was said at the time that he had withdrawn from the event due to eye surgery.
- #311
Sean Connery is the godfather of Dimitri Hamlin.
- #312
Sean Connery's mother was of Clan Maclean descent.
- #313
In an interview on Wogan (1982), Sean Connery stated that he initially enlisted in the British Navy for 12 years but served only three (1946-1949), and had to leave due to an ulcer. He reached the rank of Able Seaman.
- #314
Sean Connery was the former father-in-law of Mia Sara.
- #315
Sean Connery had three stepchildren: his stepdaughter Marie-Christine 'Micha' Garbe-Renouvin (b. 2 August 1950) and stepson Olivier Garbe (b. 15 August 1954) from Micheline's first marriage to Jean-Pierre Garbe, and his stepson Stephane Cosman (b. 7 March 1964) from Micheline's second marriage to Michael Cosman.
- #316
At the age of 58, Sean Connery played the father of Harrison Ford, who was 46, in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and of Dustin Hoffman, who was 51, in Family Business.
- #317
Sean Connery's son Jason Connery nearly signed on to the Bollywood film Namastey London (2007). He was to play a significant role, but producer Vipul Shah and Jason could not reach an agreement.
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Reference databases
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