Sean Connery Sean Connery
Born Thomas Connery in Edinburgh, Scotland on August 25, 1930, he grew up impoverished. The son of a truck-driver, he comes from a background very different from that of his screen alter-ego. After leaving school, he joined the Royal Navy, but was released due to ulcers. He had many jobs, including laborer, lifeguard and model for art classes. But it was his career as a bodybuilder that led to his representing Scotland in the 1953 Mr. Universe contest, in which he placed third. This in turn led to a job in the chorus with the touring company of South Pacific. He appeared in several stage productions, and made his television debut in 1956. He signed a movie contract with MGM in the late 1950's, which led to a string of film roles.

He was cast as Bond in Dr. No in 1962, over Cary Grant, Rex Harrison, Trevor Howard, Patrick McGoohan and Roger Moore, even though Ian Fleming was quoted as saying, "He [Connery] is not exactly what I envisioned" as the fictional British agent . However, the film was a success, which led to 3 more Bond films in the next 5 years.

Tired of being identified only as 007, Connery quit the role after You Only Live Twice, in order to devote more time to his family and to golf. The next Bond film was made with George Lazenby, but Connery was persuaded to return as Bond in Diamonds are Forever. With that role, he said he was finished as Bond, but he returned for a final appearance in Never Say Never Again.

Connery has played many varied roles in films over the years, working with directors such as Hitchcock, Huston and De Palma. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1987, for his role as the Irish cop Malone in The Untouchables. He was also named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1989. He continues to work steadily, despite suffering from various throat ailments, and despite the wisespread rumors of his death that circulated in 1993. His latest film is First Knight.

He has been married twice. In an ironic twist, his son, actor Jason Connery, portrayed Ian Fleming in the TNT-cable TV film Spymaker.

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