Sean Connery
Sean Connery (Sir) playing James Bond
Born in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland on 25th August 1930
Starred In Dr. No (1962), From Russia With Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967) and Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
The first and some people say the best James Bond is Sean Connery. Born on 25th August 1930, Connery started out life as a coffin polisher. He remained an unknown in the film world until he was cast as James Bond in Dr No in 1962.
When the producers Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli and Harry Saltzman looked for someone to play their James Bond, they had to find someone who could portray his suave, sophisticated and witty characteristics. After a couple of possibilities they eventually settled on one man, Connery...Sean Connery. Although Sean Connery's background was the complete opposite of the character he was going to portray, Broccoli, his wife and Saltzman all came to the conclusion that Sean Connery was James Bond. This established himself in the film industry as James Bond, a reputation that would continue until You Only Live Twice in 1967. Sean Connery would return to play the part of James Bond once more in Diamonds Are Forever in 1971.
Sean Connery's return in Diamonds Are Forever would cost $1,250,000 US, 10% of the films gross, $145,000 for every week the film ran over schedule and financial backing to produce two films, one in which Connery could direct. This entered Sean Connery into the Guinness Book of Records for the highest paid actor. Further surprises would be had when Connery gave his entire salary for Diamonds Are Forever to the Scottish International Education Trust.
Connery would return once more as Bond in 1983, but only in an unofficial film "Never Say Never Again", where as Roger Moore was featuring as the ‘true’ Bond in Octopussy. Since playing James Bond Sean Connery has gone onto starring in many popular, well known films and tv/programmes.
Sean Connery's James Bond is one of sophistication, charm and wit. He is full of confidence, calm under pressure and is one with the ladies. From his first film Dr. No, Honey Ryder's singing awakes Bond. When she asks if he is looking for shells, he calmly replies, "No, I'm just looking". When Bond is about to be rather painfully cut down the middle by a laser in Goldfinger he still replies with a witticism. Connery's way of playing James Bond does have a "dark side" as well. After Bond is involved in a nasty fight at the beginning of Goldfinger, the man he is fighting falls into a bath full of water. Before he can grab Bond's gun hung up on the wall, 007 throws an electric lamp into the bath. Bond then calmly walks out the room commenting "Shocking, positively shocking". Another example is in Dr. No when Professor Dent shoots what he thinks is 007 in bed. After failing, and learning of his plans, Bond takes pleasure in shooting Dent three times with a silencer.
One thing is sure though; since Sean Connery was the original Bond he will always be the James Bond that is used to compare past, present and future James Bond's in their role as Bond, James Bond. §
