Scottish actor (1930–2020) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Sean Connery (25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was known for his charm and good looks, which have made him very famous. He was best known for playing James Bond in seven of the James Bond movies. He appeared in 94 movies. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jimmy Malone in The Untouchables (1987).
Sean Connery | |
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Connery attending the 2008 Edinburgh International Film Festival | |
| Born | Thomas Sean Connery 25 August 1930 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 31 October 2020 (aged 90) |
| Cause of death | Pneumonia caused by heart failure |
| Occupations |
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| Years active |
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| Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) |
| Spouses |
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| Children | Jason Connery |
| Family | Neil Connery (brother) |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |  Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1946–1949 |
| Rank | Able Seaman |
| Unit | HMS Formidable |
| Signature | |
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Connery was born in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh. He was born as Thomas Connery, but later added Sean as his stage name which is what most people call him. His mother, Euphemia "Effie" McBain McLean, was a cleaning woman.[1][2]
In 1946, at the age of 16, Connery joined the Royal Navy, during which time he got two tattoos.[3] He trained in Portsmouth at the naval gunnery school and in an anti-aircraft crew. He was discharged from the navy three years later due to an ulcer.
Connery had been in smaller theatre and television productions. He became well known when he became the first actor to play James Bond. Connery was the tallest actor to play James Bond to this day.[4][5] He later went on to star on Marnie (1964), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), The Man Who Would Be King (1975), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Highlander (1986), The Untouchables (1988), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Dragonheart (1996), The Rock (1996), and Finding Forrester (2000). Connery retired from acting in 2006.
During his career, he won one Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards (one being a BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award), and three Golden Globes. He received a lifetime achievement award in the US with a Kennedy Center Honor in 1999. Connery was knighted in 2000.[6]
Connery was offered the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings series but turned down the role because he didn't understand the script.[7] Connery also turned down the opportunity to appear as the Architect in The Matrix trilogy for similar reasons.[8]
Connery was married to Diane Cilento from 1962 until they divorced in 1973. They had a son, actor Jason Connery. Sean Connery married Micheline Roquebrune in 1975.
In 1993, news that Connery was undergoing radiation treatment for an undisclosed throat ailment sparked media reports that the actor was suffering from throat cancer following years of heavy smoking. He was falsely declared dead by the Japanese and South African news agencies. In 2008, he chipped a bone in his shoulder after falling while playing golf. In October 2009, he told Wine Spectator magazine that he has been diagnosed with a heart condition.[9]
Connery died in his sleep at his home in Nassau, The Bahamas on 31 October 2020, aged 90.[10][11] He had dementia in his later years.[12] The cause of death was pneumonia caused by heart failure.[13]
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