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a14 people & arts
Monday 2 noveMber 2020
Sean Connery, the 'original' James Bond, dies at 90

By JILL LAWLESS Molly in "Tom Jones." They
Associated Press had a son, Jason, who also
LONDON (AP) — Sean became an actor, but the
Connery, the charismatic union proved tempestuous
Scottish actor who rose and ended in 1974.
to international superstar- Its impact lasted long af-
dom as the suave secret ter. Cilento would allege
agent James Bond and that he had physically
then abandoned the role abused her and Connery
to carve out an Oscar-win- defended his behavior in
ning career in other rugged interviews. In 1965, he told
roles, has died. He was 90. Playboy magazine that he
Connery's wife and two did not find "anything par-
sons said he "died peace- ticularly wrong about hit-
fully in his sleep surrounded ting a woman — although I
by family" in the Bahamas, don't recommend doing it
where he lived. Son Jason in the same way that you'd
Connery said his father hit a man. An openhand-
had been "unwell for some ed slap is justified — if all
time." Bond producers Mi- other alternatives fail and
chael G. Wilson and Barba- there has been plenty of
ra Broccoli said they were warning."
"devastated" by the news. When Barbara Walters
They said Connery's "gritty brought up those remarks
and witty portrayal of the In this file photo dated Sunday, Jan. 21, 1996, Sean Connery is honored at the Golden Globe in a 1987 interview, he said
sexy and charismatic se- Awards, in Beverly Hills, Calif., USA, when he received the Cecil B. DeMille Award. his opinion hadn't changed
Associated Press
cret agent" was largely re- because "sometimes wom-
sponsible for the success of exotic locales and more playing a wide range of Untouchables." en just won't leave things
the film series. prominent co-stars, among characters and proving By then he was at peace alone."
"He was and shall always them Lotte Lenya and Jill equally adept at comedy, with James Bond, and Connery was widely criti-
be remembered as the St. John. For decades, with adventure or drama. And when he arrived onstage cized, but still received
original James Bond whose actors from Connery to age only heightened the at the Oscars ceremony numerous honors, includ-
indelible entrance into cin- Craig in the leading role, appeal of his dark stare he declared, "The name's ing being chosen as com-
ema history began when filmgoers have loved the and rugged brogue; he set Connery. Sean Connery." mander (the same rank as
he announced those un- outrageous stunts, vicious a celebrity record of sorts He kept his promise not to Bond) of France's Order
forgettable words — 'The villains and likable, roguish when at age 59 he was play Bond again until 1983, of Arts and Literature and
name's Bond... James hero who enjoyed a life of named People magazine's when he was lured back a Kennedy Center hon-
Bond,'" they said in a state- carousing, fast cars, gad- "Sexiest Man Alive." by an offbeat script about oree in 1999. The follow-
ment. gety weapons, elegant He won the affection of a middle-aged 007. Based ing year Queen Elizabeth
Daniel Craig, the current clothes and vodka martinis fans of the "Indiana Jones" on the only Fleming story II proclaimed him a British
Bond, said Connery "de- (always shaken, not stirred). franchise when he played that hadn't been nailed knight, for services to film
fined an era and a style" Connery continued as Indy's father opposite Har- down by the film empire drama.
and that the "wit and Bond in "From Russia With rison Ford in the third pic- Broccoli and Saltzman cre- In 2005 he was chosen for
charm he portrayed on Love," "Goldfinger," "Thun- ture, 1989's "Indiana Jones ated, Connery took the a lifetime achievement
screen could be measured derball," "You Only Live and the Last Crusade." He role and helped produce award by the American
in mega watts." Twice" and "Diamonds Are turned in a poignant por- the film. The result was Film Institute. Thomas Sean
Scottish First Minister Nicola Forever," often performing trayal of an aging Robin "Never Say Never Again," a Connery was born Aug. 25,
Sturgeon said the country his own stunts. Hood opposite Audrey title suggested by his wife, 1930, in Edinburgh, Scot-
was mourning "one of her "Diamonds Are Forever" Hepburn in "Robin and Mar- Micheline Roquebrune. land, the first of two sons of
best loved sons." came out in 1971 and by ian" in 1976 and, 15 years Even as the 007 films made a long-distance truck driv-
Connery, was a command- then Connery had grown later, was King Richard to him a millionaire, Connery er and a domestic worker.
ing screen presence for weary of playing 007 and Kevin Costner's Robin Hood tried often to separate his He left school at age 13
some 40 years. He was in his feared he wasn't being in "Robin Hood: Prince of own personality from that during World War II to help
early 30s — and little known taken seriously despite his Thieves." of Bond. support his family.
— when he starred in the dramatic performances He was the lovable English "I'm obviously not Bond," he "I was a milkman, laborer,
first Bond thriller, 1962's "Dr. in Alfred Hitchcock's "Mar- con man who joined Mi- once said. "And Bond is ob- steel bender, cement mix-
No," based on the Ian Flem- nie" and Sidney Lumet's chael Caine in swindling viously not a human being. er— virtually anything," he
ing novel. "The Hill." "I'd been an actor people in a distant land in Fleming invented him after once said. q
Condemned as immoral since I was 25, but the im- "The Man Who Would Be the war, when people were
by the Vatican and the age the press put out was King" and the bold Russian hungry for luxury, gourmet Solution Sudoku
Kremlin, but screened at that I just fell into this tuxedo submarine commander in touches, exotic settings.
the White House for Bond and started mixing vodka "The Hunt for Red October." Those were the things the
fan John F. Kennedy, "Dr. martinis," he once com- Connery delivered a English loved to read about
No" was a box office hit plained. charming performance as following the privations of
and launched a franchise When he walked away at a reclusive writer who men- the war."
that long outlasted its Cold age 41, Hollywood insiders tors a teenage prodigy in The "real" Sean Connery
War origins. United Art- predicted Connery would 2000's "Finding Forrester." had a troubled first mar-
ists couldn't wait to make soon be washed up. Who He won his Oscar for sup- riage and a history of com-
more films about the Brit- would hire a balding, mid- porting actor in 1987 for his ments justifying domestic vi-
ish secret agent, with ever dle-aged actor with a fun- portrayal of a tough Chi- olence. In 1962, he married
more elaborate stunts and ny accent? cago cop who joins Elliot Diane Cilento, an actress
gadgets, along with more Connery fooled them all, Ness' crime-fighters in "The best known for her role as Puzzle on Page 13