Page 5 - The Nile Explorer Magazine 011

Obituary

James Bond,

dies at 90

ean Connery, the Scottish-born Sean Connery
Sactor who was film’s first - and
for many viewers, the only - “Bond, His good looks helped propel his bespoke tuxedos.
James Bond,” died at his home career from supporting screen Starting with “Dr. No” in 1962
in Lyford Cay, the Bahamas, 30 roles to a leading part opposite and continuing in six more Bond
th
September, but the cause was not Lana Turner in the World War II films that spanned more than two
disclosed. melodrama “Another Time, Another decades, Mr. Connery had an ability
Thomas Sean Connery was born Place” (1958). to convey an unvarnished toughness
Aug. 25, 1930, in Edinburgh, where In a career spanning more than five and self-assurance that captivated
his father was a truck driver and his decades, Mr. Connery made more moviegoers. “All I did,” Mr. Connery
mother was a maid. He grew up in an than 60 films — most of them in the once said, “was add a sense of humor
industrial neighborhood where he leading role. The Bond series aside, that was lacking in Fleming’s novels
recalled that the dueling aromas of only a handful drew critical acclaim: and a quality of effortlessness.”
a rubber factory and brewery hung “The Untouchables,” “The Man Who In his best-remembered films, notably
over the streets. Would Be King,” “The Hill,” “The his Oscar-winning supporting role
He dropped out of school at 12 Offence” and “The Russia House.” as gritty Irish street cop Jim Malone
and joined the British navy four Many were flubs such as “Zardoz” in Brian De Palma’s Prohibition-era
years later. In between jobs buffing and “ The League of Extraordinary drama ”The Untouchables” (1987).
tables and pianos, he worked as an Gentlemen”. A great many were Kevin Costner played lawman
undertaker’s assistant nailing coffins audience-pleasers such as “The Hunt Eliot Ness, and Robert De Niro was
at a funeral parlor. In his off time, for Red October” and “Indiana Jones gangster Al Capone.
he participated in a weightlifting and the Last Crusade”. Under Sidney Lumet’s direction, he
club and with his sculpted physique As a young man, Mr. Connery was drew critical praise as an unjustly
posed as a life model at an art school. roguishly handsome, with dark persecuted British soldier in a North
A friend persuaded Mr. Connery to features and a 6-foot-2 bodybuilder’s African military prison in “The Hill”
compete in the 1953 Mr. Universe physique. A onetime contender (1965), appearing opposite Michael
bodybuilding contest in London. for Mr. Universe, he had a sex Redgrave, Harry Andrews and Ian
Having won a bronze medal in the tall appeal tinged with the rough edge Bannen. Mr. Connery dived wholly
men’s division, he saw an audition call of his working-class upbringing in into the role of a brutal British police
for actors with a touring company of Edinburgh. He had been a coffin detective in Lumet’s “The Offence”
“South Pacific.” Motivated to impress polisher and swimsuit model before (1973), opposite Trevor Howard and
the show’s producers, he landed a a quick rise to movie stardom in the Bannen.
part in the musical’s he-man chorus most popular spy franchise of all He also was a rabble-rousing coal
by performing handsprings. “No one time. miner in Martin Ritt’s “The Molly
else could do them,” he said. In his novels, Ian Fleming created Maguires” (1970), a role that a Time
On the advice of a castmate, Mr. Bond as an impossibly suave British magazine movie critic lauded by
Connery began an autodidactic secret agent. The sybaritic Bond calling him “one of the screen’s most
education to improve his acting. He was an ace with women, a master of underrated stars, an actor of tightly
read plays by William Shakespeare intricate weaponry and the double controlled power and technical
and studied acting technique by entendre, a cultured vinophile (who accomplishment.”
reviewing texts by Konstanin preferred martinis — shaken, not Mr. Connery had a humorous side
Stanislavsky. stirred) and a violent thug who wore which he displayed in John Huston’s

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