NEWSRIP: 'James Bond' Star Sean Connery Dies At 90 Years Old
Sir Sean Connery has died at 90 years old.
The legendary actor, who was most famously known for his role as James Bond in the 007 film series from 1962 to 1983, was in the Bahamas when he reportedly passed away in his sleep, according to BBC News.
A source notes that Connery had been feeling unwell for quite some time, yet it’s unclear at this point whether the coronavirus contributed to his poor health.
"We are devastated by the news of the passing of Sir Sean Connery," Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli — producers of the Bond films — said in a statement, via Variety.
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"He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words — 'The name’s Bond ... James Bond' — he revolutionized the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent.
Sean Connery as 007 James Bond in Goldfinger, 1965
“He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him."
His acting career spanned decades, having starred in blockbuster flicks such as The Untouchables, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Medicine Man and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but his most notable work came when he signed on to play the suave secret agent in 1962.
In total, Connery reprised the role for seven flicks — Dr. No, You Only Live Twice, From Russia With Love, Thunderball, Diamonds Are Forever, Goldfinger and Never Say Never Again — and has since been named one of the best actors to have played the character.
Connery, who was the first person to play Bond on the big screen, went on to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Untouchables in 1988.
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He also made appearances in movies such as Highlander, Murder On The Orient Express, The Hunt For Red October and Finding Forrester.
Connery was also offered the role of Gandalf in Lord Of The Rings, and the Architect in the Matrix, but he turned down both parts because he simply didn’t want the scripts.
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In 1999, he received his Lifetime Achievement Award with a Kennedy Center Honor before being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Holyrood Palace in 2000. While the lucrative movie offers continued to pour in well into the mid-'00s, Connery decided to retire from acting in 2006, but he briefly returned to voice the lead character in 2012’s Sir Billi.
Sean Connery and his wife, Micheline Roquebrune, arrive at the White House in Washington, D.C. on December 5, 1999. Photo: MEGA
Before his booming career in Hollywood, Connery worked as a coffin polisher, lifeguard and milkman in Edinburgh's slums before his passion for bodybuilding would see him try his luck at acting, which ultimately landed him his first major role in 1954's Lilacs in the Spring.
