Actor Sean Connery was cast in the lead role in a spy movie based on a book from the Ian Fleming series of novels. Connery’s name would become synonymous with the character James Bond the moment the British Secret Service agent spoke three memorable words for the very first time on screen.
The words: “Bond, James Bond.”
In the 1962 film Dr. No, which takes place on the island of Jamaica, the international spy was pitted against the arch-villain Dr. Julius No to save the world from destruction by nuclear rocket blast. The film was followed by two back-to-back sequels: From Russia With Love (1963) and the international blockbuster Goldfinger (1964). Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Never Say Never Again (1983) followed.
In all, Connery played the title role as the dashing, gentleman bachelor and seducer of women in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983 and appeared in a 2005 video game adaptation of the film From Russia With Love.
After he stopped playing Bond, Connery went on to star in multiple films also in the action, adventure, thriller genre with comparable success but none as memorable as James Bond.
Sir Sean Connery was once voted the sexiest man alive by People magazine when he was close to being 60 years old and “Sexiest Man of the Century” at the age of 69. A favourite son of Scotland, Connery died in his sleep today at the age of 90 in his home in the Bahamas that he shared with his wife, French Morrocan artist Micheline Roquebrune.