Sir Sean Connery was best known as a movie star, but he got his start as a bodybuilder.
In 1950, the young Connery entered the Mr. Universe competition, but found he was no match for the bulkier American bodybuilders. Yet as fate would have it, during another bodybuilding competition a few years down the road, Connery heard that “South Pacific” was casting. He tried his hand at an audition and landed a part as a chorus boy, before slowly moving his way up in the show.
Connery’s first official acting debut came a year later, with n an uncredited role in 1954 feature “Let’s Make Up”. He continued to play smaller parts until his hard work paid off with a prominent role in Disney’s 1959 musical “Darby O’Gill and the Little People”.
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Those hoping to hear Connery sing in the musical were disappointed to discover his part was dubbed over. It wasn’t until 1992 that he recorded “Pretty Irish Girl” for a Disney soundtrack compilation.
It was 1962’s “Dr. No”, however, that made Connery a worldwide sensation when he made his debut as James Bond. He would play the leading man in another seven films.
For Connery, the hard work didn’t stop there. He didn’t want to be typecast after his run as the world’s most famous spy, so he teamed up with Alfred Hitchcock in “Marine” opposite Tippi Hedren. The film opened the same year as “Goldfinger” and gave Connery a chance to show off his multifaceted acting skills.
After he bid farewell to 007, George Lazenby replaced him for 1969’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”. That would be Lazenby’s only outing as Bond, with Connery returning for two more films. He donated the $1.25 million paycheque for his final two 007 films to his Scottish Trust Fund.
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A less accepted role of Connery’s was that of “Zardoz”, which saw the star in a mankini taking on a post-apocalyptic world. The film bombed in the theatres, but became a cult classic in 1984 when it finally became available on VHS.
Despite decades of box-office success, it wasn’t until 1988 that Connery won his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in “The Untouchables”. He also won a Golden Globe for the role.
He took home two more Golden Globes Awards, including the Cecil B DeMille Award in 1996.
With Bond behind him, Connery joined “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” as Indiana Jones’ father, Henry Jones Sr., which became the actor’s highest-grossing film, taking in $474 million at the box office.
He could have had an even bigger box office success with “The Lord Of The Rings” trilogy, but Connery turned down Peter Jackson’s offer to play wizard Gandalf.
In addition, Connery won a BAFTA for “The Name of the Rose”, along with an Academy Fellowship BAFTA Award in 1998. Other BAFTA-nominated Connery films include “The Hunt For Red October” in 1991.
Additional notable roles include “The Rock”, “Robin and Marian” and “The Man Who Would Be King”.
His dedication to the arts made him a very suitable candidate for knighthood, which Queen Elizabeth II confirmed by knighting him in 2000 for services to the arts.
Sir Sean retired from acting after 2003’s “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”.
Connery spent his retirement living in the Bahamas, although he often travelled to his homes in Scotland and Spain. He was also an avid tennis fan, and was spotted attending the U.S. Open numerous times.
On Saturday, Connery’s son confirmed to the BBC that his father had died at 90-years-old.
