The original James Bond actor Sir Thomas Sean Connery has died at the age of 90. Mr. Connery died today in Nassau, which is the capital city of the Caribbean nation of The Bahamas. Connery’s son Jason said his father died peacefully in his sleep overnight in the Bahamas where he lived, having been “unwell for some time.”
“A sad day for all who knew and loved my dad and a sad loss for all people around the world who enjoyed the wonderful gift he had as an actor,” Jason Connery told the BBC.
Sean Connery, who was of Scottish ancestry, rose to international superstardom as suave, fearless secret agent James Bond and then abandoned the role to carve out an equally successful Oscar-winning career playing a variety of leading and character roles.
James Bond producers at EON Productions expressed their devastation after hearing the James Bond actor passing away. They sent their condolences to Mr. Connery’s family following the loss of a loved one.
“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,”‘ they said in a statement.
The official James Bond Twitter account also paid tribute to the James Bond actor by tweeting early on Saturday morning.
“Sir Sean Connery has died at the age of 90. He was the first actor to play James Bond on the big screen in Dr. No in 1962, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever followed.”
Sir Sean Connery has died at the age of 90. He was the first actor to play James Bond on the big screen in Dr. No in 1962, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever followed. pic.twitter.com/VaFPHCM5Ou
— James Bond (@007) October 31, 2020
As a James Bond actor, Sean Connery’s career lasted 40 years. He began acting by starring as James Bond in the 1962 Dr. No, based on the Ian Fleming novel. At that time, Sean Connery was in his 30s and not famous.
The Dr. No movie was condemned by various religious groups including the Roman Catholic headquarters in the Vatican, due to its sexualized and X rated nature. But the movie was actively screened at the White House in Washington, USA for president John F. Kennedy who was a big fan of James Bond.
Apart from the Dr. No movie, Sean Connery was a James Bond actor in numerous other movies. Some of the most popular ones he starred on includes: From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever, Diamonds Are Forever, Marnie, and The Hill.