Sean Connery, the strapping Scottish actor who, with his suave charisma, commanding presence and booming baritone, embodied the ultimate silver-screen incarnation of the British superspy, died overnight in his sleep while staying in the Bahamas, his family told the BBC on Saturday. A cause of death was not given.
The official James Bond Twitter account also confirmed the actor’s death on Saturday.
The Oscar winner starred in seven James Bond films beginning with 1962’s Dr. No and blazed through a celebrated three-decade streak as 007 that would culminate in 1983’s Never Say Never, setting the gold standard for others seeking to don 007’s sharp tuxedo.
In a career that spanned six decades — from his early days in TV to a full-blown run as Hollywood leading man — Connery would showcase his versatility as an actor, moving between prestige fare (TV adaptations of Anna Karenina and Macbeth), retellings of classics (Robin and Marian) and thrillers (Highlander, Rising Sun).
Connery, who was named PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1989 at the age of 59, would experience a reinvention of sorts in the ’90s with a string of high-octane pulse-racers, including The Hunt for Red October, The Rock and Dragonheart (in which he lent his thundering voice to the film’s mythic beast).
But outside of his Bond films, the Scotsman is most fondly remembered for two roles: as Indiana Jones’ testy, persnickety father in 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and as the doomed Irish cop Jimmy Malone in 1987’s gangster epic The Untouchables.
The latter film would eventually win Connery an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor — the only nomination and victory he would nab throughout his career.
Humble Beginnings
Connery’s massive global fame belied his humble beginnings as a youngster growing up in Fountainbridge, Scotland. Born on Aug. 25, 1930, Connery had spoken openly about a youth steeped in poverty. In an oft-quoted anecdote, Connery claimed that, as an infant, he would be put to sleep in a dresser drawer because his parents couldn’t afford a crib.
By numerous accounts, his early years were unfocused, as he took on a litany of odd jobs, from painting coffins to construction work to modeling nude for a local art school. He also had a failed three-year stint in the Royal Navy as a teenager.
But it was a botched bid to win a bodybuilding contest that would become a key turning point in his life — and serve as his gateway into the world of show business.
