Sean Connery is a truly fascinating individual, and he's led an interesting life, though it's not been all blue skies. After all he's "overcome a poverty stricken childhood, a variety of diverting career goals, a tempestuous first marriage, critical barbs aimed at his initial acting attempts (one critic said that he was 'in no danger of growing old in the business'), and the fear of being typecast as the very character that made him a man of enormous wealth."

Sean was born in Fountainbridge, Scotland on August 25, 1930. His parents were honest, hardworking people, but were also very poor. At an early age, Sean displayed keen athletic abilities, and even had professional soccer potential.

Sean joined the Royal Navy, but a distinct distaste for authority, led him elsewhere. A frustrated, though determined young man, he attempted to drown his anger in weight lifting, and he was Scotland's represenative to the 1953 Mr. Universe contest.

Sean eventually drifted into acting, heavily encouraged by an American named Robert Henderson. Gradually he started landing roles in stage productions including Anna Christie, Anna Karenina and Arthur Miller's, The Crucible.

After wading through several low-key, cameo roles in mediocre films, Sean landed a respectable role in Disney's Darby O'Gill and the Little People. Then, after a few more forgettable films, came The Longest Day, which starred countless famous actors, offering little screen time for our charming Scot.

But Sean's real break came when he was signed (much to the dismay of Ian Fleming and director Terence Young) for the lead in Dr. No, the first in the (hopefully) endless James Bond series. Sean was immediately rocketed to superstardom, and he was all too happy to go along for the ride.

However, Sean would quickly grow disillusioned with the public's inability to differentiate between him and Bond. His anxiety was multiplied with several failed non-Bond projects and increasingly inept interviews. Being a very private, family-oriented man, Sean deemed these unnecessarily mundane and distasteful intrusions to be too much.

During this time, Sean was struggling with his first marriage to Diane Cilento, who was growing increasingly estranged. Eventually, they divorced.

Finally, determined to forever break free from "bondage," Sean left the role of James Bond after You Only Live Twice. The role was filled by newcomer, George Lazenby, an Australian model. However, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Lazenby's only film as Bond, was a financial failure by Bondian standards, and producers Broccoli & Saltzman were determined to get Sean back at all costs. This led to Diamonds are Forever, Sean's weakest performance as Sir James, though one of the most lucrative contracts in film history. Sean's old friend (and one of Ian Fleming's first picks as Bond) Roger Moore would take over the helm of Her Majesty's favorite errand boy, for a whopping seven films, over the next twelve years.

After Diamonds, Sean drifted through the seventies with very few huge successes, excluding the taunt thriller, The Anderson Tapes. Many were financial disasters, though there were some gems, such as John Huston's epic adventure, The Man Who Would Be King (co-starring Sean's lifelong friend, Michael Caine), the richly melancholy Robin and Marian, and the immensly entertaining, The Great Train Robbery.

One very happy note occured when Sean married Micheline Roquebrune in 1975. He and Micheline met while playing golf (one of his greatest passions) and they proved to be the perfect match, remaining happily married to this day.

As Connery entered the eighties, and after several more "why bother" films, he was lured back into the role of "Bond, James Bond", in Never Say Never Again, a non-Eon produced take on the character. Coming in the same year as Moore's Octopussy, there was a hyped "battle of the Bonds," though this was eventually played down as Never ran into endless delays.

Then, in 1987, came The Untouchables, and with it Sean's first Oscar. Here, he started on the road towards the current box status he holds today. He experienced an enormous resurgence in demand and a newfound respect and popularity.

Now a literal living legend, Sean is enjoying a string of smashing successes. With such hits as The Rock and Just Cause, he's proving that, even in his late sixties, he's still the definitive leading man, smart, capable and sexy. As virile now as ever, he can still make eighteen-year-olds swoon. He remains one of the most intriguing and charismatic leading men of our time.

Sources:

• My own limitless knowledge on Sean, aquired throughout the years.
• Film Comment, May-June 1997.Film Society of Lincoln Center Gala Tribute to Sean Connery.
• The Films of Sean Connery, by Lee Pfeiffer and Philip Lisa. A Citadel Press Book, Published by Carol Publishing Group, 1993.
• The Incredible World Of 007, by Lee Pfeiffer and Philip Lisa. A Citadel Press Book, Published by Carol Publishing Group, 1994.
• "Rising Sean", and article by Frank Carr.