Monday, Oct 5, 2026

Remembering the first James Bond

Among the countless actors to have played the famous spy 007, Sean Connery's portrayal remains incomparable

By T Ivan Nischal

Updated On - 1 November 2020, 10:56 PM

Remembering the first James Bond — Sean Connery Photo: Agencies

Hyderabad: Sean Connery, former milkman brought a working-class edge to the role of the iconic fictional character of James Bond created by Ian. Bond is an intelligence officer in the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6. He is known by his code number, 007. Sir Sean will always be inseparable from James Bond, thanks to the 1962-1983 run that saw him starring in seven films.

Thomas Sean Connery who was born to a working class family in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1930 had a childhood that belied the glamorous life for which he was eventually destined, including leaving school at an early age to begin working to help his family get by.

His first major film appearance was in 1957 British gangster film No Road Back. But, his breakthrough would come playing the first James Bond in Dr No in 1962 and making the character his own, blending ruthlessness with sardonic wit. He was widely regarded as the best actor to have played 007 in the long-running franchise. Many critics didn’t like it and some of the reviews were scathing.

The winning formula of the Iconic British spy Film series were the action scenes, sex, exotic locations and the super cars. It also managed to give us an everlasting image of Connery and the Aston Martin DB5 setting the tone for what the franchise stood for.

The Scottish actor, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000, also appeared in critically acclaimed films like The Untouchables, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and popular franchises like Indiana Jones. He won numerous awards during his decades-spanning career, including an Oscar, three Golden Globes and two Bafta awards. He has been voted both “The Greatest Living Scot” and “Scotland’s Greatest Living National Treasure,” and in 1999, People declared him the “Sexiest Man of the Century” and swept to victory in a survey seeking to find the best ever James Bond.

He is said to have died peacefully in his sleep while in the Bahamas after a long illness, surrounded by family. Much of the Bond film Thunderball had been filmed there.