The man who embodied the character of James Bond for cinema audiences endured a few false starts before Cubby Broccoli cast him in the role that made him world famous. Born in Edinburgh Connery came to acting via an assortment of jobs, and early ambitions as a bodybuilder. He paid his dues in small roles in British films, and an unrequited flirtation with Hollywood, before embracing screen immortality as 007 in Dr No (1962).
Five more Bond films followed; From Russia With Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967) and Diamonds Are Forever (1971), as well as an unofficial entry to the canon, Never Say Never Again (1983). He fought against the constraints of his best known role, and excelled in edgier character parts that played against the Bond persona.
He worked with Hitchcock on Marnie (1964), with Sidney Lumet on The Hill (1965) and The Offence (1972), John Boorman on Zardoz (1974) and John Huston on The Man Who Would Be King (1975). He shone as an ageing Robin Hood in Robin and Marian (1976), displayed a roguish charm in The First Great Train Robbery (1978) and a mature wisdom in The Name of the Rose (1986).
He gradually settled into paternalistic supporting roles in hits such as Highlander (1986), The Untouchables (1988) and – literally, when cast as Harrison Ford’s crusty father – in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Occasionally more challenging lead roles played to his strengths, highlights including The Russia House (1990), The Rock (1996) and Entrapment (1999).
In later years Connery lent his weight behind the camera as a producer, and throughout his career supported the cause of Scottish independence. He was BAFTA nominated four times, winning for The Name of the Rose, and was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship in 1998.
Read Sir Sean Connery's BBC obituary
Read Sir Sean Connery's Guardian obituary
Read Sir Sean Connery's Times obituary
Read Sir Sean Connery's Scotsman obituary
Read The Herald Scotland on Sir Sean Connery
Look at the BBC's In Pictures: Sir Sean Connery
