He began his theatrical career as an extra in the chorus, playing bit parts, and modeling. From those modest beginnings, he has become an international film icon. Many believe that his talent and appeal continue to improve with time.

His humble beginnings, growing up in a working class neighborhood in Edinburgh, gave no indication of the achievements that were destined to come. Sean was born into a working class family in August of 1930. The oldest of two boys, he spent much of his youth working at menial jobs, just to get by. He left school at an early age and went to work fulltime.

At sixteen, he enlisted in the Royal Navy. Like many young men in the Navy, he opted for a tattoo. However, unlike many tattoos, his were not frivolous - his tattoos reflect two of his lifelong commitments: his family and Scotland. After six decades, his tattoos still reflect those two ideas: One tattoo is a tribute to his parents and reads "Mum and Dad," and the other is self explanatory, "Scotland Forever."

After three years of Naval service, a long bout with a stomach ulcer shortened his "naval career". He returned to Edinburgh and seemed to settle into a life of hard work: bricklayer, lifeguard, and coffin polisher. Sean spent much of his free time bodybuilding, a pastime that eventually started his acting career. His hobby of bodybuilding culminated in a bid for the 1950 Mr. Universe title where he placed third.

From his early acting days until his first superstar role, Sean's stardom was certainly not an over-night success story. From his first work in modeling, bit theatrical parts, and chorus appearances, it was almost eight years before he was cast opposite Lana Turner in Another Time, Another Place (1958). It would be another four years before he first uttered those unforgettable words, "Bond, James Bond."

Connery skyrocketed to international fame as the suave, confident (and many say definitive) Secret Agent 007 in six of Ian Fleming's Bond movies over the next decade: Dr. No (1962), Goldfinger (1964), From Russia, With Love (1964), Thunderball (1965), and You Only Live Twice (1967), and Diamonds are Forever (1971).

He then broadened his career with an Agatha Christie whodunit, Murder on the Orient Express (1974), John Huston's adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's adventure, The Man Who Would Be King (1975), the medieval romance, Robin and Marian (1976), and Peter Hyams' sci-fi film, Outland (1981). He resurfaced as a much wiser and more mature Bond in the 1983 adventure, Never Say Never Again. For a complete list of his films, see the filmography page.

The 90's brought such great films as The Hunt for Red October (1990, as a Russian sub commander); and 1993's Rising Sun (as an expert in all things Japanese); Dragonheart (1996); and the successful contemporary action dramas Just Cause (1995); and The Rock (1996). In 1999, Connery starred in and produced (Fountainbridge Films) Entrapment, a love story-thriller, costarring Catherine Zeta-Jones. The year 2000 brought what many have said to be one of his best films, Finding Forrester. Sean's latest movie "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" was released in 2003.

Filmography

• Fourth Installment of the Indiana Jones Adventures (2008)
• Thunderball Boat Show Promo (2006)
• Sir Billi the Vet (2006)
• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
• Finding Forrester (2000)
• "Sonic Underground" (3 episodes)
• Entrapment (1999)
• Playing by Heart (1998)
• The Avengers (1998)
• The Rock (1996)
• Dragonheart (1996)
• First Knight (1995)
• Just Cause (1995)
• A Good Man in Africa (1994)
• Rising Sun (1993)
• The Princess and the Cobbler (1993)
• Medicine Man (1992)
• Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
• Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)
• The Russia House (1990)
• The Hunt for Red October (1990)
• Family Business (1989)
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
• The Presidio (1988)
• The Untouchables (1987)
• Name der Rose, Der (1986)
• Highlander (1986)
• Sword of the Valiant: The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1984)
• Never Say Never Again (1983)
• Five Days One Summer (1982)
• Wrong Is Right (1982)
• Time Bandits (1981)
• Outland (1981)
• Cuba (1979)
• Meteor (1979)
• The First Great Train Robbery (1979)
• A Bridge Too Far (1977)
• The Next Man (1976)
• Robin and Marian (1976)
• The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
• The Wind and the Lion (1975)
• Ransom (1975)
• Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
• Zardoz (1974)
• The Offence (1972)
• Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
• The Anderson Tapes (1971)
• The Molly Maguires (1970)
• Krasnaya palatka (1969)
• "ITV Saturday Night Theatre" (1 episode, 1969)
• Male of the Species (1969) (TV)
• Shalako (1968)
• You Only Live Twice (1967)
• A Fine Madness (1966)
• Thunderball (1965)
• The Hill (1965)
• Goldfinger (1964)
• Marnie (1964)
• Woman of Straw (1964)
• From Russia with Love (1963)
• Dr. No (1962)
• The Longest Day (1962)
• Anna Karenina (1961) (TV)
• Macbeth (1961) (TV)
• The Frightened City (1961)
• On the Fiddle (1961)
• "Adventure Story" (1961) TV Series
• Without the Grail (1960) (TV)
• Colombe (1960) (TV)
• "An Age of Kings" (1960) (mini) TV Series
• "ITV Play of the Week" (1 episode, 1959)
• Tarzan's Greatest Adventure (1959)
• The Square Ring (1959) (TV)
• Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959)
• Women in Love (1958) (TV)
• A Night to Remember (1958)
• Another Time, Another Place (1958)
• Requiem for a Heavyweight (1957) (TV)
• Time Lock (1957)
• Anna Christie (1957) (TV)
• Action of the Tiger (1957)
• Hell Drivers (1957)
• "The Jack Benny Program" (1 episode, 1957)
• Blood Money (1957) (TV)
• No Road Back (1957)
• "Dixon of Dock Green" (1 episode, 1956)
• "Sailor of Fortune" (1 episode, 1955)
• Lilacs in the Spring (1954)

Awards

• AFI Life Achievement Award 2006
• European Film Award People's Choice for Best Actor "Entrapment" 1999
• Kennedy Center Honors Lifetime Achievement Award 1999
• ShoWest Lifetime Achievement Award 1999
• BAFTA Fellowship 1998
• Tony Best Play "Art" 1998
• Venice Film Festival Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement 1998
• MTV Movie Award Best On-Screen Duo "The Rock" 1997
• Cecil B DeMille Award 1996
• National Board of Review Career Achievement Award 1993
• NATO Worldwide Star of the Year Award 1990
• BAFTA Award Best Actor "The Name of the Rose" 1987
• Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actor "The Untouchables" 1987
• National Board of Review Award Best Supporting Actor "The Untouchables" 1987
• Oscar Best Supporting Actor "The Untouchables" 1987
• Golden Globe Award World Film Favorite-Male 1971