Legendary Actor Sean Connery Passes Away!!

Legendary actor Sean Connery has died at age 90. The Scottish-born actor, whose career began in the Royal Navy, went on to appear in 60-plus years worth of roles in television and movies. Today, Connery is perhaps best known for his roles in both the James Bond and Indiana Jones franchises. Connery also notably won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in 1987’s The Untouchables.

According to BBC News, Connery died in his sleep during the night sometime on Friday, October 30, or Saturday, October 31. Connery’s son, Jason Connery, told BBC News his father had been “unwell for some time,” and that the actor “had many of his family who could be in the Bahamas around him,” before stating, “We are all working at understanding this huge event as it only happened so recently, even though my dad has been unwell for some time. A sad day for all who knew and loved my dad and a sad loss for all people around the world who enjoyed the wonderful gift he had as an actor.”

Although it has been close to two decades since fans have been treated to a new performance from Connery (barring a few voice-only credits in recent years), time has not diminished his power or impact as an actor. He will undoubtedly be remembered first as James Bond. Connery was the first actor to play the suave spy, bringing him off the page of Ian Fleming‘s beloved spy novels and onto the big screen. Connery played Bond over the course of 20 years, beginning with 1962’s Dr. No, and ending with 1983’s Never Say Never Again. Connery’s breakout as 007 meant his days of small parts in TV movies would permanently be in his rearview mirror. His onscreen persona as an irrepressibly cool and charming man guided his reception in non-Bond movies like Alfred Hitchcock‘s Marnie, The Anderson Tapes, The Man Who Would Be King, and even Murder on the Orient Express. But, lest we forget, Connery’s talent exhibited in these roles didn’t mean he was a one-note actor. To prove this, may we remind you the Scotsman appeared in Time Bandits, Highlander, and Zardoz, all of which should serve as a reminder he was never afraid to try his hand at something off the beaten path.

As famous and beloved as Connery was in the first two decades of his career, it’s arguably the latter portion of his career where he delivered an even more formidable body of work. Post-Oscar win in 1988 — and coming off a hot run in the Indiana Jones movies — Connery entered a golden period for his career. No longer the young rogue and more the cunning patrician, Connery appeared in big box office plays, predominately in action and drama. Those roles included The Hunt For Red October, The Russia House, DragonHeart, The Rock, and The Avengers (no, not the MCU one), and a well-reviewed turn in Finding Forrester. By 2000, Connery was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his service in drama. Connery more or less retired following 2003’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen — a well-deserved rest for an actor who had dedicated his life to regaling audiences around the world for years.