Sean Connery
Sean Connery - A Famous Scottish Actor
Sir Thomas Sean Connery (1930 - ) Sean Connery was born on the 25th August, 1930 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is a well-known, Oscar-winning Scottish film and stage actor. The role that most people associate with Sean is James Bond, secret agent 007. A prominent Scottish Nationalist Connery is fiercely proud of his Scottish roots and has never lost his broad scottish accent (though a little "posher" than most it is, most definetely, an Edinburgh accent). He is also very well known for being extremely attractive, often being stated as the most sexiest man alive (People magazine 1989), many consider him just as attractive in his later life. Fans and critics, alike, often say that they believe his talent and appeal continue to improve with time.
Sean Connery was born August 25, 1930 in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland. His parents were of Irish descent with his father being Catholic and his mother being Protestant. His first job was as a milkman for the St. Cuthbert's Co-operative Society, which earnt him just £55 a year (wage slip and employment records now appear in the National Library of Scotland). He then enlisted with the Royal Navy but was discharged on medical grounds. After returning to the Co-Op he took a number of different jobs (including being a model for the Edinburgh College of Art). It was during the Mr Univers competition of 1953, in which he came 3rd, that Sean first considered acting after another competitor suggested the role in South Pacific. This led to further stage work, some television and then onto film.
1962 was an eventful year for Sean Connery, he married the Australian actress Diane Cilento (appeared in the classic Wickerman) and appeared in Iain Fleming's Dr. No as James Bond, 007, which would lead to another six bond movies (which, strangely is equal to 007). Connery declined further appearances as Bond for fear of being type cast (though it is also reported that he grew tired of repetitive plots). However, in 2005, Connery did appear, if only in voice and cartoon character, in the video game of "From Russia with Love" which has been quoted as his favourite Bond movie of all time (well of the ones in which he played Bond!).
Other roles came to him over the years but it was in his role as an older mentor in the movie Highlander that his career seemed to be revitalised. In 1987 he appeared in The Untouchables, for which he won an Oscar (Academy Award) for Best Supporting Actor. In 1989 he played the father of Indy (Harrison Ford) in the box-office smash hit Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and won him the admiration of a younger generation. Even more movies followed including The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen , but appears to have turned down roles in later movies which included The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings. In 2006 he announced his retirement from acting which he repeated in his acceptance speech on receipt of the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievemnet Award on the 8th June, 2006.
Sean Connery has stated that he is writing a history book and he remains involved in Scottish Politics. Sadly many lay critism on Connery for this claiming that he has no right promoting Scottish independance while living as a tax exile. Personally I find this very strange, attitudes are rarely taken into consideration in later history. Connery was born a Scot and will die a Scot wherever he chooses to live. He is entitled to use his position of influence to help fight the fight for Scottish freedom from the illegal ownership of England (I say illegal as Margaret Thatcher PM actually made the act of Union void when she introduced the hated Council Tax many years ago - check the agreement!). Oh well, the oil money has gone, stolen and spent, but Sean can still live in hope that the water of Scotland and the alternative energy sources available in Scotland shall one day belong to Scotland again. I was born in England from Irish, Scottish and Welsh bloodlinjes now living in Scotland but classed as English, as are my children even though they were born in Scotland from 3rd generation Irish parents? Crazy stuff when you compare it to the silly arguements against Sean Connery's support of the Scottish Nationalists!
You can find out more about Sean at his site: http://www.seanconnery.com
Or the Scottish Nationalists at: http://www.snp.org/
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