Sir Sean Connery, the actor famous for depicting James Bond, has died.
He was aged 90.
The BBC says Sir Sean died overnight on Friday in his sleep while in the Bahamas.
The broadcaster says he had been unwell for some time.
Sean Connery: A remarkable life in pictures
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has led tributes, saying she was heartbroken to learn of the news.
Ms Sturgeon said the last time she spoke to Connery, "it was clear even then that his health was failing - but the voice, the spirit and the passion that we all loved so well were still there".
"Our nation today mourns one of her best loved sons," she said.
"Sean was born into a working class Edinburgh family and through talent & sheer hard work, became an international film icon and one of the world's most accomplished actors.
"Sean will be remembered best as James Bond - the classic 007 - but his roles were many & varied. He was a global legend but, first and foremost, a patriotic and proud Scot - his towering presence at the opening of (Scottish Parliament) in 1999 showed his love for the country of his birth.
"Sean was a lifelong advocate of an independent Scotland and those of us who share that belief owe him a great debt of gratitude.
"It was a privilege to have known Sean. When I last spoke to him it was clear even then that his health was failing - but the voice, the spirit and the passion that we all loved so well were still there. I will miss him. Scotland will miss him. The world will miss him."
Bond producers Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said they were "devastated by the news."
"He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words — 'The name's Bond... James Bond,'" they said in a statement.
The producers said Connery's "gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent" was largely responsible for the success of the series.
Connery, who was awarded a knighthood in 2000 for his contribution to the arts, played the British spy in seven movies, beginning with "Dr No" in 1962.
He wasn't just Bond, of course.
Connery starred in an Alfred Hitchcock film, 1964's "Marnie," opposite Tippi Hedren; was part of the all-star cast in 1974's "Murder on the Orient Express"; played Indiana Jones' father, in 1989's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"; and won an Academy Award for best supporting actor for his performance as Chicago cop Jim Malone in the 1987 film "The Untouchables".
But like so many characters in the Bond films, he could never quite escape 007.
He gave up the role twice before finally ending his involvement with 1983's puckishly titled "Never Say Never Again".
'Milkman, labourer, steel bender, cement mixer'
Thomas Sean Connery was born Aug. 25, 1930, in Edinburgh, Scotland, the first of two sons of a long-distance truck driver and a domestic worker.
He left school at age 13 during World War II to help support his family.
"I was a milkman, laborer, steel bender, cement mixer — virtually anything," he said.
Weary of day labor, he joined the British navy and was medically discharged after three years. The ailment: stomach ulcers.
Back in Edinburgh, he lifted weights to build his body and compete in the Mr. Universe contest. He came in third, briefly considered becoming a professional soccer player, but chose acting because he reasoned his career would last longer.
He got his first big break singing and dancing to "There is Nothing Like a Dame" in "South Pacific" on the London stage and in a road production before going on to act in repertory, television and B movies.
He went to Hollywood for two early films, Disney's "Darby O'Gill and the Little People" and "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure."
When he decided to become an actor, he was told that Thomas Sean Connery wouldn't fit on a theater marquee so he dropped his first name.
Then came the audition that changed his life. American producers Albert "Cubby" Broccoli and Harry Saltzman had bought the film rights to a string of post-World War II spy adventure novels by Ian Fleming.
Connery was not their first choice for "Dr. No." The producers had looked to Cary Grant, but decided they wanted an actor would commit to a series. The producers also realized they couldn't afford a big-name star because United Artists had limited their film budget to $1 million a picture, so they started interviewing more obscure British performers.
Among them was Connery. Without a screen test, Broccoli and Saltzman chose the actor, citing his "dark, cruel good looks," a perfect match for the way Fleming described Bond.
It's the way many will always remember Bond.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LjluZXdzLmNvbS5hdS93b3JsZC9zZWFuLWNvbm5lcnktamFtZXMtYm9uZC1hY3Rvci1kaWVzLWFnZWQtOTAvM2FlZmIzZDQtNmU2YS00MGE3LTg3OTAtMDZjNjQ2Y2FjYjYx0gFFaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuOW5ld3MuY29tLmF1L2FydGljbGUvM2FlZmIzZDQtNmU2YS00MGE3LTg3OTAtMDZjNjQ2Y2FjYjYx?oc=5
2020-10-31 13:58:00Z
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