The Life and Legend Of Sean Connery

His role as James Bond in Dr. No in 1962 catapulted him to the path to Hollywood stardom and all of its trappings.

His roles in films such as, Highlander (1986), The Untouchables (1987), and Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989), he has cemented his legacy as one of the most revered British actors of all time.

Despite his many years living overseas, Connery never lost his well-known accent.

While living in the Bahamas, he continued to advocate for Scottish independence.

On August 25, 1930, Thomas Sean Connery was born in the Fountainbridge neighborhood of Edinburgh.

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It wasn't long before he got his first job as a milkman, complete with a horse-drawn cart, as the eldest of two sons. A stomach ailment forced him to leave the Royal Navy after he was just 16 years old, and he was forced to retire because of it.

The self-confessed gym rat subsequently went on to work as anything from bricklayer to the lifeguard to art model for the Edinburgh College of Art.

He competed in the 1950 Mr. Universe pageant as Thom Connery and finished third in the tall man's division (6ft 2in).

An audition for South Pacific was suggested by a friend, and he soon found himself on stage. His acting career began when he was cast in the sailors' chorus. As a football player, he was also extremely talented.

Sir Matt Busby, a former Manchester United manager, saw him play in a friendly against a local team while traveling with the musical and offered him a contract.

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His major breakthrough came with the 1957 British gangster picture No Road Back.

In the beginning, Fleming was apprehensive about Connery portraying James Bond.

To him, the Scottish actor seemed like an "overgrown stuntman" who wasn't up to the task. Later, he was so moved by the actor's performance that he gave the character a Scottish heritage in his books.

He appeared in seven Bond films, including Dr. No (1962), From Russia With Love (1963), Goldeneye (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Never Say Never Again (1983).

You Only Live Twice was the final straw for him and he decided to step down from the post, but was lured back when his successor, George Lazenby, failed to impress.

Most of his future roles were in ensembles, in films like The Man Who Would Be King (1975) , Murder on the Orient Express (1974), and A Bridge Too Far (1977).

The Untouchables (1987) revitalized his career in the 1980s, garnering him an Academy Award for best supporting actor for his role as a tough gang busting Irish policeman.

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Also nominated in this category that year were future Oscar winners Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington.

Two years later, in Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989), he reprised his role as the father of Harrison Ford's whip-cracking hero, a role he played with great affection.

Connery had earned a reputation as a cutthroat contract negotiator by this point in his career. A frequent defendant in legal battles, he loathed the thought of being exploited by the movie business.

"Well, there aren't many sexy dead men, are there?" the 59-year-old said when People magazine named him the Sexiest Man Alive in 1989.

In the 1990s, Connery appeared in The Hunt for Red October (1990), Dragonheart (1997), and Entrapment, a 1999 love story/thriller starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, which Connery also co-produced.

In 2000, he was knighted by the Queen for his long-standing support of the Scottish National Party, an honor he was claimed to have postponed because of it (SNP).

The American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Connery in 2006, when he announced his retirement from acting.

In a 1993 interview with Vanity Fair, he was accused of saying that ladies who "want a smack" might be found. Connery is said to have said: "There are women who take it to the wire. That's what they are looking for, the ultimate confrontation."

He and Cilento had a son, actor Jason Connery, during their 11-year marriage.

His second wife, Micheline Roquebrune, who he married in 1975 and frequently accompanied him on the red carpet, is his only surviving family member.

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An honorary doctorate from Edinburgh Napier University was bestowed upon him in 2009.

When he last appeared in public, it was to show his support for fellow Scot Andy Murray at the US Open in September 2012.

He gatecrashed a post-match press conference in New York and took pictures with the tennis star. The tennis star was surprised.

Connery, one of the most prominent proponents of Scottish independence, was widely expected to be on the campaign trail ahead of the historic vote on September 18, 2014.

When the Yes campaign launched two years ago, the star proclaimed, "The people of Scotland are the best guardians of their own future." and his remarks were utilized to galvanize support.