Scottish actor Sean Connery, the first actor to play James Bond on film and for many fans the best, has died. He was 90.

Bond producers EON Productions confirmed his death, first reported by the BBC. Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said they were B次元官网网址渄evastated by the news.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淗e was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址楾he nameB次元官网网址檚 BondB次元官网网址� James Bond,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� they said in a statement.

The producers said ConneryB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址済ritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agentB次元官网网址� was largely responsible for the success of the series.

The Scottish actor rose to international superstardom as the suave and fearless secret agent, first playing Bond in B次元官网网址淒r NoB次元官网网址� in 1962. After a further four films, he abandoned the role, before being enticed back to play him twice more, finally in 1983B次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淣ever Say Never Again.B次元官网网址�

Sir Sean Connery has died at the age of 90. He was the first actor to play James Bond on the big screen in Dr. No in 1962, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever followed.

B次元官网网址� James Bond (@007)

While he will be most remembered for his portrayal of Bond, Connery enjoyed a varied career, which included the best supporting actor Oscar for his portrayal of a tough Irish street cop in the 1987 movie B次元官网网址淭he Untouchables.B次元官网网址�

He also had major roles in films including B次元官网网址淚ndiana Jones and the Last Crusade,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淗ighlanderB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭he Hunt for Red October.B次元官网网址�

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was B次元官网网址渉eartbrokenB次元官网网址� at the news.

B次元官网网址淥ur nation today mourns one of her best loved sons,B次元官网网址� she said.

He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 for services to film drama and in 2005 he was chosen for a lifetime achievement award by the American Film Institute.

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.

B次元官网网址淚 was a milkman, labourer, steel bender, cement mixer B次元官网网址� virtually anything,B次元官网网址� he said.

Weary of day labour, 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.

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He got his first big break singing and dancing to B次元官网网址淭here is Nothing Like a DameB次元官网网址� in B次元官网网址淪outh PacificB次元官网网址� 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, DisneyB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淒arby OB次元官网网址橤ill and the Little PeopleB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭arzanB次元官网网址檚 Greatest Adventure.B次元官网网址�

When he decided to become an actor, he was told that Thomas Sean Connery wouldnB次元官网网址檛 fit on a theatre marquee so he dropped his first name.

Then came the audition that changed his life. American producers Albert B次元官网网址淐ubbyB次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址淒r. No.B次元官网网址� The producers had looked to Cary Grant, but decided they wanted an actor would commit to a series. The producers also realized they couldnB次元官网网址檛 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 the 6-foot-2 Connery. Without a screen test, Broccoli and Saltzman chose the actor, citing his B次元官网网址渄ark, cruel good looks,B次元官网网址� a perfect match for the way Fleming described Bond.

ItB次元官网网址檚 the way many will always remember Bond.

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Jill Lawless And Hillel Italie, The Associated Press

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