Sean Connery emerged from a hardscrabble boyhood in a teaming scottish slum to become
the world's favourite onscreen James Bond, win an Oscar and be named "Sexiest Man Alive." The facinating
and hilarious story of what happened along the way is revealed in this excerpt from Robert Sellers' new book, "Sean
Connery - A Celebration"
"It was a bit of a joke that I was chosen - the character is not me at all"
Amazingly, that's how Sean Connery remembers the biggest break of his career the day he was picked to be the legendary
James Bond. He was 31, unknown in 1962 and he was paid just $6,000 for his first role as 007 in "Dr No"
Connery didn't see winning the coveted Bond role as much of a career breakthrough. One afternoon he bumped into
Joan Collins and Anthony Newley: "Congratulations" said Newley. "Oh, it'll be just another job,"
Sean shrugged. "Then I'll be waiting for the phone to ring again as usual:' But after that film the phone
has never stopped ringing for the ruggedly handsome Scotsman. And his incredible career has linked him with some
ofthe most famous names in Hollywood.
When he starred with Gina Lollobrigida in "Woman of Straw" he soon grew weary
of her late arrivals on the set and the way she dictated to the director Finally he told the Italian beauty, "Either
he's directing the picture or you are. If it's you, I may not be in it"
By the end, Connery was reportedly sick and tired of Gina. During one scene he was obliged to rough her up, then
slap her across the face - which he did a trifle too hard. He profusely apologized for the resulting swollen lip!
Connery has a hard won reputation as a real-life tough guy. Most memorable of all was
his near-nuclear encounter with that other great screen macho man, Lee Marvin. At the time, Marvin was in London
shooting "The Dirty Dozen" and both stars had been invited to a showbiz party. When Connery arrived,
the hard-drinking Marvin was already quite drunk. Spying a quaint old lady sitting on her own; Marvin staggered
across the room and propositioned her in the most vulgar manner possible So slurred was his speech that the dear
old lady had trouble understanding and innocently asked him to repeat it Marvin obliged
It was then that someone whispered to him that the old lady in question was Connery's aunt and that Connery was
there at the party and heading right for him!
The terrified producer of "The Dirty Dozen" begged Connery, "Hit him in the body please . . . please
don't hit in the face, Sean!! He has close-ups tomorrow" Eventually, a fight was avoided.
While Connery was n "Another Time, Another Place" with Lana Turner, her lover small-time hood Johnny
Stompanato, stormed into the studio after hearing rumors that Lana was cheating on him with Sean. He waved a gun
in Connery's face, warning him to stay clear of Turner. Connery floored the punk with a righthook!
But Sean didn't stick around after Lana's daughter Cheryl stabbed Stompanato to death -in a killing a jury found
to be justifiable He was warned that gangster Mickey Cohen Stompanato's boss was out to get him. "Apparently
Cohen didn't believe that Cheryl had killed him" Connery said later. "He thought the killing had been
engineered in some other way."
Sean packed his bags and went into hiding."It was scary as hell for a while," he admitted. Despite making millions, Connery has never forgotten growing up in poverty and his tight fistedness is legendary. While making "Zardoz," he stayed as a guest at director John Boorman's home.There he often monitored the rooms, switching off lights and turning down the thermostat.One day he approached Boorman on set and said, "My contract calls for a car and a chauffeur, right?" He asked Boorman how much the deal was costing him - then said, "I'll drive myself and split it with you."
Connery once claimed to have been 8 when he had first sexual experience, and between his two marriages - to actress
Diane Cilento and
and French artist Micheline Roquebrune - he built an impressive reputation as a magnet for women. When he and Kevin
Costner were making "The Untouchables " Costner noticed a blonde beauty trying to attract his attention.
When the director yelled "cut," Kevin sauntered over and eagerly asked what she wanted. "Could you
get me Connery's autograph?" she asked him.
During the filming of "Diamonds Are Forever," Connery had a passionate fling
with Lana Wood, Natalie's sister. The first time she met Connery was a shock.
Lana showed up unannounced at his hotel and caught sight of him stark naked. "Well, hello there" were
Connery's first words! But Sean's charm didn't
always work on first wife Diane Cilento. When Michael Caine was visiting them at their home in the Bahamas, the
two men arrived at the house two hours late for lunch. Connery popped his head around the door - just long enough
to see the meal she'd cooked flying through the air toward him Both stars stood there... covered in gravy and green
beans.
His marriage to Cilento in Gibralter in 1962 had gotten off to a bad start. Connery was left at the alter anxiously biting his nails fearful his bride had had second thoughts. In fact Cilento had been delayed at the Spanish border for several hours. Finally married the newlyweds decided on a romantic walk. Inadvertently they stumbled onto a military base - and were arrested and detained for an hour!
From the Book SEAN CONNERY A CELEBRATION by Robert Sellers, Published by Robert Hale Ltd.