Sean Connery, Scotland's finest actor
Posted: September 12th, 2008, 12:12 pm
IMO Sean Connery is the best actor to come out of Scotland, though he's taken plenty of stick because he chooses to live in tax exile while supporting the governing Scottish National Party as they push for indepentance and break away from The United Kingdom.
I wonder what American's will make on his biography. particulary his changing of allegiance in supporting soccer teams Celtic and Rangers, depending on who was playing better at the time. I don't suppose it'll mean much to those outside the UK, but Celtic and Rangers are Glasgows bitterest football rivals and are known as The Old Firm.
However, it's as an actor Connery is IMO without equal as regards great Scottish actors, though Deborah Kerr is his match as an actress.
He was one of the Hell Drivers along with other young actors Stanley Baker, Patrick MaGoohan and Jill Ireland, in a film about lorry drivers. He also made Another Time Another Place with Lana Turner and Hitchcock's Marnie
However, it was James Bond that made him, appearing in Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice, Thunderball, Diamonds Are Forever and the ill-fated 80s comeback Never Say Never Again. In between Bond's he made The Hill, playing a soldier, who's a prisoner in a Military prison bullied by former Avengers star Ian Hendry.
My own favourite Connery film is The Wind And The Lion with Candice Bergen, where he as Berber bandit kidnaps a wealthy American widow (Bergan) and her children. Both he and action heroine Bergen are an excellent match.
Others rate his best film, Kiplings, The Man Who Would Be King with Michael Caine.
I think Sean's best period came in the 80s and 90s with The Untouchables, Hunt For Red October (A terrific opening encounter for CIA agent Jack Ryan, played by Alec Baldwin on this occassion), Indianna Jones And The Temple Of Doom with Harrison Ford, The Highlander with Christopher Lambert and The Entrapment where he gels brilliantly with Catherine Zeta Jones.
Sean was also a regular on Peter Alliss' Pro Celebrity Golf on the BBC along with Bruce Forsyth, Bing Crosby and Ronnie Corbett among others.
Now retired, Sean only seems to make public appearences on Tartan Day in New Yorks Manhatten or when he makes public information films for his beloved Scottish National Party
I wonder what American's will make on his biography. particulary his changing of allegiance in supporting soccer teams Celtic and Rangers, depending on who was playing better at the time. I don't suppose it'll mean much to those outside the UK, but Celtic and Rangers are Glasgows bitterest football rivals and are known as The Old Firm.
However, it's as an actor Connery is IMO without equal as regards great Scottish actors, though Deborah Kerr is his match as an actress.
He was one of the Hell Drivers along with other young actors Stanley Baker, Patrick MaGoohan and Jill Ireland, in a film about lorry drivers. He also made Another Time Another Place with Lana Turner and Hitchcock's Marnie
However, it was James Bond that made him, appearing in Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice, Thunderball, Diamonds Are Forever and the ill-fated 80s comeback Never Say Never Again. In between Bond's he made The Hill, playing a soldier, who's a prisoner in a Military prison bullied by former Avengers star Ian Hendry.
My own favourite Connery film is The Wind And The Lion with Candice Bergen, where he as Berber bandit kidnaps a wealthy American widow (Bergan) and her children. Both he and action heroine Bergen are an excellent match.
Others rate his best film, Kiplings, The Man Who Would Be King with Michael Caine.
I think Sean's best period came in the 80s and 90s with The Untouchables, Hunt For Red October (A terrific opening encounter for CIA agent Jack Ryan, played by Alec Baldwin on this occassion), Indianna Jones And The Temple Of Doom with Harrison Ford, The Highlander with Christopher Lambert and The Entrapment where he gels brilliantly with Catherine Zeta Jones.
Sean was also a regular on Peter Alliss' Pro Celebrity Golf on the BBC along with Bruce Forsyth, Bing Crosby and Ronnie Corbett among others.
Now retired, Sean only seems to make public appearences on Tartan Day in New Yorks Manhatten or when he makes public information films for his beloved Scottish National Party