Sir Sean Connery was a titan of the silver screen, his name synonymous with Hollywood’s golden era.
For a generation, Daniel Craig is the quintessential James Bond, yet for those who remember the early days, it’s the rugged Scottish actor who embodies the suave secret agent.
Connery, the original 007, graced the big screen in seven Bond films from 1962 to 1983. However, his journey as the beloved spy wasn’t without turbulence.
The Edinburgh-born legend didn’t always cherish his association with Bond. He infamously expressed his disdain, saying: “I have always hated that damned James Bond. I’d like to kill him”, reports the Daily Star.
His tenure as Bond was marked by disputes with producers, wrangles over his salary, and a fierce desire for privacy. The breakthrough success of Dr No catapulted Connery to fame, but the intrusion into his personal life left him disgruntled.
Reports from the era suggest Connery felt underpaid and sought a raise, only to face rejection. The financial disagreements escalated during the production of You Only Live Twice, his fifth Bond film in as many years, culminating in an infamous incident where he was snapped in the lavatory.
Sean Connery, the original James Bond, was reportedly outraged over a privacy breach and demanded increased pay from producer Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli as compensation. However, his request was denied, leading to his departure from the film.
His alleged demand for £745,000 for a sixth Bond film was also rejected, resulting in George Lazenby replacing him in 1969’s Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Unfortunately, the film did not perform well at the box office.
In a desperate bid to bring back their original star for Diamonds are Forever, executives were ready to write any amount on the cheque. Connery managed to secure a salary equivalent to £29million plus 12.5% of the gross profits.
Surprisingly, Sean donated his entire earnings to charity and reportedly refused to share the set with Broccoli.
Speaking to The Guardian, Sean said: “I’d been [messed] about too much on other Bond pictures. There’s so much bulls**t that comes from bad decisions being made at the top.”
His feud with the director escalated over the years, culminating in a lawsuit against Broccoli and MGM-UA Entertainment for £172million in 1980.
He claimed he was still owed earnings based on the profits made from the spy movie franchise. The final settlement was never disclosed to the public.
There was also tension between Sir Sean and Ian Fleming, the author of the original James Bond books. The award-winning actor revealed: “I never got introduced to Fleming until I was well into the movie but I know he was not happy with me as the choice.”
“What was it he called me, or told somebody? That I was an over-developed stunt man. He never said it to me. When I did eventually meet him he was very interesting, erudite and a snob, a real snob.”
In spite of these historical feuds, the films producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, released a heartfelt statement in October 2020 following Connery’s death.
The pair lauded the actor for revolutionising cinema with his “gritty and witty” representation of the iconic British spy.
Wilson and Broccoli acknowledged that without Connery’s magnetic star quality and commendable performance, the Bond franchise might have struggled to succeed. They expressed: “We are devastated by the news of the passing of Sir Sean Connery.”
“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’ – he revolutionised the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent.”
“He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him.”