Sean Connery, the first James Bond on the big screen, passed away at the age of 90

Sean Connery, most famous for his portrayal of James Bond, died at the age of 90, his family said. The actor, who played Bond in seven films beginning in 1962. Dr. No, died in his sleep in the Bahamas.

The actor had been “ill for some time,” his son Jason told the BBC on Saturday.

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Connery had an acting career that spanned decades and included multiple award-winning performances. He won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his work on The Untouchables in 1988 and won three Golden Globes. He also acted alongside Harrison Ford in 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, in which he played Jones’ father.

Connery was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000. He largely retired from acting that decade, but he last played Bond via voice-over in the 2005 video game adaptation of From Russia With Love. His last role was a voiceover in the 2012 Scottish animated film Sir Billi.

Over the years, he appeared in dozens of films, working with directors from Alfred Hitchcock to Steven Spielberg to Brian DePalma. In his pre-Bond work, he was probably best known for a Disney movie about goblins, Darby O’Gill and the Little People from 1959.

It was his appearance in Dr. No, the first big screen adaptation of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels, that catapulted Connery to superstardom. It followed in rapid succession with From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball and You Only Live Twice, over a span of five years. He walked away from the role, yielding the 007 title to George Lazenby for a film, then returned in 1971 in Diamonds Are Forever.

He made one more Bond comeback, starring in 1983’s Never Say Never Again (a reworking of Thunderball), which is said to have taken its name from Connery’s earlier opposition to returning to the role and then giving in.

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While other notable actors, including Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig, have played james bond, Connery has been widely considered the definitive 007. He brought a distinctive blend of smooth sophistication and ironclad brutality to the role that has been the yardstick by which his successors have measured themselves.

In his later years, he performed performances that were almost as iconic. Often bearded where Bond was clean-shaven, but sometimes nearly as physical as the British secret agent, he brought authority and wit to films such as The Name of the Rose, The Untouchables, The Hunt for Red October and The Rock, along with his turn. in the Indiana Jones series.

Tributes to Sean Connery

Many paid tribute to the online actor, including current James Bond Daniel Craig, who called Connery “one of the real greats of cinema.”

“Every day on set with Sean Connery was a practical lesson in how to act on screen,” said Sam Neill, who starred opposite Connery in 1990’s The Hunt for Red October. “But all that charisma and power, that was absolutely unique to Sean.”

“It broke my heart to learn this morning of Sir Sean Connery’s passing,” said Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s Prime Minister. “Our nation today is in mourning for one of its dearest children.”

Roger Moore, the actor who succeeded Connery in the role of Bond with 1973 Live and Let Die, died in 2017.

A representative for Connery did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

CNET’s Sean Keane and Jon Skillings contributed to this report.