News about Sean Connery

A rare original painting of Sir Sean Connery as James Bond is expected to fetch up to £300,000 at auction. The artwork, by American illustrator Robert McGinnis, was used on posters for the 1971 film Diamonds Are Forever. It shows Edinburgh-born Sir Sean as 007 wearing a tuxedo and holding a gun while standing between two bikini-clad women. McGinnis' classic art featured in many promotional materials for the film, and he worked on several other Bond projects, including Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, The Man with the Golden Gun and Live and Let Die. When McGinnis first painted the image, Bond was the same height as the two women.

Only six men can lay claim to wearing the famous Savile Row tuxedo of James Bond ; more people have stepped on the Moon. Yet hundreds more came within an inch of winning the coveted 007 role - the pinnacle for so many actors. When Sean Connery announced that the 1967 Bond movie You Only Live Twice would be his last outing as 007, the search for his replacement took producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman in some bizarre directions. With preferred options such as Roger Moore committed elsewhere, they decided to cast an unknown. And perhaps the most improbable candidate to be Agent 007 was Lord Lucan , who was to famously disappear from his London home in November 1974 after his children's nanny was found murdered.

In the 1989 film ' Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade', the Temple of the Sun is the stunning Middle Eastern shrine that houses the Holy Grail. Now, in a case of 'history imitating art', human remains and a 'Holy Grail' cup have been found under the real-life filming location of Al Khazneh. Experts conducted excavations under Al Khazneh, also known the Treasury - an elaborate rock-cut tomb, carved out of a sandstone rock face in Petra, Jordan. They found a 'previously unknown' tomb containing 12 skeletal remains and grave goods, including a grail-shaped cup remarkably similar to the one in the movie starring Sean Connery and Harrison Ford. Experts hope analysis of the human remains could reveal more about the Nabataeans, the ancient Arab people who built Al Khazneh.

'Colossal and confusing in equal measure, Istanbul is as captivating these days as it was under Emperor Constantine,' Rob Crossan says. He shares his budget travel guide to the alluring Turkish city, including where to stay, what to see and delicious food to tuck into.

Janelle Monáe was red hot as she modeled a sexy, string bikini in new snaps. On Sunday, the 38-year-old singer-songwriter took a break from living it up in Italy to share several jaw-dropping photos of herself modeling a swimsuit and posing on a yacht. She shared a series of snaps of herself soaking up the sun on a boat with the stunning view of the picturesque town behind her.

The UK is enduring a bleak summer with the Met Office saying it is the coldest summer of the past 24 years. Therefore European princes, princesses and socialites have the right idea and have decided to jet off to hotter destinations in the hopes of reclaiming summer.  Jetting away to lavish destinations such as Sardinia, Mauritius, Barbados, Italy, Spain, Portugal and France the upper classes have made sure they soak up some vitamin D. 

Movie-goers around the world watched as William Wallace despatched his enemies with a fierce-looking piece of armour on his left arm. Now fans of the film Braveheart have the chance to own the terrifying gauntlet sported by Hollywood star Mel Gibson in the blockbuster flick. The gauntlet, which is festooned with arrowheads, was worn by the Scottish warrior as he battled his English foes in the film's depiction of the Battle of Stirling. The prop, which is composed of fiberglass, leather, foam-padding, and four metallic arrow tips, is being sold in an auction of Hollywood memorabilia and could go for more than £6,000.

John Swinney tonight signalled he would continue his push for independence even if the SNP fail to win a majority of Scottish seats at the general election. With just a fortnight left until polling day on 4 July, the Scottish First Minister was grilled about the SNP's plans to break up the UK on BBC 's Question Time. At some moments during the show, members of the audience were seen yawning in front of Mr Swinney, who has reportedly been described by James Bond star Sean Connery as being too boring to be leader. Audiences watching the programme at home echoed similar criticisms, with one viewer even labelling the SNP leader as 'the most boring man on the planet'.

England's players have been treated to an after-dinner performance, courtesy of Mother Nature.  Incredible storms hit Germany on Monday evening just as the Three Lions were finishing their meals at their forest retreat. Insiders said the group took in the action from the windows, with giant hailstones battering the area. 'Pretty spectacular' said one witness. The storm was so noteworthy that it triggered an alert at UEFA HQ, prompting a check with the England group to ensure all was OK. More than 8.6m viewers tuned in to ITV's coverage of Scotland's tournament opening match with hosts Germany - making it the most-watched opening game since Euro 1996. In Germany, 22.5m watched on ZDF, which was more than the first match of the 2006 World Cup in the country.

If you're looking for something to help you mark the anniversary of the historic D-Day landings on Thursday then look no further. Our critics have picked out 30 must-watch shows and films on demand which you won't want to miss. From classics such as The Longest Day, to D-Day: The Unheard Tapes - which brings stories of bravery to life using unheard audio - there will be something for everyone  looking to commemorate 80 years since our heroes fought on the beaches.

Barbara Walters bagged her biggest interviews by relentlessly charming her subjects and destroying her rivals, a new biography reveals. The late TV journalist stopped at nothing to get a story because of her 'unrelenting drive to dominate the news'. She flirted so much with Fidel Castro it sparked rumors that they had an affair, which she denied, but even her producers noticed the 'chemistry' between them.

It details how Sean Connery ended up being cast in the iconic role, despite Hollywood producers considering a female Bond, believing it might give the film greater appeal. According to The Telegraph, Russian-American film director Gregory Ratoff pushed the idea after he bought the rights to Casino Royale for around £50,000. Written by Nicholas Shakespeare, the biography states: 'Since the mid-1950s, many well-known actors had been approached. Gregory Ratoff had the arresting idea of having Bond played by a woman, Susan Hayward.'

The age rating for Star Wars movie The Phantom Menace has been toughened up from a U to a PG by film classifiers, ahead of 25th anniversary screenings. It includes violent scenes which show villain Darth Maul chopped in half by a lightsaber and Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn being stabbed through the torso. As a result, the British Board of Film Classification has tightened up the age classification for the film, with a warning the film includes 'moderate violence, mild threat'. The BBFC said a 'key consideration' for the raising of the classification was the 'strength of violence' in the film. It added the violent scenes in the film 'fit more comfortably' with a PG rating. Recent research by the film body showed that on-screen violence was of 'increased concern' to audiences. This research has helped shape the new classification guidelines that are introduced next month.

'I hear that the Hotel Tropicana is very comfortable,' Sean Connery's James Bond says as he goes to check in after escaping certain death in a burning coffin in Diamonds Are Forever. The 'Trop' was certainly the word to lose in Las Vegas in the 1960s and 1970s, when 007 stayed there.

Ian Walker of MailOnline Travel checked in to the Burgenstock Hotel and Alpine Spa, which stands at a magnificently 500 meters (1,640ft) above Lake Lucerne. It features the world's biggest spa, with a cantilevered infinity pool, and visitors can access the hotel via a funicular railway.

Shocking leaked photos depict a group of men in the red-lacquered room at the five-star Mandrake hotel in central London, with a partially naked man and woman sitting motionless on the table in front of them. Although each had a pillow under their heads, a board had been placed on their stomachs. Each seemed to be wearing thin bodysuits. Lord Hammond, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, did not attend Copper's private function, which stores digital assets for its clients. According to a source close to Copper, the man and woman were reportedly wearing'swiming costumes.' The event had 'a lot of razzle dazzle,' they said. I wrote this article. .... 'More performative art than anything seedy is better.' But Gwen Rhys, the founder and CEO of Women In The City, said, "The hosts can dress this up however way you want, but the bottom line is that if you have to resort to degrading women for sexual deception, it doesn't say much about the financial product on offer.'

According to studies published by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) for the most recent update to its classification policies, attitudes toward cinematic violence and risqué content have remained stubborn in the last five years. According to the film ratings board, it may need higher ratings for violent and sexual scenes (Vita & Virginia, bottom right), but films' attitudes towards the use of cannabis and solvents have softened since its last rule revision in 2019, which has less stringent ratings. As a result, kid blockbuster Bumblebee (bottom left) and James Bond classic From Russia With Love (top right) will be rated from a PG to a 12A in 2024, but Bob Marley's One Love (top left) got a 10A and was released as a 12A.

It was a job he never really wanted, but Sam Neill (left) got as far as auditioning as James Bond. In 1985, the Jurassic Park actor starred as Roger Moore's replacement. In a short clip from Neill's screen test, he's recreating a scene from Sean Connery's 1963 film From Russia With Love. In the end, Neill did not impress producers in his role, and the job was ultimately handled to Timothy Dalton. James Brolin (right in his screen test) would have been the man who replaced Roger Moore after five outings as Bond, not Bond. Moore did two screen tests and was actually Bond, but Moore decided to make Octopussy again in 1983, so Brolin was left out in the cold. Sir Michael Caine (inset bottom, as spy Harry Palmer in the Ipcress File) was reportedly given the role of Bond after Sean Connery resigned as a result of You Only Live Twice. Sir Michael, who is now 91, was not keen on playing Bond. Clint Eastwood, who was inset top in A Fistful of Dollars, was considered for the role in the late 1960s, when Bond investors were trying to replace Connery before he relinquished on his decision to rename Connery as the spy. Eastwood left the role.

According to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), the age rating of two James Bond films would have been raised if they were rereleased today due to the representation of violence and sexual assault. During a public consultation, Goldfinger and From Russia With Love, both starring Sir Sean Connery and which were released in the 1960s, were discussed as films audiences believe should be more conservative. The inquiry, which involved 12,000 people from around the United Kingdom, aided in the development of the new BBFC classification guidelines, which were released on Tuesday.

Dr. Kathryn Harkup, a British chemist and author, has explored the scientific substantiality of scenes from all 25 Bond films in a new book titled 'Superspy Science: Science, Death, and Technology in the World of James Bond,' from Goldfinger's ingenious laser to suffocation by gold paint.

Pamela Salem, who is best known for her appearance in James Bond's Never Say Never Again, has died at the age of 80. Following the actress' death, tributes have poured in from those who knew her. The reason for her death has not been disclosed. During Sean Connery's tenure, Pamela played Miss Moneypenny in the 1983 James Bond film Never Say Never Again.

EXCLUSIVE: EXCLUSIVE: Properties in Turville, located in the Chilterns' valley, saw a dramatic 63.5 percent rise this year, but locals insist selling up is the last thing on their minds. Gina Wessels, who had been living in the village with her husband Elie Truyen since 2019, said she felt "very honored" to live in the village. The 43-year-old told MailOnline, "We are extremely lucky and deeply grateful that we are able to live in such a beautiful area."

On Tuesday, the boss of the Fonehouse store in Hawick, Scotland, posted a video of the group slithering along the floor of their store from 3 a.m. to 4.30 a.m., which was set to the famous spy theme. The mumbling criminals ripped a panel out of a communal close door and then accessed the store's security door, searching the store's security door for headphones and other expensive electronics. The crooks then wriggled about on the shop floor, opening cabinets to swipe pricey handsets while wearing hats and gloves in an attempt to conceal their identities.

During her ITV show on Friday, Lorraine Kelly took a sarcastic punch at late James Bond actor Sir Sean Connery. During a discussion about who might play her in a movie, the host, 64, made a remark about the actor's notorious toupee. When asked to name an actor for the role she said: 'Oh I don't know… Sean Connery, in a wig'