In 1963, I went to the Crest Theater in Baltimore to see From Russia with Love. I was totally mesmerized during the film. I had never seen such exciting action, sexy girls and thrilling plot turns. I knew that Sean Connery was playing James Bond but, on that day, and forever more, Sean Connery was James Bond. He was so suave and cool. He knew how to handle every situation. Not only was he ready for danger but also for love. Of course, he knew how to behave and dress for any occasion be it a black-tie event or golf outing. Women loved him and men looked up to him.
Connery carried this off perfectly. There was never a false move or a missed step. He was the man. Eventually, Connery wanted to play other roles. Afterall, he was a classically trained actor. So, after seven Bond movies he went off and showed that he was truly a marvelous and versatile actor. He did come back and do, Never Say Never which was so named because Connery had previously refused to do another Bond movie and then reneged. So, this poor boy from Edinburgh got classically trained, rose to the top of his profession, and was knighted. Great actors are not born, they choose to be. And that was Sean Connery.