The world is remembering the great Sir Sean Connery following the actor's recent passing, but among his many career accolades, Connery will always be known as the man who defined James Bond. When Harry Saltzman and Albert Broccoli came to adapt Ian Fleming's literary 007 creation for 1962's Dr. No, by far their biggest challenge was casting Bond himself. This was, after all, a man who would carry a series of high-profile films, and the endeavor hinged on finding the perfect actor - someone who could make James Bond a worldwide action star. Sean Connery wasn't the first name on the producers' list. The Scot was a well-traveled face of TV and film yet to transition to international renown, but after Connery met Saltzman and Broccoli for the first time, there was no doubt over who would portray the very first cinematic 007.

Following Dr. No, Connery would enjoy further espionage adventures in From Russia With LoveGoldfingerThunderball and You Only Live Twice, before being invited back for Diamonds Are Forever after George Lazenby's departure. An older Sean Connery would return to active duty for the unofficial, non-Eon produced Never Say Never Again in 1983, proving the actor's enduring popularity more than two decades on from his debut.

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Far from a one-trick pony, Connery used his time as 007 as a launchpad to Hollywood stardom, scoring major hits with Indiana Jones & The Last CrusadeThe Untouchables and The Rock. And just as Connery moved on from James Bond, so too did James Bond move on from Connery, strutting from strength to strength with a string of different actors in the lead role. But despite going their separate ways, Sean Connery and James Bond have remained synonymous with each other - a relationship even more apparent with the current outpouring of admiration and respect. Here's why Sean Connery still defines the 007 character.

Sean Connery Embodied The 1960s Suave British Spy

Sean Connery as Bond in Dr No

In casting the first Bond, Saltzman and Broccoli knew they weren't looking for the most qualified classical thespian, nor did they require the most recognizable leading man in Britain. The dawn of James Bond at the movies called for someone who embodied the role completely. The effortless cool, the familiarity with danger, the stiff British resolve, the ability to switch from charming to deadly in the shake of martini - all qualities that come naturally or don't. In this respect, Connery was the archetypal 007. While later roles would prove Connery's acting repertoire wasn't limited to romancing mysterious women and offing henchmen, it's undeniably Bond he was born to play. Or, at least, that's how Connery's performance made the world feel - a testament to how well-matched he and Bond were. This may, in part, come down to Connery's own background. Although he couldn't match Bond's privileged upbringing and Eton education, Connery joined the Navy as a teenager and dabbled in bodybuilding during his younger years, informing the military discipline and physical intimidation of Connery's Bond.

More than any of his replacements, Connery's affinity for Bond allowed him to routinely create cinematic gold from dialogue that should be terrible. In the hands of another actor, those shocking puns don't work, but with Connery's suave, commanding tones, Bond's light-hearted (albeit rather insensitive) quips feel completely natural.

No matter how James Bond updates and develops, Fleming's character will always be a child of the 1950s and 1960s, and Connery channeled the culture and style of his era into each performance. In a post-war landscape on the cusp of a pop culture revolution, Connery captured both the patriotic dedication of a war hero and the free-spirited hedonism that 1960s London became renowned for. In this sense, each Bond has been a contemporary reinvention of the original, lacking that same connection to Fleming's source material. Perhaps Connery defines Bond because he was the only version to speak to his era in a meaningful way.

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The Sean Connery Bond Films Set The James Bond Template

Sean Connery as James Bond in Goldfinger

It's no secret that Connery's Bond wasn't a faithful carbon copy of Ian Fleming's novel character. The ruthless, damaged Bond of the literary world morphed into a debonair, nigh-on invincible movie hero, far more suited for mainstream appeal than a totally authentic version would be. But while over half a century has passed since Connery first took Bond for a spin on the silver screen, the core template of 007 has remained surprisingly unchanged. Few fictional characters can claim such longevity, but those that do (Doctor Who's Doctor, for example) have evolved considerably over the years, with the current incarnation barely recognizable from the original. In James Bond's case, however, Connery's initial formula remains alive and well.

Bond's devil may care outlook, the Bond girl trope, the love of gadgets and Aston Martins - all of these essential elements began with Connery and carry through to 007 in the modern day. Even the individual relationships Bond shares with Moneypenny, Q and M were first developed under Connery's leadership, remaining largely the same throughout the years. Some of the more archaic attitudes might've softened, and each Bond actor added a certain degree of light or shade to their portrayal, but these were mere tweaks to the blueprint laid out by Connery's era. Even after Casino Royale overhauled Bond's personality, Daniel Craig has gradually eased back into the familiar grooves of Connery's Aston Martin seat with each passing installment.

More than simply laying the foundations for James Bond's future, Connery set a marker for the blockbuster action hero as a whole. For decades, movie spies followed in the same mold - an Earthy and resourceful upper class gent serving with style, dignity and a sense of humor. Then, when the parodies came, Connery's bond was the target - a surefire sign that he must've been doing something right. To say Sean Connery's Bond changed the course of Hollywood action movies is no exaggeration, and no other 007 can stake a similar claim.

Connery's Bond Remains The Measuring Stick For 007

James Bond standing next to a car in a lonely road with a cloudy sky

Over the decades, every new Bond actor has been measured against Sean Connery's original performance. Fans might have a soft spot for Roger Moore or an appreciation of Daniel Craig's modern slant, but it's Connery that the world comes back to as the 007 yardstick, time and time again. In no way does this disparage Connery's successors - every Bond actor has their own highs and lows - but the media's constant return to Connery as the ideal Bond serves as an acknowledgement that no subsequent actor has felt as natural in the role, arguably with the exception of Daniel Craig, for whom 007 was remolded anyway. For the James Bond franchise, life after Connery has comprised more hits than misses and boasts some truly memorable performances, but from Lazenby to Craig, no one else has completely embodied the role or blurred the line where actor ends and character begins like Connery did.

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When the James Bond faithful unfavorably compare the modern era to the "old days," there's usually more than a whiff of nostalgia in the air. But that longing for the past also highlights the perfect balance of tone during Sean Connery's tenure. Daniel Craig's realistic, darker take understandably isn't to everyone's taste, while some of Roger Moore's missions fell victim to the overblown silliness of the 1980s. Connery remains the best example of both Bond flavors blending in perfect harmony. As quickly as the original big screen Bond can quip about a villain being electrocuted, Connery gets down to business, keeping the James Bond fantasy alive without ever losing the edge of a secret agent's lifestyle.

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