Connery leaped to sudden fame in the first of the Bond films, Dr. No, and became closely identified with the role, which he repeated in several other successful productions. His charm, wit, and virility made him an ideal Bond and, before long, a superstar. In the ensuing years, he tried gallantly and eventually successfully, to shake off the sexy spy image by offering a wide range of strong screen portrayals, often sans toupee and glamour. Although he returned twice more to impersonate Bond, in 1971 and 1983, he took advantage of the intervening years to become firmly established as one of the screen's most reliable, versatile and popular leading men. He won the British Academy Award as Best Actor for The Name of the Rose (1986) and a Hollywood Oscar as Best Supporting Actor for The Untouchables (1987). He is often now cast as a seasoned mentor teamed with a younger hero, a role he played to comic effect as Harrison Ford's father in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). But he continues to be convincing romantic lead, as in his performance opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in the espionage thriller The Russia House (1990).

Connery directed a documentary film, The Bowler and the Bonnet, in 1969, but it was never released. His brother, Neil Connery (born 1938), played leads in a couple of films of the late 60's, then retired from acting to become a plasterer. A devoted family man, with "Scotland Forever" and "Mom and Dad" tatooed on his arm, Sean is the father of actor Jason Connery (born January 11, 1963, London) from his 12-year marriage (1962-1973) to actress Diane Cilento. He shares homes in Marbella (Spain) and the Bahamas with his second wife, The French-Moroccan painter Micheline Roquebrune.