Scottish screen icon Sean Connery died overnight in the Bahamas, his family said.
He was 90. The BBC reported his death Saturday and Sky News confirmed it. No cause was given.
Deadline said he died peacefully in the Bahamas after a long illness.
The Edinburgh native served in the Royal Navy from the time he was 16 until he was discharged on medical grounds.
Connery began his acting career on stage, but he went on to become one of the most famous film actors in the world in the 1960s, '70s and '80s. He was known for his distinctive voice and was the first actor to play James Bond on the big screen, starting with 1962's Dr. No.
He also portrayed the British secret agent in five other movies.
Sir Sean Connery has died at the age of 90. He was the first actor to play James Bond on the big screen in Dr. No in 1962, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever followed. pic.twitter.com/VaFPHCM5Ou
— James Bond (@007) October 31, 2020
"We are devastated by the news of the passing of Sir Sean Connery," Bond franchise producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said in a statement Saturday.
"He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words -- The name's Bond ... James Bond -- he revolutionized the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent.
He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him."
Connery's other credits include The Wind and the Lion, Murder on the Orient Express, The Man Who Would Be King, The Name of the Rose, Highlander, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Hunt For the Red October, The Rock and Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.
He won an Oscar for his work in the 1987 film The Untouchables and his final on-screen role in a movie was in 2003's The League of Extraordinary Gentleman.
The Royal Film Commission paid tribute to the late star in a Twitter post
Sir Sean Connery will be remembered for his roles in Indiana Jones, James Bond and so much more.
— RoyalFilmCommission (@FilmJordan) October 31, 2020
In 1989, he had one of his greatest performances in the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, which was filmed in the rose red city of Petra, Jordan.
He will be truly missed! pic.twitter.com/9lWAJPLzWV
