Sir Thomas Sean Connery (25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Connery originated the role in Dr. No (1962) and continued starring as Bond in the Eon Productions From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967) and Diamonds Are Forever (1971). Connery made his final appearance in the franchise in Never Say Never Again (1983), a non-Eon-produced Bond film.
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He is also known for his notable collaborations with directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, Sidney Lumet and John Huston. Their films in which Connery appeared included Marnie (1964), The Hill (1965), The Offence (1973), Murder on the Orient Express (1974) and The Man Who Would Be King (1975). He also acted in Robin and Marian (1976), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Time Bandits (1981), Highlander (1986), The Name of the Rose (1986), The Untouchables (1987), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), Dragonheart (1996), The Rock (1996) and Finding Forrester (2000). His final on-screen role was as Allan Quatermain in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003).
Connery received numerous accolades including a BAFTA Award, three Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award, the first Scottish actor to win the lattermost achievement. He also received honorary awards such as the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1987, the BAFTA Fellowship in 1998 and the Kennedy Center Honors in 1999. He was made a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters in France and a knight by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to drama in 2000.
Thomas Connery was born at the Royal Maternity Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 25 August 1930; he was named after his paternal grandfather. He was brought up at No. 176 Fountainbridge, a block which has since been demolished. His mother, Euphemia McBain "Effie" McLean, was a cleaning woman. The daughter of Neil McLean and Helen Forbes Ross, she was named after her father's mother, Euphemia McBain, wife of John McLean and daughter of William McBain from Ceres in Fife. Connery's father, Joseph Connery, was a factory worker and lorry driver.
Connery's breakthrough came in the role of British secret agent James Bond. He was reluctant to commit to a film series, but understood that if the films succeeded, his career would greatly benefit. Between 1962 and 1967, Connery played 007 in Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice, the first five Bond films produced by Eon Productions. After departing from the role, Connery returned for the seventh film, Diamonds Are Forever, in 1971. Connery made his final appearance as Bond in Never Say Never Again, a 1983 remake of Thunderball produced by Jack Schwartzman's Taliafilm. All seven films were commercially successful. James Bond, as portrayed by Connery, was selected as the third-greatest hero in cinema history by the American Film Institute.
Death and legacy
Connery died in his sleep on 31 October 2020, aged 90, at his home in the Lyford Cay community of Nassau in the Bahamas. His death was announced by his family and Eon Productions; although they did not disclose the cause of death, his son Jason said he had been unwell for some time. A day later, his widow revealed he had dementia in his final years. Connery's death certificate was obtained by TMZ a month after his death, showing the cause of death was pneumonia and respiratory failure, and the time of death was listed as 1:30 am. His remains were cremated, and the ashes were scattered in Scotland at undisclosed locations in 2022.
To read a lot more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Connery
One of the most popular vegetables is the star in our recipe for Stuffed Peppers. We stuff these fresh and colorful beauties with a saucy meat mixture to make 'em the perfect, flavor-packed, summer dish!
- 1 (29-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup uncooked instant rice
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 6 bell peppers, washed, tops removed, and seeded
- In a medium bowl, combine tomato sauce, water, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; mix well. Remove 1 cup of mixture to a large bowl and add to it ground beef, rice, and onion; mix well.
- Stuff each bell pepper with an equal amount of the meat mixture. Place 2 cups tomato sauce mixture in soup pot and place peppers upright in sauce. Spoon remaining sauce over peppers.
- Cover and cook over low heat 55 to 60 minutes, or until no pink remains in the beef and rice is tender.
On December 18th, National Twin Day celebrates all the siblings who enjoy the unique connection because they share a birthday.
Whether fraternal or identical, twins share everything right from the beginning. While their personalities may be different, they often know what the other is going to say before the words are spoken. Distance isn’t an issue either. Twins manage to stay connected across the country or around the globe.
Of course, mythology teaches us about twins from the very beginning, as does the Bible. From the rivalry of Esau and Jacob to Aphrodite’s twin sons Phobos and Deimos as well as the mortal and immortal twins of the constellation, Gemini, we explore a host of human conditions.
Notable Twins
Through the years, we’ve been fascinated by twins, too. Literature embraced the twin duplicity with enthusiasm. Take Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, for example, and the confusion that ensues with Sebastian and Viola. Even modern-day sitcoms keep us in tears when twins are portrayed. Phoebe Buffay of the sitcom Friends and, more recently, Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory humorously depicted their twin lives.
But real-life twins intrigue us, too. When twins move into the White House, we are sure to pay attention, as was the case with Barbara and Jenna Bush in 2001. Of course, when they play magical characters like James and Oliver Phelps did in the Harry Potter series, we feel like they’re family. Their roles as Fred and George Weasley kept us coming back for more.
Some twins have the same interests. For example, Mark and Scott Kelly both became astronauts and have contributed not only to space exploration but also to scientific study. Twins Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux’s love of hockey brought them together on the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team.
Twins share so much more than DNA. Many of them don’t even look alike. One thing is for sure, they share National Twin Day.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL TWIN DAY
Give a shout-out to your favorite twins. Whether they are friends, family, or famous ones, let them know you’re thinking of them. If you’re a twin, tell your best twin memory. Share photos. Host a twin party. Invite all the twins you know and celebrate!.
Educators, visit the National Day Calendar Classroom for projects designed for observances throughout the year, including National Twin Day.
NATIONAL TWIN DAY HISTORY
In 2019, National Day Calendar® proclaimed National Twin Day to celebrate all things twins and to be observed on December 18th, annually.
Relevant Observances
Twins Days Weekend – Twins converge on Twinsburg, OH to celebrate being twins during the first full weekend in August.
Twin FAQ
Q. What’s the difference between identical and fraternal twins?
A. Identical twins develop from a single fertilized egg while fraternal twins develop from two separate fertilized eggs.
Q. How many sets of twins are born each year?
A. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) twins comprise approximately 3.4% of the population.
Q. Is it possible for twins to have different birthdays?
A. Yes. The most common reason for twins having different birthdays is due to one twin being born before midnight and the other after midnight. However, sometimes twins are born days, weeks, or months apart. One reason for this may be due to multiple births being high risk and while one twin is delivered early, the other remains in the womb for the rest of the gestation or as long as possible for development.
