05/10/2026
On this day in 1962, Scottish actor Sean Connery appeared as James Bond for the first time when Dr. No premiered in London.
Connery was not yet an international star. Born in Edinburgh and raised in Fountainbridge, he had worked as a milkman, labourer, lifeguard and coffin polisher before becoming an actor.
His casting was initially controversial. Some believed the former bodybuilder was too rough and working-class to play Ian Flemingโs sophisticated secret agent.
Then audiences watched him sit at a casino table, light a cigarette and introduce himself as โBond, James Bond.โ
Dr. No established many of the ingredients that would define the series, including exotic locations, dangerous villains, glamorous allies and the unmistakable James Bond theme.
The film transformed Connery into a global star and launched one of cinemaโs most successful franchises. More than six decades later, many fans still regard the Edinburgh-born actor as the definitive 007.
Is Sean Connery still the greatest James Bond? ๐ฌ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ
