Published By: Sayan Paul

On This Day, 1962 - 'Dr. No' (The 1st James Bond Film) Premiered In London: Know How Sean Connery Became The OG 007

October 5 every year is celebrated as Global James Bond Day.

An enigmatic man, seated in a casino, is shown from behind. He plays the cards brilliantly, outsmarting all the people at the table. Then, the camera finally reveals his face as he introduces himself. "Bond, James Bond!", the man utters with a remarkable charm. And that begins a new era in the world of entertainment; stating James Bond is finally here on the screen. And he is here to stay!

We are talking about Terence Young's 1962 film 'Dr. No', the first James Bond film, starring Sean Connery as the titular character. On October 5, 1962, exactly 62 years ago today, the spy film had its premiere at the London Pavillion. Well, it was a massive success, and the rest, as they say, is history!

Credit: James Bond

'Dr. No' collected a whopping amount of $59.5 million against its production budget of $1.1 million. It successfully set the tone of a typical James Bond film. And what particularly worked so well in that film (which still makes it special even after over six decades) was its portrayal of Bond. There's a brilliant mix of style, wit, and romanticism that hit the bull's eye effortlessly. Moreover, Sean Connery's performance set fire on the screen - literally in every frame in which he appeared!

Sean Connery As James Bond

James Bond has been played by several actors over the years. Sean Connery, the OG, is and will always be the most special among fans. Upon the release of 'Dr. No', he literally became a rage among the youth, with almost everyone imitating his style. And he continued starring as Bond in the Eon Productions films, such as 'Russia with Love', 'Goldfinger', 'Thunderball', 'You Only Live Twice', 'Diamonds Are Forever', and 'Never Say Never Again'.

Credit: Classic Movie Hub

But how did he become James Bond? Let's find that out!

How Sean Connery Bagged The Role Of James Bond

Sean Connery wasn't really an actor; rather he was a bodybuilder with a promising future in that field. Although he appeared in some films during the 50s (including 'Time Lock', 'Tarzan's Greatest Adventure', and 'On the Fiddle'), they neither earned him fame nor money.

Meanwhile, producers Harry Saltzman and Albert “Cubby” Broccoli bought the rights to Ian Fleming's James Bond novels and were looking for an actor for the lead role. As they were planning to make a series of Bond films, they needed an actor who would commit for multiple years.

Credit: James Bond

The news spread like wildfire, with actors "falling over themselves to play Bond". Names like Patrick McGoohan, Roger Moore, Carry Grant, David Niven, James Nason, and Richard Johnson were considered for it. However, the makers wanted an unknown actor who would look convincing as Bond.

Meanwhile, The Daily Express launched a contest, titled "Find James Bond". Connery participated there and made it among the finalists.

Initially, Connery failed to impress either of the makers or the writer, Fleming. As Harry later revealed in the book, 'James Bond. Dr. No', "He was dreadful in most of them (the previous films), we thought. He had suffered a small but fatal miscasting all the way down the line.” Fleming, on the other hand, referred to him as "the working-class Scot".

It was Dana Broccoli, wife of producer Broccoli, who persuaded her husband that Connery was the right man. Hence, Harry and Broccoli decided to meet Connery for lunch. And that's where they got convinced that he was the one they were looking for. As Harry later explained, "Connery walked into our office and had a strength and energy about him, which I found riveting." Broccoli, on the other hand, said about him, "Everything about Connery that day was convincingly James Bond. Harry and I asked him a lot of questions. His answers, in that very appealing Scottish accent of his, were friendly and direct. There was no conceit to him and no false modesty, either. He didn’t come on in the style of a classical actor who thought James Bond was a little too down-market for his talents."

Credit: James Bond

Well, everything then fell into place, leading Sean Connery to emerge as a global sensation in no time.

How Sean Connery Transformed Into 007

Connery was no method actor, and hence it initially seemed difficult for him to transform into James Bond. He had read only three of Ian Fleming's Bond novels; 'Thunderball', 'Live and Let Die', and 'From Russia with Love'.

It was director Terence Young who trained Connery for the part. The director spent hours and hours with him, guiding him through everything about the character. As revealed in Robert Cotton's book on the first James Bond actor, "Terence took Sean under his wing. He took him to dinner, showed him how to walk, how to talk, even how to eat," adding, "Some cast members remarked that Connery was simply doing a Terence Young impression, but Young and Connery knew they were on the right track."

Credit: James Bond

The actor also toned down his Scottish accent and improved his mannerisms. With all these, he soon transformed himself into what went on to reign supreme in the hearts of millions.