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UA's 90th Anniversary Tour
29 April 2008 (StudioBriefing)
Following a five-week run at New York City's Film Forum, a 90th-anniversary "tribute" to United Artists will go on the road beginning Friday, when the Brattle Theater in Cambridge, MA screens 20 restored UA films that Film Forum described as "some of the most entertaining, adventurous, and Oscar-laden American (and foreign) movies of the last nine decades." While UA was founded in 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, the films being screened were mostly produced during the last half of the 20th century. They include Dr. No (1962), the first James Bond movie, starring Sean Connery; the original Pink Panther film, starring Peter Sellers; Some Like It Hot (1959), starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe; the fight films Raging Bull (1980) and Rocky (1976); and the political dramas The Manchurian Candidate (1962) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). The restored prints are scheduled to make a cross-country road-show tour over the next year.

Washington Named America's Favorite Movie Star
21 January 2008 (WENN)
Denzel Washington has topped the list of America's favorite movie stars for the second consecutive year. The American Gangster star beat Tom Hanks to the number one spot in the annual Harris Poll, and Johnny Depp jumped up four positions from last year's survey to steal the number three position. Julia Roberts was the highest ranking female at four, while late film legend John Wayne - the only actor to rank in the poll's top 10 every year since its inception in 1994 - was placed at number six. The top 10 is as follows: 1. Denzel Washington; 2. Tom Hanks; 3. Johnny Depp; 4. Julia Roberts; 5. Will Smith 6. John Wayne; 7. Matt Damon; 7. Sean Connery; 9. Sandra Bullock; 10. Bruce Willis.

Young Connery Portrait On Show
26 October 2007 (WENN)
A portrait of a young Sean Connery posing in just his underwear has gone on show in a Scottish art gallery. Jazz great and painter Al Fairweather captured the man who was to become James Bond when he was a student at the Edinburgh College Of Art in the early 1950s. The forgotten artwork is now on show at the college as part of a retrospective exhibition of its past students. The show will transfer to London in the New Year.

Bond Star Lois Maxwell Dies
1 October 2007 (WENN)
Canadian actress Lois Maxwell has died. She was 80. The Golden Globe-winning star - famed for her role as Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond movies - died at the Fremantle Hospital in Western Australia, on Saturday evening. Maxwell starred alongside Sir Sean Connery in Bond's first Dr. No, in 1962. She played the role until 1985, when she appeared in A View To A Kill with Sir Roger Moore. She last appeared on the big screen in the 2001 thriller The Fourth Angel alongside Forest Whitaker and Jeremy Irons.

Stylish Stars Make GQ List
21 September 2007 (WENN)
Italian movie star Marcello Mastroianni, David Bowie, Steve McQueen, Bob Dylan and George Clooney have been named among the 50 Most Stylish Men in the Past 50 Years by men's magazine GQ. Elvis Presley, Bryan Ferry, Paul Newman, Johnny Depp, Miles Davis, Cary Grant, Marlon Brando, Robert Redford, Al Pacino, Warren Beatty and Sean Connery also make the list. A few surprises among the stylish 50 include filmmaker Woody Allen, Beck, punk icons The Ramones and British rocker Pete Doherty.

Bond Screenplay Co-Written by Connery Unearthed
25 June 2007 (StudioBriefing)
A completed screenplay of Warhead, a movie that would have returned Sean Connery to the screen as James Bond in 1977, has been discovered by British writer Robert Sellers, together with pre-production sketches and photographs, according to Scotland on Sunday. The screenplay, it noted, was co-written by Connery himself as well as thriller writer Len Deighton and Kevin McClory, who worked with Bond creator Ian Fleming on the screenplay for Thunderball. Connery would also have served as executive producer. The story about the fate of Warhead is to be told in a new book, The Battle for Bond, due to be published this week, the newspaper said. Sellers was quoted as saying that his source "actually had the original script. ... This wasn't a proposal or a suggestion, this was an actual script, a full-fledged, finished screenplay." He added: "You had an underwater base that rises out of the sea, you had helicopter attacks on the Statue of Liberty. ... It would have been the most extravagant Bond film ever."

Connery Won't Return for Indiana Jones Sequel
8 June 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Sean Connery will not give up retirement to play Indiana Jones's father again. In a statement posted on Lucasfilm's Indiana Jones website, Connery said that he had "thought long and hard about" returning to films, "and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an Indiana Jones film. I love working with Steven and George, and it goes without saying that it is an honor to have Harrison as my son. [Connery is 76; Ford is 64.] But in the end, retirement is just too damned much fun."

Connery Won't Be in 'Indiana Jones IV'
8 June 2007 (WENN)
Sir Sean Connery has announced he will not be returning for the next film in the Indiana Jones franchise. The 76-year-old had been tipped to reprise his role from 1989's Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade as Harrison Ford's screen father, but has now confirmed he is sticking to his 2005 resolution to quit acting. He says, "I thought long and hard about it, and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an Indiana Jones film. I love working with Steven and George, and it goes without saying that it is an honor to have Harrison as my son. But in the end, retirement is just too damned much fun." Elsewhere, John Hurt has been added to the cast. It is unclear what character the veteran star will play, but he is joining Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett and Ray Winstone on the movie. Connery adds, "This is a remarkable cast, and I can only say, 'Break a leg, everyone.' I'll see you at the theatre."

Myers Amazed To Discover School Pal Furnish Dating Elton
16 May 2007 (WENN)
Comedian Mike Myers was flabbergasted when he attended a post-Oscars party hosted by Sir Elton John, and discovered the singer's boyfriend was his childhood friend David Furnish. Myers, who grew up with Furnish in Canada, was enjoying himself at John's star-studded Hollywood bash a few years ago, when he spotted a man who he thought looked just like Furnish. Myers says, "I went to Elton John's charity Oscar party and it was like going to a wax museum. I couldn't believe all the famous people who were there. 'There's Harrison Ford, there's Sean Connery' Then Elton John said, 'Hello. There's somebody I want you to meet.' And he grabbed my hand and.. (said), 'You're going to be very surprised.' And then I see this guy, and this guy looks exactly like my friend from Canada, this friend of mine named Dave Furnish. Then all of a sudden it was like, 'I want you to meet my boyfriend David.' He was in my high school. I couldn't believe it, it was so weird. So Dave goes, 'I guess the whole time in high school you didn't know I was gay.' I said, 'I had no idea.' He said, 'So you're a movie star and I'm Elton's wife.'"

Veteran Actor Barry Nelson -- First 007 -- Dead At 89
16 April 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Barry Nelson, whose Everyman appearance allowed him to play a variety of characters in movies, on the stage and in TV shows during a career that spanned more than 65 years, died on April 7 at age 89, the Associated Press reported Sunday, citing his wife Nansi. Nelson was the first actor to play James Bond, appearing in a live TV adaptation of Casino Royale in 1954 for the CBS anthology series Climax -- eight years before Sean Connery first played the character in movies. A kinescope recording of the drama was discovered in 1981 and was later released on home video.

Lucas Still Trying To Sign Connery for Jones Movie
6 April 2007 (WENN)
Movie mogul George Lucas refuses to give up on recruiting Sean Connery for the fourth Indiana Jones movie, despite the Scottish star's reluctance to sign on as the adventurer's father. Connery has been linked to the upcoming fourth Indiana Jones movie, but insists he's not that interested in reprising his role as Henry Jones from Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade. That hasn't stopped persistent Lucas, who says, "We're still trying." In other Indiana Jones casting news, Lucas admits he was stunned when director Steven Spielberg told him he wanted to sign Cate Blanchett as Jones' love interest in the new film. He tells newspaper USA Today, "That's who my director wanted and I always bow to the wishes of my director. I approved it because she seemed like a good idea. When I met her at the Academy Awards, I told her, 'Hey, you work for me now!'"

Daniel Craig Is Britain's Best-Dressed Man
2 April 2007 (WENN)
James Bond star Daniel Craig has been crowned the best-dressed man in Britain by magazine GQ. The new 007 has topped the publication's annual style list, beating Conservative politician David Cameron and Hollywood star Clive Owen. Craig becomes the first James Bond since Sir Sean Connery to take the title. A GQ statement reads, "No Bond since Sean Connery has worn it better. It works because the 007 uniform seems like an upgrade of what Craig would naturally wear." Elsewhere in the top ten, Jude Law was fifth, David Beckham sixth, Pete Doherty seventh and British royal Prince Harry 10th. Eccentric comedian Russell Brand came eighth, but was also named the worst-dressed man. A GQ spokesperson explains, "Some can't stick him (Brand) but to others he's British exuberance encapsulated."

Winstone Lined Up for Indiana Jones Sequel
29 March 2007 (WENN)
Hollywood tough guy Ray Winstone has signed up to play Harrison Ford's sidekick in the upcoming Indiana Jones sequel. The British star will join Ford, who is reprising his role as the intrepid adventurer, with Steven Spielberg again in the director's chair. As previously reported, Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett is also on board. The storyline for the new film, which is penned by Spider-Man writer David Koepp, is being kept under wraps. It is not known if Sean Connery will be returning as Ford's movie father in the third sequel. The fourth Indiana Jones installment resurrects the lucrative franchise after nearly 20 years. The film is set to begin filming in June in Los Angeles, and will be released in May 2008.

Connery Considers Returning As Indiana Jones' Dad
26 January 2007 (WENN)
The Untouchables Oscar winner Sean Connery may reprise his role as Indiana Jones' father in the fourth installment of the film franchise - if he likes the script. After months spent refusing to comment about the new movie, which will bring Harrison Ford back as the intrepid archaeologist, Connery has told the Teletext news service he is considering playing Dr. Henry Jones again. The Scottish movie star created the part for Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade almost 20 years ago. He says, "At the moment there's nothing decided. I haven't got the script. Everything depends on the script."

Connery May Chuck Retirement for Indy Sequel
22 January 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Sean Connery is considering stepping out of retirement to appear in the planned Indiana Jones sequel as the principal character's father. In an interview with Scotland on Sunday, Connery acknowledged that he had already been approached by George Lucas about appearing in the as-yet-untitled film and that he is seriously considering doing so. However, he added, "At the moment, there's nothing decided. I haven't got the script. Everything depends on the script." Connery has not appeared in a movie since The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2002 during which he admittedly clashed repeatedly with the director. He said last August that the time had come for him to retire "because of my rather unfortunate last movie. ... The cost to me in terms of frustration and avoiding going to jail for murder cannot have continued."

Judge Dismisses Connery Lawsuit
3 January 2007 (WENN)
A New York city judge has dismissed a $30 million lawsuit filed against actor Sean Connery alleging he was a rude and noisy neighbor. State Supreme Court Justice Debra James threw the case out of court Friday, on a technicality after the plaintiff failed to rewrite the petition in the case. Dr Burton Sultan complained that Connery blasted loud music in his Upper East Side apartment and carried out a poor renovation job that attracted rats. The lawsuit called the 76-year-old star a "rude, foul-mouthed, fat old man," which led the judge to order that the petition be rewritten in a more professional manner. Connery and his wife, Micheline, denied the allegations and contended that Sultan was a "tyrant" who had tried to block them from making much needed repairs and who was trying to evict them from their apartment. Sultan's lawyer said his client intended to appeal the judge's decision.

Lucas Sets Indiana Jones Shoot Date
2 January 2007 (WENN)
The much-anticipated fourth Indiana Jones installment will be filmed this year, writer/producer George Lucas confirms. The filmmaker promises the sequel will be the most exciting chapter to date after finalizing the script with director Steven Spielberg. He says, "It's going to be fantastic. It's going to be the best one yet." He adds the film will be a "character piece" and see Harrison Ford reprise his role as the titular hero. Ford played Indiana Jones in 1981's Raiders Of The Lost Ark, 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple Of Doom and 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which also featured Sean Connery.

Movie Reviews: 'Casino Royale'
17 November 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Like their British counterparts, American film critics are bestowing high praise on Daniel Craig for his performance as James Bond in Casino Royale. "Daniel Craig is just right in the role," Michael Phillips writes in the Chicago Tribune. "Craig is definitely the Real Thing," comments Eleanor Ringel Gillespie in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.Amy Biancolli enthuses in the Houston Chronicle. "Craig's performance categorically silences the naysayers, igniting the film with a combustible, half-cocked virility that the series hasn't seen since the Sean Connery era." "Daniel Craig is the best Bond since Sean [Connery]," applauds Jack Mathews in the New York Daily News.But Peter Howell in the Toronto Star puts it this way: "The debate will continue as to who constitutes the best Bond, but there's no question that he is the right Bond for these times." Critics also seem generally pleased with the "reimagining" of the Bond franchise. Chris Vognar observes in the Dallas Morning News: "Casino doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does spin the franchise in some gritty new directions. The characters seem less like props in an ongoing adolescent fantasy. The tone isn't as cute or vapid as most installments; it's actually a little sinister compared with any recent Bond. ... The movie feels both old and new. It is quietly, casually revisionist in its reinvention." Manohla Dargis in the New York Times underlines the difference: "Here what pops off the screen aren't the exploding orange fireballs that have long been a staple of the Bond films and have been taken to new pyrotechnic levels by Hollywood producers like Jerry Bruckheimer, but some sensational stunt work and a core seriousness. Successful franchises are always serious business, yet this is the first Bond film in a long while that feels as if it were made by people who realize they have to fight for audiences' attention, not just bank on it." The critics do have a number of reservations with the film. Nearly all conclude that it is too long. Several remark that it lacks the humor of its predecessors. Several remark that they don't miss Q or Miss Moneypenny. But Joel Siegel on Good Morning America suggested that what he missed most was the Bond theme music. "At first I thought....there was some kind of rights problem, they couldn't use the music. Turns out they were saving it until the movie's over."

Rome Film Festival Organizers Play Down Loren Spat
23 October 2006 (WENN)
Organisers of the Rome Film Festival insist next year's event will be dedicated to Sophia Loren, after she was reportedly furious at being snubbed for the inaugural cinema showcase this month. The festival, which opened last weekend, has been graced by the likes of Nicole Kidman, Monica Bellucci and Sir Sean Connery, but the 71-year-old actress' invitation was overlooked. Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni says, "We had already decided to make Sophia Loren the star of the second edition of the festival, so there should be no controversy. We didn't invite her this year because we hoped she would be the guest of honor next year, just as Sean Connery was this time."

Connery Decides Against Autobiography
21 August 2006 (WENN)
Sir Sean Connery has abandoned plans to write an autobiography, because it would be impossible to right all the wrongs already written about him. A memoir of the former James Bond actor had been lined up for some time, until the actor discovered the amount of lies that have made it into print. He tells Empire magazine, "The autobiography was something that I thought about. But the problem was that I discovered there were ten books about me and that I was going to have to spend the rest of my life trying to correct ten books of inaccuracies. And frankly it wasn't worth it, so I withdrew."

Correction: Connery Has No Plans for Retirement
18 April 2006 (WENN)
Publicists for actor Sean Connery have refuted a recent story that the Finding Forrester star would soon be announcing his retirement from acting. According a WENN story from April 9, Connery had planned to make the announcement when he collects his Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Film Institute later this year. According to Connery's publicist, Nancy Seltzer, "He has never said and wouldn't say he was officially retiring from film at his upcoming AFI tribute. He's honored and flattered by the award."

Connery to Announce Movie Retirement at AFI
9 April 2006 (WENN)
Sir Sean Connery is expected to officially announce he is quitting Hollywood when he collects his Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Film Institute later this year. Connery, who is recuperating after undergoing surgery to remove a Kidney tumor in January, plans to spend his time writing books instead. He says, "I have retired for good. It's been a bit rough since Christmas but I'm perfectly OK and I feel well. In fact, I'm working on a history book." Harrison Ford, meanwhile, is campaigning for the actor to return to The screen for the upcoming fourth Indiana Jones movie.

Ford and Connery Reunite for ‘Indiana Jones 4’?
5 April 2006 (WENN)
Harrison Ford has thrilled fans by hinting at a reunion with Sir Sean Connery on the set of the much-anticipated fourth Indiana Jones movie. The Scottish screen legend wowed fans as the action archeologist's father in the series' third movie, Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, and looks set to continue his role into the fourth film. The as-yet untitled movie is still in the pre-production phase but Ford hopes to start work soon. Coy Ford smiles, "I can't really say, but I would hope."

Connery Has Tumor Removed
13 March 2006 (WENN)
Scottish superstar and The Untouchables Academy Award winner Sean Connery is convalescing after undergoing surgery to remove a tumor from his kidney. The 75-year-old From Russia With Love actor underwent the operation in January in a New York City hospital, and is now back home in the Bahamas with his wife Micheline. He says, "I was opened in five places, including a tube up my d**k." Brother Neil says, "As far as I'm led to believe the tumour was benign. He seems to be quite upbeat about it."

Stone Proud To Bare All
10 March 2006 (WENN)
Sharon Stone had no qualms about baring all for the steamy sequel to Basic Instinct because she is fed up with ageing actresses being restricted to unsexy roles. The middle-aged star shamelessly flaunted her figure in the upcoming Basic Instinct 2 in a bid to break the mould with her provocative character Catherine Tramell. She says, "By the time the film is released, I will be 48 and I wanted to do the nudity in a way that's quite brazen. I wanted her to be very masculine, like a man in a steam room and I wanted the audience to have a moment where they realize she's naked and then realize that she's a fortysomething woman and naked. Because we're not used to seeing that in movies. We're used to seeing Sean Connery and his granddaughter, you know what I mean? Or Mel Gibson and his daughter."

Craig Considered Bond Role For Over a Year
21 February 2006 (WENN)
New James Bond star Daniel Craig deliberated for over a year before accepting the iconic role, because he feared it would ruin his career. The actor didn't jump at the chance to play the suave spy in the new film Casino Royale, because he was afraid he would be typecast forever. He explains, "I kind of feel that if you look at the track record of most Bonds - I mean Sean Connery obviously defined the part, and even he struggled for a while to get rid of the mantle. That's the pitfall and it could happen to me. I've been working so hard, for however long it is I've been doing this, to try and stick to doing stuff I totally believe in and that would be wiped out." The Munich star overcame his ambivalence and eventually accepted the role, taking over from Pierce Brosnan. Craig adds, "I thought, God, this is all right: I'm doing what I want to do. And that was a huge weight off my shoulders."

Shelley Winters: 1920-2006
14 January 2006 (IMDb News Flash)
Actress Shelley Winters, the larger-than-life movie star who became one of only two women to win two Best Supporting Actress Oscars, died Saturday in Beverly Hills; she was 85. The actress died of heart failure early Saturday morning, following hospitalization at the Rehabilitation Center in Beverly Hills after suffering a heart attack in October. A woman with a zest for living and a loud, brassy attitude to match her appetites, Winters was born Shirley Schrift in East St. Louis, IL, and started her career as a chorus girl before moving on to stage parts in New York; she would later study at the legendary Actors Studio under Lee Strasberg. Signed to a contract with Columbia in the 40s, the actress received her new name and a number of unmemorable, and mostly uncredited, supporting parts before returning to Broadway. She was lured back to Hollywood, though, by Universal, which transformed her into a stunning blonde bombshell, and her first memorable role was opposite Oscar winner Ronald Colman in A Double Life. Her reputation as an actress was cemented with her amazing performance in 1951's A Place in the Sun alongside Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor; her heart-wrenching role, which forced her to tone down her glamorous image, earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination and put her on the Hollywood map. Other films in the 50s included the classic The Night of the Hunter, I Am a Camera, and Executive Suite. She capped the decade with The Diary of Anne Frank, and her turn as Mrs. Van Daan won her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar, which she later donated to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.

As Winters' fame in movies grew, so did her reputation as a life-loving, outspoken, lustful, political, provocative woman. Her romances were as legendary as any male star of the era, and she counted William Holden, Burt Lancaster, Marlon Brando, Clark Gable, Sean Connery, Sterling Hayden and Errol Flynn among her conquests. She was married three times, first to businessman Paul Meyer, then to actors Vittorio Gassman (with whom she had a daughter) and Anthony Franciosa; both marriages to the Italian actors were notoriously volatile. In 1962, Winters played the mother of the nymphet Lolita in the Stanley Kubrick film, a turning point at which her performances would become broader and more outrageous. She won her second Best Supporting Actress Oscar for 1965's A Patch of Blue, and her hateful role as the mother of a blind woman was in stark contrast to her previous Oscar-winning performance. (Aside from Winters, the only other actress to win two Best Supporting Actress Oscars is Dianne Wiest.) Winters also appeared in Alfie, Harper, and A House is Not a Home in the 60s, and the 70s brought on such movies as Bloody Mama, Who Slew Auntie Roo and Cleopatra Jones, though her sentimental and winning performance in The Poseidon Adventure, as an overweight woman whose swimming talents help lead her fellow passengers to safety, received yet another Oscar nomination. (Winters gained 30 pounds for the role, which she often commented she never lost again.) Talk show appearances, TV films and lesser-known movies dotted the rest of her career, though she made memorable appearances in S.O.B. and The Portrait of a Lady, and had a recurring role on the sitcom Roseanne as the star's overbearing grandmother. Winters also wrote two best-selling autobiographies, Shelley: Also Known as Shirley and Shelley II: The Middle of My Century. She is survived by her daughter, Vittoria, two grandchildren, and her longtime companion, Jerry DeFord. --Prepared by IMDb staff

Connery To Be Awarded Top AFI Honor
14 November 2005 (WENN)
Veteran actor Sir Sean Connery is to be awarded the American Film Institute's (AFI) Life Achievement Award to honor his outstanding contribution to film. Scottish Connery is most famous for his role as superspy James Bond, who he played six times between 1962 and 1971, and once again in unofficial 007 movie Never Say Never Again. In 1988, the 75-year-old won the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role in Brian De Palma's gangster film The Untouchables. Connery, the 34th person to be presented with the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, will collect his honor at a ceremony in Los Angeles on 8 June next year. The AFI's Howard Stringer says, "Though best remembered for creating one of the great film heroes of all time, his talents transcend typecasting. His body of work not only stands the test of time, but illuminates a career more extraordinary than James Bond himself." Previous AFI Life Achievement Award recipients include Clint Eastwood, Robert De Niro, Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg.

Reynolds Still Regrets James Bond Snub
2 August 2005 (WENN)
Veteran actor Burt Reynolds holds such a deep regret about turning down the role of James Bond in the 1970s, he still wakes up in a cold sweat thinking about it. Late James Bond producer Albert R 'Cubby' Broccoli offered Reynolds the chance to follow Sir Sean Connery as the slick sleuth, but the actor rejected the opportunity - an action he has lived to regret ever since. He says, "Sean Connery had said he wanted more money and left and (Cubby Broccoli) came to visit me and said, 'We want you to play James Bond.' "And I said, in my infinite wisdom, 'An American can't play James Bond. It just can't be done.' "Now, in the middle of the night, you hear me wake up in this cold sweat going, 'Bond, James Bond.'"

Connery Says He Won't Work for Hollywood's "Idiots"
1 August 2005 (StudioBriefing)
Sean Connery, who has not made a film in nearly three years, said over the weekend that he is not likely to make another one. In an interview in New Zealand, Connery remarked, "I'm fed up with the idiots ... the ever-widening gap between people who know how to make movies and the people who green-light the movies." The 74-year-old Connery, who remains Britain's highest-paid actor added: "It would almost need a Mafia-like offer I couldn't refuse to do another movie."

Connery Pulls Plug on Biography
11 July 2005 (WENN)
Sir Sean Connery has ditched plans for his long-awaited autobiography, returning a staggering $1.7 million advance to the publishing giants Harper Collins. The veteran James Bond star already abandoned plans to work with original writer and childhood pal Meg Henderson, and later pulled away from second choice Hunter Davies, and has now decided to forget about the entire project. A source says, "Sir Sean doesn't need the money, everyone knows that. The book was always about setting the record straight. But looking back on your life when you are aged 74 is a very emotionally demanding thing to do."

Connery Backs Out of Book Deal
21 March 2005 (WENN)
Acting legend Sir Sean Connery has ditched plans for an autobiography for the second time. The book launch was planned to coincide with the 50th anniversary of his glittering film career in 2007 - and was to be written by ghost-writer Hunter Davies, who 74-year-old Connery signed a contract with last summer. The Scottish screen star only backed out of a contract with another writer, fellow Scot Meg Henderson, six months earlier. Henderson says, "He isn't the man I thought he was, nor the man he likes to think he is." It is rumored within the publishing world the Oscar-winning actor feared his public image would suffer because Davies wanted to write a no-holds-barred book about the actor, who has enjoyed a wild sex life and has also endured claims of wife-beating, which he has always denied.

British University To Produce Film for Hollywood Showcase
10 March 2005 (StudioBriefing)
Actor Jason Connery has announced plans to screen a short film made by students at Coventry University in England at his Los Angeles showcase, Short Mondays. On hand for the opening of a new media center at the university, Connery, the son of Sean Connery, has reportedly agreed to provide a script that will be converted into a short film by the Coventry students and then screened at Short Monday, a showcase that is held at a Hollywood restaurant on the first Sunday of each month. In an interview with the London Telegraph, Connery said, "What is really exciting is this idea of a liaison between Coventry and Hollywood. As long as you can tell a story you can make a film."

Connery Countersues Neighbor
8 March 2005 (WENN)
Sir Sean Connery has filed a countersuit against his New York neighbor, after the townhouse resident sued the acting legend for being a "rude, foul-mouthed, fat old man". Last month ophthalmologist Dr. Burton Sultan filed a $30 million lawsuit against the former James Bond star, claiming renovations Connery and his wife Marilyn are carrying out on the top two floors on the building, which began in September 2001, are a source of constant noise, foul fumes, water leaks and a rat infestation. Sultan and his family claim the Connerys also owe $15,747 in maintenance and utility payments - another ploy "to harass the Sultans" out of their home. In a countersuit filed by Connery, he accuses Sultan "has embarked on a campaign of harassing" the Scots star and his family. The suit says, "It's clear that the condominium cannot function if it is run by defendant, Burton Sultan, out of his office... in Old Westbury as a tyrant." Connery's spokesperson has dismissed the allegations, claiming the actor spends most of his time in the Bahamas.

Connery Branded a Bully in Lawsuit
23 February 2005 (WENN)
Entrapment star Sean Connery has been slapped with a $30 million lawsuit from a New York neighbor, who accuses him of using bully tactics to oust him from the townhouse they share. Dr. Burton Sultan, an ophthalmologist, lives with his wife and daughters on the lower four floors of a six-story Tudor townhouse on Manhattan's East Side. Connery and his wife live on the top two floors. Court papers claim renovations the Connery's are carrying out, which began in September 2001, are a source of constant noise, foul fumes, water leaks and a rat infestation. The lawsuit claims damage to the Sultans' home extended to their collection of Victorian and early 20th century wicker furniture. The court papers say "Notwithstanding the cinematic James Bond image of consummate finesse, the defendant Connery, in true Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde fashion, acts the part in real life of a bully who ignores norms of neighborliness and decency." The lawsuit also claims Connery is harassing the Sultans "by playing loud music at all hours" and "stomping about". On April 7, 2002, one of the Sultans' daughters allegedly knocked on Connery's door and requested quiet. The court papers state, "Connery's appearance and behavior was that of a rude, foul-mouthed, fat old man. Cursing and otherwise using indecent language Connery demeaned Marla's father, refused to lower the noise and slammed the door in her face." The court papers say the Connerys also owe $15,747 in maintenance and utility payments - another ploy "to harass the Sultans" out of their home. The lawsuit includes a letter, purportedly from the Connerys' lawyer, Robert P. Lynn Jr, stating, "I think if we tie him up in several lawsuits, hopefully this will either permanently subdue him or drive him out of the building." A spokesman for the actor has hit back at the claims, arguing the couple are "rarely" at the New York home.

'Indy 4' Still a Go, Says Ford
6 December 2004 (StudioBriefing)
Asked by the Internet website IESB.net whether Indiana Jones 4 will ever be made, Harrison Ford replied, "No doubt about it." Button-holed at a charity event for Amnesty International, Ford was asked about reports that a younger actor might replace him in the role. "No problem with a younger actor taking on Indiana Jones, but Indy 4 is mine," he responded. As to whether Sean Connery would appear in the next sequel, he remarked, "He says that he is now retired, so I don't know." Ford dodged a question about whether he was happy with the script, saying only "I hear that [producer] George Lucas is happy with the way the new draft is turning out."

007 Magazine Editor Blasts Connery Buggy Reports
21 November 2004 (WENN)
A magazine editor has hit out at reports Sir Sean Connery has secretly bought the moon buggy he rode in the 1971 James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever, insisting the space vehicle is still going to auction. Graham Rye, editor of 007 Magazine, was left fuming when news emerged Connery had charmed him into selling the buggy privately for $54,000. The moon buggy will still be part of a collection of movie and entertainment pieces offered at London auction house Christie's on December 14. Rye says, "No one was more surprised than me to read reports that Sir Sean Connery had purchased the Diamonds Are Forever moon buggy for $54,000. It is of course complete and utter rubbish. Besides, I would certainly have expected a larger offer - even from a Scotsman! Sir Sean has no interest whatsoever in James Bond these days. He moved on rather successfully from 007 years ago."

Connery Secretly Buys Bond Moon Buggy
19 November 2004 (WENN)
Sir Sean Connery has secretly bought the ultimate souvenir from his days playing superspy James Bond - the moon buggy he rode in 1971 movie Diamonds Are Forever. The space vehicle Bond used to make a hasty getaway in the film was due to be sold on December 14 at London auction house Christie's for an estimated $56,000. But the veteran actor charmed the buggy's owner, 007 Magazine editor Graham Rye, into selling it privately for $54,000. An insider says, "He even shocked us. We never thought a Bond star would buy it."

Connery Wants McGregor As Bond
18 November 2004 (WENN)
Ewan McGregor should be the next James Bond, according to former 007 star Sir Sean Connery. Star Wars actor McGregor was recently reported to be in negotiations to take over from Pierce Brosnan as the super spy - and Connery thinks he'd be a great choice if he's brave enough to take on the role. Connery tells Pagesix.Com , "He's very good. He should do it if he wants to do it. But it's a bit of a poison chalice. It is slightly more difficult than people realize because it has to look very comfortable and very easy and very cool." According to media reports, McGregor is battling it out with Colin Farrell, Hugh Jackman and Jude Law for the coveted role.

Connery Diplomatic Passport Held in Panama
5 October 2004 (WENN)
A diplomatic passport handed to Sir Sean Connery by the former Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso has been cancelled by the country's new government. The former James Bond star was presented the passport by his friend Moscoso during a ceremony in 2003 to honor "artists, businessmen, politicians and other people on account of them being international promoters of culture, health, business, tourism or athletics". But Moscoso left office on September 1 after losing a general election - and incoming President Martin Torrijos has cancelled all 121 diplomatic passports handed out by Mososco. Foreign ministry official Guido Fuentes comments, "For us there is no justification for giving the passports."

Connery Sparks Retirement Speculation
30 September 2004 (WENN)
Actor Sean Connery has abruptly pulled out of movie Josiah's Canon - missing out on $17.5 million and prompting speculation he's ready to retire. Bosses of the Fox movie are now scrambling to find a replacement after Connery's surprise departure, to ensure Brett Ratner's movie, which is due to begin filming in Prague in February, can remain on schedule. While Connery's spokesman says the Scottish actor pulled out so he can concentrate on writing his memoirs, sources in Hollywood are guessing the 74-year-old James Bond star plans to give up the movie business. Trade publication Daily Variety reports that Connery has lost a lot of his enthusiasm because of the tribulations involved in making big-budget studio films - capped by a bad experience while shooting his last movie The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, during which he clashed with director Stephen Norrington.

Connery Quits Movie, Yields $17.5-Million Fee
29 September 2004 (StudioBriefing)
Sean Connery, who reportedly had a tempestuous relationship with the director of his last film, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, has reportedly clashed with the makers of what was to be his next film, Josiah's Canon, and quit the film. Canon, for which Connery reportedly was due to receive $17.5 million, was to have begun shooting in February under the direction of Brett Ratner. Officially, an announcement from the actor stated that he wants to devote more time to writing his autobiography.

Dougray Scott To Play Bond?
13 September 2004 (WENN)
British actor Dougray Scott has reportedly beaten off competition from actors, Eric Bana, Ioan Gruffud and Clive Owen to replace Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. The To Kill A King hunk, 38, clinched the role after discussions with Bond producer Barbara Broccoli and will be the seventh actor to appear as the sexy British agent. He will make his first appearance in the 23rd Bond movie after Eon Productions decided they wanted to return to a more brooding Bond in the mould of fellow Scot Sean Connery, reports British newspaper the Sunday Mirror. A movie insider says, "Producers have been eager to take Bond back to the broody and sexy figure that Sean was so brilliant at. Obviously it's not possible for Sean to return at his age, so they have been looking for a younger actor with similar characteristics. Since then Barbara and Dougray have been in talks - and she believes he will be the perfect new 007 for the 21st Century." Brosnan announced two months ago that he would not be starring as Bond again, saying, "That's it. I've said all I've got to say on the world of James Bond."

Brosnan Will Play Bond Again
19 May 2004 (WENN)
Irish superstar Pierce Brosnan will play suave superspy James Bond again - after patching up his feud with the Broccoli family. The Laws of Attraction actor, 51, was thought to have lost the prestigious job after film executives deemed him too old to continue playing the sexy secret agent. But despite reports British hunks Clive Owen and Jude Law have been approached to replace him, insiders say Pierce - who had publicly slammed the Broccoli's for delaying the project - is still their number one choice for Bond. A source says Barbara Broccoli told employees she had forgiven Brosnan's recent outbursts, as they didn't compare to the friction between her father Cubby and original Bond Sean Connery. Broccoli reportedly said, "If you knew what my father went through with Sean Connery, that's nothing."

Connery Drinks for Cash
22 January 2004 (WENN)
Sir Sean Connery has signed a deal to become the face of Scottish whiskey Dewar's 12 Special Reserve. The former James Bond star, 73, is no stranger to whiskey ads - he has previous advertised Japanese beverage Suntory. The 45-second television and cinema promo is based on the phrase "some age, others mature" and will be screened in Lebanon, Greece, Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Thailand, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, but the US or UK. Neil Boyd, global brand director of John Dewar And Sons, says, "Dewar's is thrilled to be associated with Sir Sean Connery. He maintains his independent character, has matured into one of the most highly-valued and admired men in the world, and of course proudly touts his Scottish heritage."

Stone and Pesci Love Scene Voted Worst Ever
31 December 2003 (WENN)
Hollywood beauty Sharon Stone's romp with vertically challenged tough guy Joe Pesci has been voted the worst love scene of all time. The scene from Martin Scorsese's 1995 movie Casino beat out competition from Entrapment, in which Sean Connery bedded Catherine Zeta-Jones, 40 years his junior. Third in the poll - voted for by readers of American magazine Film - came the controversial 1972 movie Last Tango In Paris in which Marlon Brando frolics with Maria Schneider. Describing the Casino sex scene, one reader said, "Could there be a more repulsive combination than these two? It's like one of the munchkins got a shot at Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz." Other scenes to make the top 10 include Madonna's candle wax session with Willem Dafoe in Body Of Evidence, and Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton in Monster's Ball.

Connery May Play a Spy Again
30 October 2003 (StudioBriefing)
One year after it was filed, Sean Connery has settled his $17-million lawsuit against producer Peter Guber and his Mandalay Productions over End Game, a thriller that was expected to return the onetime James Bond to the role of a secret agent. Connery had accused Mandalay of fraudulently concealing the fact that its financing had dried up, making the company little more than "a house of cards." In a joint statement, the two companies said that the 73-year-old Connery, along with producing partner Rhonda Tollefson, would themselves take over the development of End Game.

Downey Jr. and Ryder Wanted by Woody
25 July 2003 (WENN)
Troubled screen stars Robert Downey Jr. and Winona Ryder are wanted once again - this time by legendary film-maker Woody Allen. Former drug-taker Downey Jr. and convicted shoplifter Ryder are in talks to join the cast of Allen's next movie, which is scheduled to being filming this autumn. But in typical Woody Allen style, the title, script and plot are all being kept secret. Downey Jr. recently wrapped filming on Gothika alongside Halle Berry and Penelope Cruz, while Ryder will next hit screens in Ember opposite Sean Connery.

Disney Takes 'Pirates' Treasure
14 July 2003 (StudioBriefing)
Disney executives were no doubt shouting, "Yo ho, yo ho" upon getting the word over the weekend that Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl earned an estimated $46.4 million in its debut, the most ever earned by a Disney film in a July opening. Fox's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen bowed in second place with $23.3 million, far more than had been expected. The film had received generally negative reviews, ordinarily a death knell for a film like Gentlemen, which is aimed at an older, review-reading crowd. (Indeed, Daily Variety reported that 63 percent of the film's patrons were over 25). Fox distribution chief Bruce Snyder primarily credited the film's strong showing to star Sean Connery's performance. "It was extraordinary," he said. Meanwhile last week's champ, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, saw ticket sales decline 55 percent as it dropped to third place with just $19.6 million.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, $46.4 million; 2. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, $23.25 million; 3. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, $19.6 million; 4. Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, $12 million; 5. Finding Nemo, $8.2 million; 6. Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, $7.3 million; 7. Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, $4.6 million; 8. 28 Days Later, $4.25 million; 9. The Hulk, $3.7 million; 10. The Italian Job, $2.8 million.

Movie Reviews: 'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'
11 July 2003 (StudioBriefing)
On ABC's Good Morning America critic Joel Siegel led off his review of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by remarking on the extraordinary acting talent of one of its stars, Sean Connery. "I'd pay to watch him read the morning paper and drink a cup of coffee," Siegel commented, then added: "I'd rather do [that] than watch The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," which Siegel described as "every action movie this summer lumped together in one big ... lump." His colleagues in the print media mostly agree. Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times calls the lump a mixture of "incomprehensible action, idiotic dialogue, inexplicable motivations, causes without effects, effects without causes, and general lunacy. What a mess." Geoff Pevere in the Toronto Star advises: "Transpose just about any of the reasonable complaints one might have about 90 per cent of the big budget studio releases currently, recently or imminently in release (i.e., that they're underwritten, overblown, forgettable, illogical, irrelevant, intellectually-challenged and yet eager to reproduce) and you've pretty much captured the essence of this joyless, lurching behemoth." Megan Lehmann in the New York Post counters the highfalutin title with a highfalutin description: "unfathomable balderdash." Carrie Rickey in the Philadelphia Inquirer describes it as "the unwatchable in pursuit of the inexplicable." Stephen Hunter in the Washington Post even has rancorous words about Connery. "He confines most of his acting to his left eyebrow and his right fist; they're his only body parts that seem engaged. In all other respects, his performance must be modeled on Darrell Hammond's brilliant impersonations of him on Saturday Night Live as arrogant and stupid but also stubborn and boring," Hunter writes. And Manohla Dargis in the Los Angeles Times expresses her exasperation with the recent glut of blockbuster action films by kicking off her review this way: "It's axiomatic among film critics that the movies have gone to the dogs, or more precisely to teenage boys. Given the current crop of cheerlessly noisy entertainments, such bitterness is understandable, but then again it's summer. Summer is the critics' season of discontent, the time when movies seem coarser, louder and held hostage by stories simple enough to wrap around a slab of Bazooka bubble gum." In fact, the film has a few admirers. Eleanor Ringel Gillespie in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution describes it as "a lightning-paced period adventure, dotted with some off-hand literary references to coax a smile out of book-loving moviegoers."

Connery's 'Extraordinary' Feud Rolls On
3 July 2003 (WENN)
Acting legend Sir Sean Connery used the Las Vegas premiere of his latest film The League Of Extraordinary Gentleman to inflame his feud with its director. Filmmaker Stephen Norrington fell out with the Scottish star - who also served as executive producer on the movie - when they clashed over his slow, meticulous working place and Connery's involvement with the editing process. And when asked where the 38-year old moviemaker - who had boycotted the event - was, Connery replied, "Have you checked the local asylum?" He then added, "Ask me about someone I like, will you? Everyone else in the film was a pleasure to work with. Not him."

Moore Is Second Sir Bond
16 June 2003 (WENN)
James Bond legend Sir Roger Moore is celebrating after receiving a knighthood for his work with children's charity Unicef. Moore, 75, has appeared in 68 movies during his illustrious career, and becomes the second Bond actor to receive the honor, after Sir Sean Connery. Moore says, "I am so proud to be the recipient of this great honor. I am doubly proud because this is an acknowledgment of Unicef, the United Nations Children's Fund, an organization I am honored to work for as an international goodwill ambassador. I accept this title on behalf of the many thousands of volunteers and workers at Unicef who dedicate their lives to helping the millions of children in need around the world today."

AFI Picks Top Heroes, Villains
4 June 2003 (StudioBriefing)
At ceremonies Tuesday night, the American film Institute named the top 100 movie heroes and villains. The top ten on each list:

Heroes: 1. Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), To Kill a Mockingbird; 2. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), Raiders of the Lost Ark; 3. James Bond (Sean Connery), Dr. No; 4. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), Casablanca; 5. Will Kane (Gary Cooper), High Noon; 6. Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), The Silence of the Lambs; 7. Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), Rocky; 8. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Aliens; 9. George Bailey (James Stewart), It's a Wonderful Life; 10. T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole), Lawrence of Arabia.

Villains: 1. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), The Silence of the Lambs; 2. Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), Psycho; 3. Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones), The Empire Strikes Back; 4. The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton), The Wizard of Oz; 5. Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; 6. Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), It's a Wonderful Life; 7. Alex Forrest (Glenn Close), Fatal Attraction; 8. Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), Double Indemnity; 9. Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), The Exorcist; 10. The Queen (voiced by Lucille LaVerne), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Michael Douglas: Catherine Deserved Oscar
25 April 2003 (WENN)
Hollywood actor Michael Douglas was thrilled by his actress wife Catherine Zeta-Jones's Oscar win - and insists she deserved the coveted prize. The star was guessing by presenter Sir Sean Connery at the March 23 bash before announcing the recipient of the Best Supporting Actress award - but all the suspense was worth it when his Chicago star's wife's name was read out. Douglas explains, "Sean was being clever and he just said 'Cath...' There was a little moment because Kathy Bates was also up for the award and they actually cut the camera to her face. But it's like all those things, it was just a rush, just a pure rush of excitement and of deep pride and pleasure. I had spent that movie with Catherine and Dylan (the couple's two-year-old son) in Toronto. I'd been there when she was shooting the entire picture. I saw how hard she was working because doing a musical is like doing three movies all in one go. I saw the effort in rehearsals and how black and blue she got from those dance numbers and splits and being picked up and carried around. She was dragging herself home at night. And just to see the result of that was winning an Oscar was a real treat."

Sir Sean's Scots Support
11 March 2003 (WENN)
Sir Sean Connery was so committed to his native Scotland's bid for independence that he financed the Scottish National Party for six years. The smooth-voiced actor reveals that he deposited $1.2 million in an off-shore account in 1995, and regularly donated the monthly interest of around $8,000 to the political party. James Bond star Connery told Glasgow's Herald newspaper, "I have never told anyone before about the £750,000 deposit." But the Entrapment movie veteran had to halt his philanthropy in 2001 when new laws stated that parties were not allowed to accept money from people not on Britain's electoral register - and Connery is resident in the Bahamas. However, the Herald claims that Connery is still able to transfer sums as he has an address in London - and he was omitted from the register due to an oversight. The 72-year-old actor now plans to make more donations, but says, "I haven't made the donation yet because I have to clarify how much you can make." In addition to these financial boosts, Connery continues his vocal support of the leading advocates of Scottish independence through a series of audio and video tapes he has recorded for the SNP. He adds, "In the recordings, I say that for me the big picture of Scotland is nothing less than equality with England: a Scotland that makes her own decisions, a sovereign state that will be a voice in Europe and around the world."

Websites Warned About Running Overseas Ads with Big Stars
30 December 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Representatives of top Hollywood movie stars who refuse to make commercials for the U.S. market but have no hesitation about filming them for overseas consumption have begun sending cease-and-desist orders to website operators featuring them, the New York Daily News reported today (Monday). The newspaper's "Rush & Molloy" column commented, "Meg Ryan, Leo DiCaprio and Arnold Schwarzenegger don't want you to see the silly ways they make millions flogging products to the Japanese." However, the newspaper observed, Internet surfers can still find spots fronted by Sean Connery, Antonio Banderas and Demi Moore on the www.gaijinagogo.com site, and www.japander.com offers spots aired by Harrison Ford, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Jodie Foster, Nicolas Cage, and Brad Pitt.

Connery Will Play Jones' Father Again
17 December 2002 (WENN)
Minority Report director Steven Spielberg has ended months of speculation and confirmed that Sean Connery will feature in the new Indiana Jones film - but only "for a few scenes." And the veteran filmmaker is also hoping to reunite the globe trotting archeologist Indy with all his former love interests too. Karen Allen, who played Marion in Raiders Of The Lost Ark, is set to star for "one sound bite." Spielberg adds, "There are other Indy girls who had smaller roles who will come back." However, there may be trouble closer at home as script writer Frank Darabont has warned the Catch Me If You Can director that he may not be able to write in Spielberg's real-life wife Kate Capshaw, who played Willie Scott in Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom. Spielberg explains, "Frank Darabont, who is writing the script, called me and said, 'I'm not sure we can work her into the script too.'"

John Mills in Award Tribute
3 December 2002 (WENN)
Legendary British actor Sir John Mills will be bestowed with a special honor at next year's British Academy Of Film And Television awards. The 94-year old Ice Cold In Alex star will take his place next to previous recipients, including Alfred Hitchcock and Sean Connery, of the Academy's special Fellowship award. Mills, who won an Oscar in 1971 for his performance in Ryan's Daughter, has always welcomed accolades. He says, "I'm not one of those who decry Oscars - ever since school I've always liked the idea of competition and prizes."

British Reviews: 'Die Another Day'
20 November 2002 (StudioBriefing)
James Bond, that most British of all movie heroes, has received mostly polite applause from London critics reviewing Die Another Day. After attending a series of disappointing Bond films dating back more than 20 years, Cosmo Landesman wrote in the London Sunday Times, "Bond fans are at last going to get their reward. Not because it's a great film, but because, compared to all the recent turkeys, it's a triumph. Compared to vintage Connery Bond, it's a travesty." But Michael Gove in the daily Times calls the film a "superbly executed celebration of a great British tradition" and a review by the "BBC News Online entertainment staff" comments that "Pierce Brosnan's latest Bond is his best yet. Die Another Day has more spark and energy than any of the franchise's films in the last 15 years." But Sukhdev Sandhu, in the Telegraph, concludes that, for the most part, the movie "is simply not gripping or venturesome enough. Bond is protean, Bond is mystery; he should never be boring." Clearly, they all believe he should be British, and Peter Bradshaw in the Guardian is miffed that in one scene a British intelligence officer refers to the Korean demilitarized zone as the "dee em zee" (instead of the "dee em zed"). "I don't know what the secret services are coming to," Bradshaw remarks. Alistair McKay in the Scotsman can overlook most of the film's faults, however, calling Die Another Day "stupid, dated, charmingly forgivable."

Bonds Old and New Meet Queen at Premiere
19 November 2002 (WENN)
James Bonds past and present teamed up last night for the premiere of Die Another Day. Current 007 Pierce Brosnan was joined by predecessors Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby at the glittering bash - also attended by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. The actors were among a host of screen favorites who turned out for the launch of the 20th Bond film at London's Royal Albert Hall - 40 years after the agent's first film outing. Moore, 75, who arrived with Swedish wife Kiki Tholstrup, said, "I'm delighted to be here for 40 years of Bond. He is the classic British character. I really enjoyed playing 007 and was even lucky enough to get some of his toys." Dalton, 56, said he still enjoyed the excitement of Bond premieres and added, "It's great to be here." Handsome Brosnan, 49, who stars alongside Oscar-winner Halle Berry, arrived with real-life wife Keely Shaye Smith. He said, "I really love playing James Bond. Unfortunately I'm just an actor. I'd really like to be the real thing. This role has been one of the best yet and I am very proud of the film. There's never been a film premiere like this." The only Bond missing from the gathering was Sean Connery, the first to play the secret agent. He was invited by organizers, but told them he would not be able to attend as he is filming in Prague, Czech Republic. The Queen met Brosnan, Halle - who plays US agent Jinx - and movie villain Toby Stephens, plus Madonna, who has a small role in the film and sings the theme tune. The Queen asked Brosnan, "So you're the modern James Bond are you? I've met the other three downstairs."

Connery in Director Bust-Up
18 November 2002 (WENN)
Legendary British actor Sir Sean Connery has spoken about the huge arguments he's had on the set of his latest movie. Connery is at odds with Stephen Norrington on the set of his latest blockbuster The League Of Extraordinary Gentleman. The pair hardly speak on set - bringing many problems to the production. According to Britain's Daily Express newspaper, Connery admits, "There have been differences of opinion on almost everything. Professional differences, personal differences, you name it. But my philosophy has been to shoot the movie and talk about right and wrong afterwards. I just want to complete the picture. It has been very difficult. There is no question about that." A co-star on the film, an adaptation of Alan Moore's cult comic book, who refused to be identified, admits tensions on set have been high between the two strong characters. He says, "They both have really powerful personalities. Sean has really strong feelings about how he wants things to be done. He wants to get the shoot done. Stephen has not been around that long. Connery is not very pleased with how this is going. He is not used to being kept waiting on set." The movie, in which Connery stars as the adventurer Allen Quartermain, is due to open in America next summer.

Connery's Bond Cameo to be Cut?
5 November 2002 (WENN)
Sean Connery's surprise cameo in new James Bond film Die Another Day may be cut - after an inconsistency with the original Bond novels was identified. Connery, who was the first on-screen Bond in the sixties, filmed a small role as the father of the British spy, who is now played by Pierce Brosnan for the upcoming movie. However, just before the release of the action movie, the film's bosses Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson were advised that in the Ian Fleming novels which the successful franchise is based upon, Bond is an orphan. The producers are still considering whether to leave the footage in or not.

Ford Hopes for Old Indy Jokes
1 October 2002 (WENN)
Hollywood legend Harrison Ford is ready to play an older Indiana Jones in a new action film - as long as there's jokes about ageing in it. One consolation for the 60-year old hero is that Sir Sean Connery will be reprising his role as Indy's dad at the grand old age of 72. Ford jokes, "I can still whip Sean Connery with one hand tied behind my back. We want to preserve the spirit of the original but I hope we have some good jokes in there about getting older. It was always as much fun for the audience to see me get beat up as it was to see me beat somebody up. That's kind of unique."

Bond Goes Finnish
23 September 2002 (WENN)
James Bond will continue to ask for his martinis shaken, not stirred in the next 007 flick - but will ask for Finlandia instead of the usual Smirnoff. Irish hunk Pierce Brosnan will drink Finlandia Vodka in forthcoming Die Another Day, which also stars Halle Berry, Rosamund Pike, Rick Yune and Michael Madsen. Sir Sean Connery began drinking Smirnoff Martinis in the first movie in the 40-year franchise in 1962. A Smirnoff spokesman explains, "We are really looking to attract customers that are more in the 21 to 29 age group. "People in that age group socialize more." According to Smirnoff the Bond target audience is males aged between 25 to 45 who are not interested in socializing. However the film's studio MGM argues their audience is both sexes between 13 and 59, meaning the lower end of the scale should not be consuming alcohol at all. And Finlandia are delighted with their new product placement. Scott Reid, global marketing director for the drinks giant, says, "This is an unbelievable coup for us."

Tensions and Water Rises on Connery Film Set
24 August 2002 (WENN)
Tensions has risen with the water on the set of flood-threatened film The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen - director Stephen Norrington has requested lead star Sean Connery punch him in the face. The pair's angry confrontation came after filming on location in Prague, Czech Republic, was thrown into chaos by severe flooding. An anonymous actor on the set reports that a frustrated Norrington walked up to the legendary star and shouted, "I'm sick of it. Come on, I want you to punch me in the face!" However, Connery declined, and left the set until the film-maker had calmed down. The source adds, "It's been a tough shoot. One of the film's sets in Prague was ruined because of the floods and Norrington was under pressure. It's not helped by the fact that he's always shouting and screaming at people, and some of the cast and crew are sick of it."

Roger Moore's Daughter Wins Bond Girl Role
22 August 2002 (WENN)
The daughter of former 007 Roger Moore has won a role in the latest James Bond film Die Another Day. Deborah Moore, 38, has a cameo as an air hostess in the 20th Bond film, which will be released later this year. Her character meets the British secret agent, played by Pierce Brosnan, but fails to fall for his legendary charms. Roger Moore played Bond seven times between 1973 and 1985 and Deborah has also had her fair share of acting roles. She had her first role in 1971 in The Persuaders alongside her dad and later appeared in the TV series Merlin with Jason Connery, son of another Bond, Sean. Deborah is Roger's daughter from his third marriage to Luisa Mattioli, which ended in 1996 after 27 years.

Connery To Become a Spy Again
15 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Sean Connery will play a spy again for the first time since he doffed the mantle of James Bond in 1983, the Scottish newspaper, the Daily Record, reported today (Monday). A spokesman for Mandalay Pictures, which will be producing the film titled End Game, said that Connery "will be playing a CIA agent much closer to his own age [71]. He is up against the odds, resourceful and witty but he has to rely on others to help him out." The spokesman added: "It's a fantastic coup to get Sir Sean back as a spy again. He set the standard as James Bond and no one has matched it yet."

Connery Closes Film Company
14 May 2002 (WENN)
Sean Connery has dealt a huge blow to the Scottish film industry by closing down his Los Angeles-based production company. Connery's Fountainbridge Films was a major supporter of Scottish movie projects and with its closing plans for a film about the life of Mary Queen Of Scots have been put on hold. Hollywood sources claimed Sir Sean's shock decision followed disputes with his business partner Rhona Tollefson. Fountainbridge Films was behind the hit flick Entrapment, which starred Sir Sean and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Connery's agent says, "Sean took the decision to shut down Fountainbridge Films because he just wants to concentrate on acting." Tollefson would only say, "Sean and I are no longer in business together."

Connery Refuses Bond Baddie Offer
9 May 2002 (WENN)
Veteran star Sean Connery has ruled out returning to a James Bond movie to play a 'baddie'. The Scottish actor, who played the suave spy in six movies, had reportedly been approached by film executives to play an enemy agent in a future installment. But Connery said yesterday, "Absolutely no way - I could never be an enemy of James Bond." The 72-year-old also added that, from the four actors who have played the character since Connery, current Bond Pierce Brosnan impresses him most. "He has worked hard to take Bond back to the real character, be someone who can really be identified."

Connery's Bagpipe Quest
2 April 2002 (WENN)
Scottish actors Sean Connery and Ewan McGregor are teaming up to help break a world record involving bagpipes. The Hollywood heroes will take part in the Tartan Day parade in New York next weekend to mark the Declaration of Arbroath, which established Scotland's independence in 1320. And Connery will head a special parade featuring 10,000 bagpipers, hoping to break the record for assembling the most pipers in one place.

Goldenfilm
27 February 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Demonstrating anew the evergreen quality of its film library, MGM has signed a $30-million, two-year deal with Viacom's CBS and UPN broadcast networks and its TNN cable network for the first 15 James Bond movies. They include essentially all of the Sean Connery and Roger Moore Bond films. Daily Variety said today that the deal was driven by TNN, which plans to air them as a marathon in November, to tie in with a the release of a new, still-untitled Bond movie starring Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry. "Marathons of James Bond movies twice a year on TNN could harvest a bumper crop of viewers," the trade paper commented.

Connery Set To Star As Literary Hero
22 February 2002 (WENN)
Sean Connery is in negotiations to play legendary adventurer Allan Quartermain in a new blockbuster which will bring together a handful of literary heroes. In The League Of Extraordinary Gentleman, Mina Harker from Dracula, The Invisible Man, Dr Jekyll, Captain Nemo, Tom Sawyer and Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray will team up to stop a villain intent on turning the nations of the world against each other. The fictional force, based on From Hell creator Alan Moore's comic book, is brought together by Queen Victoria. No other names are linked to the project yet, but filming is likely to start in the Czech Republic and Morocco this summer.

Julia Roberts Becomes First Woman To Top Harris Poll
21 December 2001 (WENN)
Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts has topped the Harris poll's list of favorite movie stars - making her the first female to clinch the honor in its 11-year history. Julia was followed by Tom Hanks, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson and Sean Connery respectively. The poll, based on an online survey of 1,065 adult in early November, found that Roberts was first with women and Latinos and shared first place with Ford in the key movie-going crowd of people aged 18-29. Hanks led the field among men and Caucasian Americans, while Denzel Washington, who was eighth overall, was number one among African Americans.

Grisham Rejects Will Smith
20 December 2001 (WENN)
Novelist John Grisham refuses to have Will Smith star in the big screen adaption of his latest book - even though his rejection is jeopardising the movie. According to an inside source for the Page Six website, the 46-year-old penman's hostility to having Ali star Will as the leading man in The Runaway Jury means the entire project could be scrapped. The source says the author's prejudices extend to all big-name Hollywood actors, explaining, "Grisham hated having Denzel Washington in The Pelican Brief, even though the movie was a success." The 1993 picture grossed $100 million in America alone. But Smith's spokesman Stan Rosenfield insists Grisham's opinion has nothing to do with Will's failure to sign on the dotted line. He says, "Will Smith wasn't ready to commit to the project. There were differences of a creative nature. There were too many issues that were not acceptable." The source maintains that it was Grisham's frustration with having his preferences ignored before that made him insist on casting approval for The Runaway Jury. The project has languished in development since the book came out in 1996, when it was optioned by New Regency for $5 million. Sean Connery and Edward Norton have both been attached to the project, as well as directors Joel Schumacher and Philip Kaufman.

Brosnan Sexiest Man Alive
16 November 2001 (WENN)
In a tradition going back to the eighties, People named Pierce Brosnan their "Sexiest Man Alive" on Thursday. The 15th recipient of the label, Brosnan joins fellow Bond star Sean Connery, as well as Brad Pitt and George Clooney, in this select club. Also joining Brosnan in this year's sexy accolades were cellist Yo-Yo Ma, trenchcoated commercial pitchman Brian Baker ("the Sprint PCS guy"), and Mexican president Vincente Fox. Factors cited for choosing Brosnan included not only his good looks, but his faithfulness and devotion to his family. (This story was prepared by IMDb staff)

Albert Finney: Accents Aren't Important
29 October 2001 (WENN)
Acting legend Albert Finney reckons accents aren't so important in the world of movies. The 65-year-old actor is renowned for his mastery of accents. But he doesn't believe it's too much of a problem for contemporaries like Sean Connery or Michael Caine that they've never been able to shake off their natural tones. He says, "One of the requisites of being a movie star is that you give them what you want of you. In the old days you wouldn't have asked John Wayne, even when he was playing a Manchurian chief, to have any accent other than his own because it would have disappointed his legions of followers. If an actor says to a woman 'I love you', you have to believe him. It's a question of belief, not of accent."

Liz's Connery Blunder
1 October 2001 (WENN)
She may appear cool and sophisticated on big screen and catwalk - but even Elizabeth Hurley gets starstruck by celebrities. The sexy model-turned-actress is one of Hollywood's hottest properties after starring roles in Austin Powers and Bedazzled. But she admits to appearing far from the cool movie star when she met former 007 Sean Connery at a Hollywood bash. She says, "I met Sean Connery at a party - I was like the village idiot, it was humiliating. All I could say was 'Gosh, you're very tall. I didn't know you had a scottish accent in real life' He was so disgusted, he left!"

Fiennes To Be Next Bond?
25 September 2001 (WENN)
Ralph Fiennes is the latest hot favorite to step into the tailored shoes of British super-spy James Bond when Pierce Brosnan retires. But original Bond-actor Sean Connery is also tipped to make a return, as the silver-tongued sleuth. Fans of the legendary Bond films are already desperate to see Pierce Brosnan in the next 007 outing, but everyone wants to know who will succeed him. A number of big names have been approached to take the coveted role, with Ralph Fiennes currently in the lead, and Sean Connery is reportedly set to play Bond's father. Filming for what will be the 20th Bond movie, called Beyond The Ice, was scheduled to begin at the start of 2002, but may be delayed if the British actors union Equity strike goes ahead.

Jackson Reassured By Ewan McGregor's Kilt
26 July 2001 (WENN)
Samuel L. Jackson's fears about donning a kilt in his new film were allayed by seeing Ewan McGregor sporting one at a premiere. Jackson had never had to "cross-dress" in a movie before signing up for British movie The 51st State - and initially wasn't too happy about embarking on the new experience. But he changed his mind after seeing how good native Scots men Sean Connery and Ewan McGregor looked in the skirt garment. Jackson's co-star in the new flick, Robert Carlyle, also helped reassure the nervous star that he looked cool togged up as his character, kilt-wearing, golf-obsessed chemist Elmo McElroy. Jackson says, "I have never had to cross-dress in any way so it was a whole new phenomena for me. To tell the truth, I wasn't at all happy about the idea until I saw Ewan McGregor in one at the Star Wars premiere. Then I saw Sean Connery looking proud in his. I thought 'If this man can look good in a skirt, then anyone can!'. Robert Carlyle, who's also a real Scot, told me I looked 'cool'." The action comedy, which follows the fortunes of McElroy as he sells the rights to the ultimate party drug, POS-51, is due to be released later this year.

Another Scotsman To Play Bond?
27 June 2001 (StudioBriefing)
Scottish actor Gerard Butler has confirmed that he has had talks with James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli about taking over the 007 role if Pierce Brosnan decides to relinquish it. (Bond was originally played by a Scotsman, Sean Connery.) Appearing on the U.K.'s commercial breakfast television company GMTV, Butler said, "It's very flattering and I can't say much more then that. I was getting phone calls from L.A. saying that it was on CNN that I had been named as the new Bond. Since then I've been getting calls from everywhere from Israel to South Africa." Some writers speculated that Butler may have been joking, since no record could be found of such a CNN report.

Connery Exposed In Wife's Paintings
30 May 2001 (WENN)
Fans and admirers of Sir Sean Connery can catch gain an insight into his private life thanks to an exhibition of paintings by his wife. Micheline Roquebrune has created a painted diary of the her husband's daily life for the show in Rome, Italy, which opens Wednesday. The exhibition features abstracts and landscapes depicting their life together in homes around the world, from Marbella to New York. Connery is attending the gala opening of the exhibition tonight at the Vittoriano, a gallery inside the white marble Victor Emmanuel Monument on the Piazza Venezia. Up to 1,000 guests are expected and fierce competition is raging among Rome's social elite for an invitation. Local newspaper Il Messagero reports, "Rome has gone Connery-mad."

Wealthy Singer To Invest In Scottish Movie Studio
30 April 2001 (StudioBriefing)
Former Eurythmics member Dave Stewart has decided to make a substantial investment in an $8-million film studio in Inverness, Scotland, the London Sunday Times reported. The studio, which is due to have a fiber-optic link to Stewart's multimedia company, the Hospital, in London, is likely to become the first film studio in Scotland. It is also being backed by James Cosmo, who costarred in Braveheart with Mel Gibson. "It won't be Hollywood, but it will be a proper working studio," Cosmo told the Sunday Times. Named Highland Studios, the facility sill reportedly have two main sound stages, one 15,000 square feet; the other 8,000 square feet. Plans by a rival group including Sean Connery to build a studio near Edinburgh have stalled, the newspaper said.

Hugh Grant - The Next Doctor Who?
17 April 2001 (WENN)
Hugh Grant is being lined up to star in the big-screen version of Dr. Who. If Hugh does win the film version, he reportedly wants to play the part in a similar style to Dr. Who legend Tom Baker, who was the fourth actor to play the time- travelling scientist in the cult British TV series. Filmmakers at the BBC TV network have already been in contact with Grant about the possibility of playing the Time Lord. Other actors who have previously been tipped for the part include Sean Connery, Sylvester Stallone, John Cleese and Stephen Fry.

Possible U.S. Actors' Strike Has Ramifications In Australia
9 April 2001 (StudioBriefing)
Australian newspapers are reporting that production in Melbourne of Psychic has been indefinitely postponed because of the looming American actors' strike. Cuba Gooding Jr. and Gary Oldman had reportedly signed to co-star in the movie, while producers were attempting to land Sean Connery and Demi Moore as well. The Melbourne newspaper The Age reported today (Monday) that the movie's production office in Melbourne has been closed and quoted a publicist for the movie as confirming that the project had been put on hold because of the threatened SAG strike. The newspaper also said that production of the sequel to The Matrix, starring Keanu Reeves, has also "run into problems" and that it is doubtful that it will be completed before the strike is due to hit next month.

Brosnan And Clinton Are 'Real Men'
2 March 2001 (WENN)
Pierce Brosnan and the 42nd President of the United States Bill Clinton have topped a poll of 'real men' in British women's magazine Eve. Nearly 3,000 women voted for the list described as having no boy bands or Brad Pitts - just well-rounded, grown-up men who are admired for more than their buttocks. Pierce Brosnan came top of the list, followed by two Sirs, rower Sir Stephen Redgrave, actor Sir Sean Connery and then pop star Bob Geldof. Kim Basinger's estranged husband Alec Baldwin, who's at number five, was described by one voter as "distinctive, mature, inviting, full-bodied, like an exquisite wine."

Connery Says He Turned Down Fortune To Play Bond Again
13 February 2001 (StudioBriefing)
Sean Connery says that after he completed his last James Bond film, Never Say Never Again, in 1983, he was offered $15 million to make another Bond film -- and refused. Today's British Guardian newspaper quotes Connery as saying: "They were talking wild sums back then to get me into another Bond. Much as I enjoyed the Bond films back in the 60s, I needed a fresh challenge. A new direction. I could have just stayed where I was and made an incredible amount of money. Others would have done so. But not me. That isn't arrogance or me saying how wealthy I am. Far from it. I think I am being honest and putting people who say I watch the pennies in their place."

Sean Connery To Star In Austin Powers
6 February 2001 (WENN)
Legendary actor Sean Connery is set to team up with former Bond girl Honor Blackman to star in Austin Powers 3. The Scottish 007 actor and Blackman, who played Pussy Galore in Goldfinger, will play the long-lost parents of the British spy in the third installment of the comedy franchise, according to The New York Post. Although director Jay Roach has been quite open about his plans for the third Austin Powers movie, actor Mike Myers has remained tight-lipped about the project. Myers' spokesman denies any signings have taken place.

Sir Sean Connery's Golfing Nightmare
5 February 2001 (WENN)
Sean Connery is losing his passion for golf and is ready to swap the sport for tennis because his current form's so poor. Sean has long been a golf fanatic and plays off a respectable handicap of 15. But Sir Sean, who met his wife, artist Micheline Roquebrune, at a tournament in Morocco in the 1970s, says his love of the pastime is fast waning - as is his ability. He says, "Every golfer goes through it, but I'm not having a good time on the course. I guess I'm thinking of easing back more towards some tennis doubles." But Sir Sean, a member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews for 30 years, has been urged not to give up the game. Leading sports psychologist Tom Lucas says he should learn to curb his competitive instincts and play for fun. He says, "Sean doesn't want to stop because it's a sign of giving in to age. If you are fit like him you can play golf if you're 80 or 90 - but not like you played at 30 or 40. He should keep playing, but try to be less competitive."

Experts Call Newman Greatest Film Actor Of All Time
17 January 2001 (StudioBriefing)
Paul Newman is the greatest film actor in history, according to a poll of unnamed "movie experts" conducted by Radio Times, a U.K. magazine published by the BBC. However, the magazine's readers disagreed, choosing Sean Connery as the best. Connery made it only to No. 8 on the experts' list.

Sean Connery Struggled With Cycling Scene
29 December 2000 (WENN)
Sean Connery went through hell on a bicycle while filming new movie Finding Forrester (2000) - because the heat was sweltering. The Scottish actor, who plays a reclusive writer in the movie, had to cycle up and down Fifth Avenue in New York for one scene, and it proved to him he isn't as fit as he used to be. He says, "It was crazy, because the temperature was unbearably high and the humidity was 98 or something, and I had a three- piece-suit on, and a black shirt and tie and a wig like a buzz- bee hat. "I was cycling up and down and people would jump up and try to take pictures, which was really not conducive to getting good results. I think I changed the shirt six times with perspiration."

Connery As Austin's Dad?
28 December 2000 (StudioBriefing)
Sean Connery has been asked to play Austin Powers' father in the next Powers movie, a prequel, according to the New York Daily News. In the movie, Mike Meyers would play Austin and arch enemy Dr. Evil as rival classmates. Commenting on the report, the online site Mr. Showbiz remarked: "After all, if Connery hadn't so effectively raised that eyebrow, swilled those martinis, and bedded those babes in his James Bond days, we'd never have Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery would we?"

Connery Could Have Been A Bodybuilding Superstar
27 December 2000 (WENN)
Sean Connery could have been an international body building champ in his youth - if he hadn't run about so much. The actor once won a Mr. Scotland title for his physique but admits he looked ridiculous standing next to other champions from around the world. He says, "When we came to London I stood next to the eventual winner - an American called Bill Pearl - and I looked like Ursula Andress beside him. He looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger. We were running around and playing soccer and these guys couldn't run for a bus."

Sean Connery's Naked Advice
19 December 2000 (WENN)
Wesley Snipes is set to take up filming half naked - in the manner of Scottish heartthrob Sean Connery. Snipes, who starred with the suave James Bond star in Rising Sun (1993), says Connery's top tip for staying cool in scenes where you're only shot from the waist up, is to remove your trousers. Snipes says, "When you're doing scenes in a car, you can actually do the scene with your pants off, just in your shorts or your underwear. "Because the camera usually never sees below the steering wheel, and you're usually dressed to a tee. The car is usually hot. This way you can be cool but have a tux up on top." He adds the advice was a revelation in the way he sees Connery's films. He says, "Chances are if you ever see Sean in a long scene where he's sitting at a table to sitting in a car, he's probably in his underwear."

Sean Connery Takes Young Actor Under His Wing
4 December 2000 (WENN)
Acting newcomer Rob Brown has made his first friend in the business - Sean Connery. Sixteen-year-old Brown, who stars alongside Connery in the upcoming movie Finding Forrester (2000), about the relationship between a reclusive novelist and a brilliant young scholar-athlete, discovered a real-life mentor in the legendary Scottish actor. Connery took him under his wing, inviting him back to his home whenever they got a free moment so they could chat. Brown says, "I spent a lot of time at his apartment while we were shooting and we just talked for hours. I'd be asking him questions and he answered all of them. We went to dinner together a lot." And Connery was equally impressed with Brown, who he says needed no coaching from him for the film. He says, "I just thought he was so surprisingly good. He's very intelligent, straight A scholar - and he's just 16. But Brown has yet to succumb to the trappings of stardom - he's still concentrating on his schoolwork. He adds, "This is my first acting thing - unless you count a school play I did in third grade. "Things are getting a lot busier now, but other than that, it's still the same. When I'm not acting, I'm in school."

Connery Admits To Having Been Molested As A Child
10 November 2000 (WENN)
The stars have been revealing when they lost their virginity - with Sean Connery (photos) leading the pack by first having sex at eight years old, which technically makes it child molestation. The sexy Scot proved irresistible to the ladies even from an early age, whereas singer Cher (photos) waited until she was 14, Michael Caine (photos) was 15 and Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm (photos) a mature 16. Connery says of his encounter, "I was eight - I can't really remember how it happened or with whom - I only know I did!" Sex symbol Madonna (photos) was also a relatively early starter - thoroughly enjoying her first time. She reveals, "I was 15 and he was called Russell. I was really curious and wasn't disappointed. But the idea that the first guy I slept with was married with kids really breaks me up."

Liz Plays The Fool
8 November 2000 (WENN)
British actress Liz Hurley still gets starstruck around celebrities - and ends up acting like an idiot. The Bedazzled (2000) beauty admits she loses her cool when she meets huge stars and it can often be quite embarrassing. She says, "I met Sean Connery at a party this year, and behaved like the village idiot. All I could say was, 'Gosh, you're very tall and I didn't know you had a Scottish accent in real life.' He was so disgusted, he left!"

Bond Set To Cause A Commotion Again
2 November 2000 (WENN)
Super spy James Bond is set to cause a stir again - when memorabilia from the movies is auctioned off by Christie's of London. In what is being described as one of the most exciting auctions ever, movie props, costumes and toys from the hit films will be sold to the highest bidders. A spokesman for Christie's says, "There's no doubt this auction will attract masses of attention. We're expecting an international turn-out of bidders, all anxious to get a piece of the Bond legend." It is unclear whether or not the movies' stars, including Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan, will be after any items on offer on 14 February. Buyers can bid for the robe Ursula Andress wore as Honey Rider in Dr. No (1962), which is expected to raise up to $13, 500 and the robe, pajama and slippers set worn by Moore in Live and Let Die (1973) is expected to reach $6, 750 (œ4, 500).

Sean's Gossip Groans
16 October 2000 (WENN)
Legendary gossip columnist Liz Smith loved interviewing Sean Connery - because he had no clothes on. The quick-talking writer remembers meeting the Bond star - because he left such an impression. She says, "I interviewed him on the set of Thunderball (1965). As I was ushered into the room where the incredibly sexy Connery was being massaged, he sat up and the tiny towel slipped off his loins. "He was as unselfconscious as a beautiful animal." And years later, when the movie legend rang Liz to complain about something she had written, he angrily said, "I would like to stick your column up your a**." To which she replied, "That's the best offer I've had all day."

Connery's Scottish Studio In Jeopardy
9 October 2000 (StudioBriefing)
Sean Connery's plans to build a film studio in Scotland have been dealt a political setback after questions arose about whether the administrative inquiry about the plans, as currently structured, may be in violation of the European Convention on Human rights. Reporting on the difficulty, today's (Monday) Glasgow Herald noted that unconfirmed reports say that the delay effectively brings to an end the $100-million project.

Star Furious At Leaking Castle
13 September 2000 (WENN)
Michael Douglas has ditched an exclusive Scottish Highland country club as the venue for his impending wedding - because his wedding plans were leaked to the media. The 55-year-old actor, who is set to marry Welsh beauty Catherine Zeta Jones, ripped up his membership to Skibo Castle after his nuptial arrangements found their way into the papers. The old hotel and country club was favorite to host the celebrity pair's secretive ceremony after 30-year-old Catherine fell in love with the setting, after the couple visited on a golfing holiday. Skibo has been the venue for the weddings of numerous stars including actor Robert Carlyle and is a favorite golf course of Prince Andrew, Jack Nicholson and Sean Connery.

Top Secret Tomb Raider Car
30 August 2000 (WENN)
Angelina Jolie will drive a top secret car designed by Aston Martin in the new Tomb Raider (2001) film currently shooting at Pinewood studios, London. The car will be seen for the first time when the film opens, and until then nobody apart from cast and crew will get a look. The prototype V12 Vanquish has a top speed of 190 miles-per-hour and will cost between $255, 000 and $300, 000 when it comes on the market next year (01). Sean Connery appeared alongside an Aston Martin DB7 in many of the Bond movies, and Britain's Prince Charles is known to be a big fan of the classic sports cars. The new vehicle is made from an aluminium and carbon fiber mix which makes it extremely light and strong, ideal for the spectacular stunts expected in Tomb Raider (2001).

Ford Says He Could Beat Up Connery
29 August 2000 (WENN)
Hollywood superstar Harrison Ford has thrown down the gauntlet to his big screen enemy Sean Connery - claiming he could flatten him in a fight. Ford stunned a TV audience when he bragged that he could "easily take" Sir Sean in a fight. Ford and Connery have been arch foes since they co-starred in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) 11 years ago. And Ford didn't flinch when he was asked on a talk show if he could out- punch his rival in a real fight. He said, "You bet I could. I could take Sean Connery in a fight."

Oliver Reed Missed Out On Bond
15 August 2000 (WENN)
Movie legend Oliver Reed missed out on playing superspy James Bond because of his love of alcohol and fighting. A new biography of the star has uncovered a letter from Bond mastermind Albert R. Broccoli outlining how close he came to replacing Sean Connery in the role. Broccoli wrote, "With Reed we would have had a far greater problem to destroy his image and remold him as James Bond We just didn't have the time or money to do that." According to Cliff Goodwin, author of the book Evil Spirits, "Oliver was probably within a sliver of being