SEAN CONNERY

A life of Connery that's given its richness as much by the whimsically outspoken star himself as by Yule. Yule combines the detail of his David Puttnam bio (Fast Fade, 1988) with the focus on acting that enlivened his Al Pacino bio (Life on the Wire, 1991) and makes a satisfying study of Connery's lust to give his talent its head. A Scot often mistaken for an Irishman, Tommy Connery (Sean is a stage name) was raised in Edinburgh and early came into the family ulcer, which he has passed on to his son Jason, a rising young actor. The ulcer got Connery out of the Navy at 19. An early interest in body-building boosted his stage career and general charisma, though he was always magnetic. Small film roles as well as stage classics led to Dr. No and James Bond, who was a mixed blessing for Connery, bringing him wealth but also the burden of typecasting, against which he fought endlessly. This fight led to film roles that stretched him as a character actor but brought on a long list of flops. It took Connery nearly 30 years to find a blockbuster in the $100-million range (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) that wasn't a Bond film, although, ironically, Indiana Jones himself is a Bond clone. The Connery whom Yule draws is a charming chauvinist pig who has not led a monastic life, waves off women like flies, greatly prefers golf to gals. Much time and money have been given to Scottish charities and youth. He spends big but grips his pennies, has a vital interest in not being screwed. Everyone speaks of Connery as a joy to work with, a truly focused actor and the ultimate professional whose presence brings order—though incompetence makes him gripe loudly. Much, much better than average, and made so by Connery's wit. (Photos—not seen.)