I'd like to wish my 'almost' namesake a very Happy 85th Birthday. I was bought this fantastic picture for a birthday of my own and now it has pride of place in my corner office.
My mother and father were 'courting' when they went to see Sean Connery's first Bond film 'DR NO' in 1962. When they had me in 1965 of course they decided to call me 'Sean', why not - their surname was Connolly?! Decades of jokes followed, during my school life and later in my professional life as an actor. Being a somewhat diminutive chap, a gem that was often used was "003 1/2"... as I came to the end of my training at drama school I was told my real name was so similar to that of the great man's that it would have to go before Equity Council to judge whether I could keep it as my stage name, fortunately they decided I could, phew!
Through my 25 years plus of being an actor I have disappointed many a BBC receptionist, if they hadn't looked quite close enough at who they were actually expecting! I've had fan letters, telling me that I was their favourite James Bond and for a while a yearly invitation to contribute to a celebrity cookbook in aid of charity!! I've battled with Google (not an actual battle but a technical one!) to try and get it to recognise me as separate entity (from Billy Connolly too I might add!), hence the little comment on the About me bit of this Blog!
Nothing really bad has happened (so far!) and in truth it has also been a useful thing over the years with casting directors etc ... "Oh yeah, you're that bloke sounds a bit like Sean Connery"! Of course I have also been obliged to hone my Sean Connery impression over time and I am proud to report that I have been paid actual money to use it!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIR SEAN OF CONNERY, still the best Bond in my humble opinion!
