“We are all working at understanding this huge event as it only happened so recently, even though my dad has been unwell for some time.

A sad day for all who knew and loved my dad and a sad loss for all people around the world who enjoyed the wonderful gift he had as an actor.”

Born in Edinburgh, Connery took on a number of jobs including a milkman, lorry driver, a labourer, an artist’s model for the Edinburgh College of Art and bodybuilder. He also joined the Royal Navy but was later discharged because of medical problems.

He made his acting debut in a stage production of South Pacific which then led to an uncredited appearance in the 1954 film Lilacs in the Spring. He also cropped up in various television programmes including a gangster in an episode of the BBC police drama Dixon of Dock Green (1956).

1957 would prove to be a lucrative year for Connery as he starred in a number of low-budget films. The first of those was as a stammering assistant yeggman in the crime flick No Road Back (1957). That was soon followed by his role as a troubled boxer in the television drama Blood Money. Coincidentally, that production also featured future collaborator and fellow screen legend Sir Michael Caine.

The year was completed by appearances in Hell Drivers, Action of the Tiger and the ITV Playhouse drama Anna Christie. His screen career continued to soar with big and small-screen roles in the likes of Another Time, Another Place (1958), An Age of Kings (1960), Macbeth (1961), The Frightened City (1961) and On the Fiddle (1961).

In 1962, Connery was cast as Private Flanagan in the all-star war epic The Longest Day which also starred John Wayne, Richard Burton and Robert Mitchum. However, it was his next role that would define his career for the rest of his life.

At the age of 32, he was cast as the charismatic secret agent James Bond in the first cinematic adaptation of the hit novel series; Dr. No (1962). Author Ian Fleming initially disapproved of the casting but quickly changed his mind when he saw him on screen.

Dr. No became a box-office smash and unsurprisingly, more 007 films were swiftly made in From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964) and Thunderball (1965). Connery’s stardom had rapidly risen and during that exhausting period, he was also able to work on other projects including the Alfred Hitchcock thriller Marnie (1964) and the war drama The Hill (1965).

By the time he made his fifth Bond film You Only Live Twice (1967), Connery had grown tired of being typecast and opted not to make the next instalment On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969).

But after playing rebellious Irish immigrant Jack Kehoe in the historical drama The Molly Maguires (1970), he was convinced to return as Bond for the next 007 outing Diamonds are Forever (1971). Connery had been paid a-then record $1.25m fee which he later used to set up the Scottish International Education Trust.

After leaving the world of Bond again, Connery shared his first Golden Globe for Favourite (Male) Film Star with Charles Bronson and then jumped onboard for the hit mystery drama Murder on the Orient Express (1974).

The 1970s led to more big-budget roles including The Wind and the Lion (1975) and a reunion with former co-star Michael Caine in the historical epic The Man Who Would Be King (1975). Additionally, he also played an ageing Robin Hood alongside Audrey Hepburn in Robin and Marian (1976) as well as starring in The First Great Train Robbery and all-star epics A Bridge Too Far (1977) and Meteor (1979).

Even into his 50s, Connery continued to land notable roles as Marshal William T. O’Niel in the sci-fi thriller Outland (1981) and as King Agamemnon in the cult fantasy Time Bandits (1981).

Two years later, he accepted a lucrative offer to return as James Bond again in the 1983 outing Never Say Never Again. The film proved to be another hit though it would be the final time that Connery would play his iconic character on screen.

His post-007 career continued to flourish in the mid to late 80s starting with his role as Ramirez in the hit fantasy adventure Highlander (1986). He would later return as that character in its underwhelming follow-up Highlander II: The Quickening (1991).

That same year saw him portray non-conformist friar William von Baskerville in the historical mystery The Name of The Rose. The role won him his only BAFTA in the Best Lead Actor category.

Coincidentally, Connery would garner accolades for his next performance as world-weary Irish policeman Jim Malone in the crime drama The Untouchables (1987). It would result in him winning both a Golden Globe and an Oscar for his memorable supporting turn.