Connery in Oscar In Memoriam

Sean Connery in From Russia With Love

Sean Connery, who died in October at the age of 90, was prominently featured in the “In Memoriam” segment of the 93rd Oscars.

The Scottish-born actor won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for The Untouchables. He had a long career that included being the first screen James Bond in 1962’s Dr. No. He played the character seven times, in six movies made by Eon Productions and 1983’s Never Say Never Again in 1983, which wasn’t part of the Eon series.

Connery was shown near the end of the segment in a still from Goldfinger.

Diana Rigg, who also died in 2020, was also part of the “In Memoriam” segment. Rigg was a versatile actress who appeared in films, television and the stage. Earlier this month, the U.K.’s BAFTA left Rigg out from the “In Memoriam” segment of its movie show. The organization said Rigg would be part of its television awards show later this year.

Rigg played Tracy, James Bond’s ill-fated bride in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. She was also famous for playing Emma Peel on The Avengers television show in the 1960s.

Others with Bond connections featured in the segment included Yaphet Kotto (Dr. Kanaga in Live And Let Die), director Michael Apted (The World Is Not Enough) and production designer Peter Lamont.

Also, after Chloe Zhoa won the Oscar for best director (Nomadand), the theme from Live And Let Die (1973) played.

UPDATE: Others included in the segment were veteran actor Max Von Sydow, whose many roles included Blofeld in Never Say Never Again; stunt driver and performer Remy Julienne; actor Earl Cameron, who appeared in Thunderball; and actress Helen McCrory, who appeared in Skyfall.

However, Honor Blackman, who died in August at the age of 95, wasn’t included. She played Pussy Galore in Goldfinger. Also not included was actress Tanya Roberts (A View to a Kill), who died in January at age 65.

UPDATE II (April 26): Also not making the cut was French actor Michael Lonsdale, who played Drax in Moonraker.

Here is the segment:

Earl Cameron dies at 102

Earl Cameron

Earl Cameron, who had a supporting role in Thunderball, has died at 102, according to The Royal Gazette.

The Bermuda-born Cameron ” was one of the first black performers to break into mainstream British entertainment,” the publication said.

In Thunderball Cameron’s Pinder was “our man here” in Nassau, as James Bond (Sean Connery) referred to him while introducing the operative to CIA agent Felix Leiter (Rik Van Nutter).

Among other things, Pinder arranged for a power blackout at the estate of SPECTRE villain Emilo Largo so Bond could attempt to rescue another agent, Paula (Martine Beswick) there. By the time Bond arrives, Paula has committed suicide with a poison pill.

Cameron also appeared in a number of episodes of Danger Man/Secret Agent in different roles.

His IMDB.COM entry lists more than 90 acting credits from the early 1950s to as recently as 2013. One of his most recent credits included a part in 2010’s Inception.

h/t MI6 James Bond website for the heads up.

Happy 100th, Earl Cameron

Earl Cameron

Today, Aug. 8, is the 100th birthday of actor Earl Cameron, whose many credits included Pinder in Thunderball.

Pinder was “our man here” in Nassau, as James Bond (Sean Connery) referred to him while introducing the operative to CIA agent Felix Leiter (Rik Van Nutter).

Among other things, Cameron’s Pinder arranged for a power blackout at the estate of SPECTRE villain Emilo Largo so Bond could do some snooping there.

Cameron also appeared in a number of episodes of Danger Man/Secret Agent in different roles.

His IMDB.COM entry lists more than 90 acting credits from the early 1950s to as recently as 2013. One of his most recent credits included a part in 2010’s Inception.

Thanks to reader @Osric_ on Twitter for the heads up.

Let’s watch an episode of Danger Man!

Here’s Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake in Danger Man, known in the U.S. as Secret Agent. Bond fans will recognize Earl Cameron, playing the prime minister of a former British colony, as an assistant to 007 in Thunderball. This is the start to an episode titled “Loyalty Always Pays.”