Since this is the third question in my trivia series on old-time drug-free bodybuilders, I guess it’s time to start making these things a bit harder (not a lot, though). Here we go…
Like the person profiled in Question No. 2 (Steve Reeves), this gentleman is one of the few people who have successfully made the transition from bodybuilder to actor. Born with the first name of Thomas (hint: this is not his screen name) in Edinburgh, Scotland on August 25, 1930, he grew up highly impoverished. The son of a truck-driver, he came from a background very different from that of his screen alter-ego. After leaving school, he joined the Royal Navy, but was released due to ulcers. He had many jobs, including laborer, lifeguard, and model for art classes. But it was his career as a bodybuilder that led to his representing Scotland in the 1953 Mr. Universe contest, in which he placed 3rd. This in turn led to a job in the chorus with the touring company of South Pacific. He appeared in several stage productions, and made his television debut in 1956. He signed a movie contract with MGM in the late 1950’s, which led to a string of film roles. He is still both living and acting, and has made many positive contributions to world society during his lifetime, including his highly vocal campaign on behalf of Scotland’s political rights. He was knighted by Britian in July 2000, and has received comparable awards from France. Who is this T-man? (Bonus question: This person’s most famous role was based upon a character from a series of books. It is a well-known fact that the author of these books in turn based his character’s personality on that of a suave movie actor from the same era. Who was the actor that this author so admired?)
Good question. The answer would be Sean Connery, and the character of course is James Bond… Couldn’t tell ya who James Bond is supposed to be based on, though.
Bob, good trivia question. Last month Connery was pictured onstage in the contest in, I believe, Flex magazine. Coincidentally, two weeks ago I was in the audience at a bodybuilding show and during a few slow minutes the MC was asking trivia questions (what is Arnold’s brother’s name, etc.). One of his questions was the same as yours, I shouted out the answer and won a shaker and T-shirt. Funny how much fun those little things can be. He also asked what Arnold’s first movie was and when it came out, which of course as a bodybuilding geezer I knew the answer to.
Keep up the trivia questions.
Oops, I just realized that I forgot to provide the answer to the bonus question. The answer is: Ian Fleming based his Bond character on real-life personality of Cary Grant. Fleming greatly admired Grant’s poise as well as his seemingly unflappable calm in the face of various adversities, and as such he based his famous literary character on the actor. In fact, Fleming asked Grant to act as Bond in the first movie – “Dr. No” – but Grant declined the offer in order to spend more time with his family.
Sean Connery is the man, and Ian Fleming was the writer. From what I remember about Flemings interviews, it was David Niven that Fleming had in his minds eye when he wrote James Bond books.
Incidently, MANY of the actors in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang also were characters in Bond movies. The baron was Goldfinger, Mr. Scrumtious was a minister of something in one movie, and Desmond Llwellin (sp?), or “Q” was the junkyard man who sold them the car. There were many others, but I can’t remember offhand (can you tell I’m a bond junky).
Just out of curiosity, who here likes the “new bond”. Personally, I do.