10 Great Actors Who Quit Hollywood

4. Sir Sean Connery - Retired At 76

Daniel Day Lewis Phantom Thread
ALASTAIR GRANT/AP

"Bond. James Bond."

Can you really look at a picture of Sir Sean Connery and not recall that classic line from Dr. No? It's not easy, but looking back at Connery's career, there exist some of Hollywood's most iconic characters. In addition to playing Britain's premiere spy, Connery also gave the world Dr. Henry Jones from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Jim Malone from the Untouchables, and countless more.

Connery's 49 year career in front of the camera spanned more than 70 films, but it could have included many more had he not decided to retire. He became disillusioned with filmmaking and often stated his reason for leaving was due to the "idiots now making films in Hollywood."

In 2006, Connery confirmed he was retiring from acting and has refused to return in front of the camera ever since. He has offered his voice for some video game work and executive produced a project in 2010, but has largely enjoyed his retirement from acting with no prospect of returning.

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Jonathan is a graphic artist, illustrator, writer, and game designer. Jonathan retired from the U.S. Army in 2017 and enjoys researching and writing about history, science, theology, and many other subjects. He writes for ScreenRant, CBR, NerdBastards, Listverse, Ranker, WhatCulture, and many other sites online. You can check out his latest on Twitter: @TalkingBull or on his blog: jonathanhkantor.com