I just had to share this here because it's so funny.
There's a group on Facebook where film industry people share stories. A guy named James Latta posted the following:
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"UH OH! SEAN CONNERY IS COMING!" SONY STUDIOS STORY
At one point in the mid 1990's I made the segue from production into entertainment merchandising & branding. I was in a meeting once with some of the upper brass at Sony Studios (on the old MGM lot) and it seemed like everyone in the corporate offices was in a bit of a tizzy. They appeared distracted and nervous. Even the receptionist. And I could tell the exec's I was speaking with were waiting for our scheduled meeting to be over, as soon as possible. Which was usually not the case, as we'd be discussing their projects and properties. We wrapped things up early. And I was left chatting with my one of my main contacts, who was a studio VP. So I asked him :
Me: "What's wrong? It seems like everybody is on pins & needles today."
VP: "Oh. It's just Sean Connery is dropping by this afternoon."
Me: "What? Sean Connery. That's awesome!"
VP: "No, no actually it isn't." "He comes by once a year. Every year. He's done so for decades."
"Since Sony acquired MGM/UA, who distributed the James Bond films. He does a financial audit of our annual accounting."
Me: "For licensing & merchandising?"
VP: "For EVERYTHING. Connery comes in and takes over a conference room on this floor and puts on his eyeglasses. And he brings an old school general ledger with him. And with pencils, he audits every single 007 film himself. Line by line. No accounting firm. No bookkeeper. Just him, by himself. He's here for hours and hours. Sometimes days."
"It's horrible."
Me: "Really?"
VP: "Yes, he freaks everybody out on this floor, as he is so serious. He's like a CPA. He calls us out on every single question he has."
"And he's not afraid to yell at us."
Me: "Wow!"
VP "He's 6' 2', which makes him even more intimidating."
(Note: I had met Sean Connery twice before. At the world premiere of the film "City Heat" (1984) and then again at the premiere of "First Knight" (1995) on the Sony backlot. I stand 6' tall and yet he seemed to tower over me in person.)
VP: "He will question us on almost every line item. Brings out budget reports and points at them. Accuses us of engaging in 'creative studio accounting'."
(NOTE: Best to read the following Sean Connery quotes in his voice with a Scottish accent.)
Connery: "WHAT'S THIS?!"
Connery: "WHAT'S THAT?!"
Connery: "WHY IN THE HELL WOULD YOU CHARGE THAT?!!"
VP: "He'll ask us why did the studio charge for 10 to 20 staffers on a marketing campaign for the re-release of a Bond film on DVD, when only a couple were necessary...in HIS opinion."
(Note: Again in Sean's voice)
Connery: "AH-HA! SEEEE?! I GOT you again!"
Me: "I can just imagine him calling you guys out with his accent! Like a scene from 'The Untouchables' or something. Sean poking at you with a clipboard again and again! Lol. "
(I laughed but you could tell the concern on the face of the studio executive was genuine as he frowned.)
VP: "Yeah well, we eventually just gave up. The studio cooperates with Connery fully, and we adjust his royalties as he demands. Even if we don't agree with him, in order to get it all over with as quickly as possible. You need to GO."
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