Born to British parents in Port Antonio, Jamaica, Martine Beswick did some brief modeling and pageant entering before seeking a career in films. She allegedly once won a "Miss Autoville" contest and won a car only to sell it in order to move to and study acting in London. A minor break for her occurred in the James Bond film series. She played a gypsy girl in From Russia with Love (1963) and then later appeared again in Thunderball (1965). After playing in the well-tanned minority ranks for years, Martine finally got noticed after catfighting with Raquel Welch in One Million Years B.C. (1966). She become part of the Hammer Studio horror assembly line for a time, which usually had her in various stages of undress. In the 1970s, she went to Hollywood and other than playing Xaviera Hollander in The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood (1980) and several television series (Fantasy Island (1977), Hart to Hart (1979), The Fall Guy (1981), Buffalo Bill (1983), Sledge Hammer! (1986)), this fetching, second-string goddess has managed to continue working in the outer fringes.

康纳利1930年8月25日出生于苏格兰首府爱丁堡的一个工人家庭，小时家庭生活十分贫困，全家靠着父亲每周两英镑的收入和母亲给人家当女佣的微薄补贴度日。清贫的家境使得他13岁就辍学开始谋生，16岁进入皇家海军服役，但严重的胃溃疡却使他从军不到三年就被迫退伍，返回了故乡爱丁堡。由于是低学历，也不可能找到个理想的工作，他先后做过泥瓦匠、货车司机、棺材匠、私人保镖、美术用模特儿、救生员。

　　1961年英国影界计划拍有关情报员007詹姆斯·邦德的系列片，这是根据弗莱明的小说改编为电影的一个庞大计划。身材高大，体质健壮，加上性格上如出一致，康纳利很快被确定为庞德的扮演者。1962年，007第一部《007: 诺博士》(《Dr. NO》)完工上映，收到了空前的成功和票房。康纳利也因此而一举成名，受到好莱坞的极大重视。在60－70年代作为007的第一任扮演者，康纳利共主演了六部正式 007系列片。其后在1983年再多演一部非正式007片。他凭1987年主演的 The Untouchables 荣获奥斯卡最佳男配角金像奖．

　　近年颇热衷于政治活动，积极参与苏格兰公民投票脱离英国，令英国当局不悦。