Sean Connery Was One of the Worst Celebrity Neighbors Ever
After retiring from acting with an estimated fortune of $350m, Sean Connery lived out most of the rest of his life in an 1869 New York townhouse. But the James Bond actor didn't exactly live out an idyllic retirement – as he spent years feuding with his neighbour, Dr Burton Sultan.
The Manhattan building had been split into two properties with Connery living on the top two floors. Dr Burton and his wife occupied the lower four floors.
And to say the two didn't live in harmony is something of an understatement. In fact, legal wranglings between Connery and his neighbours went on for years.
In 2004, a leaked message from Connery's lawyer surfaced. It read, "I think if we tie him (Sultan) up in several lawsuits, hopefully this will either permanently subdue him, or drive him out of the building."
In 2005, Sultan took Connery to a New York court when he sued the Scottish actor for $30m, with the court papers saying "Notwithstanding the cinematic James Bond image of consummate finesse, the defendant Connery, in true Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde fashion, acts the part in real life of a bully who ignores norms of neighbourliness and decency."
Sultan stated that the Connery's renovations led to constant noise, fumes, leaks, and an infestation of rats.
According to Connery's downstairs neighbour, the actions of the actor and his wife resulted in damaged furniture and amounted to harassment as they frequently played loud music at unsociable hours and stomped around in their home in what the Sultan believed was a deliberate attempt to make their lives hell.
Never a wallflower, though, Connery responded to his neighbours' lawsuit with one of his own. Sultan responded in kind…and so it continued. Eventually, there were so many allegations and counter-allegations that the New York State Supreme Court was forced to intervene.
Justice Marcy Friedman stepped in and ruled neither neighbour could sue the other without first getting the court to agree the litigation had merit. And surely that was the end of it?
No. The two never reconciled their differences and in 2019, Connery's son Jason settled the dispute on behalf of his father when he agreed a $10,000 settlement with the Sultans.
Sean Connery passed away peacefully in his sleep on 31st October 2020 – while living in The Bahamas. Following the announcement of his death, the great and good of the acting world paid tribute to him. Whether Dr Sultan and his wife had anything good to say about him is unclear.