when he was a relatively unknown 33-year-old Scottish actor."I have a senior's bus pass and I proudly collect my old age security. I earned both of them," explains the 65-year-old Connery, who is in his fourth decade as a professional actor.

Connery will be competing against himself this summer.

In Dragonheart, which opened this weekend, he provides the voice of Draco, the world's last living dragon, who makes a pact with dragonslayer Dennis Quaid.

In The Rock, which opens Friday, Connery plays John Patrick Mason, a British spy who has been kept in American prisons for almost two decades.

"When they brought me the script for The Rock, Mason was just an old convict who had once managed to escape from Alcatraz. That was about the extent of his characterization," recalls Connery. "I like the plot of the film, but Mason didn't really appeal to me. I worked with the writers for three days fleshing him out.

"It was my idea to make him a former British army intelligence officer. It's one way of playing James Bond without actually playing James Bond.

Rumors abounded two years ago that Connery would play Bond's father to Pierce Brosnan's Bond in Goldeneye, and the British newspapers are claiming the role of the newest Bond villain is being groomed for Connery.

"I keep reading these rumors, but no one ever approaches me. I think they put those rumors out there to see how I'll react.

"I'd love to have a cameo in one of the new Bond films, but it would have to be well-written. Actually, I don't think they could afford me. They could create a couple of special effects for the same price and that's the big draw in action films these days."

However, nothing is more technical than Connery's involvement with Dragonheart.

"Universal Studios sent me the script for Dragonheart a couple of years ago. I loved the idea of a dragon who was also a philosopher, but I was very leery of the technology," says Connery.

"I was afraid it would end up being The Dragon King. I had visions of myself being an animated dragon just as James Earl Jones and Jeremy Irons were animated lions."

What convinced Connery his Draco would be light years ahead of a mere cartoon was Jurassic Park.

"I saw the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park and learned the same people were going to create my dragon. In fact, they promised me Draco would be next-generation Jurassic Park."

"I never believed it possible, but I can actually see myself in the beast. He's as much me as Bond ever was.

"I'm so impressed with the technology that I am developing a film which will employ it again.

"It's a couple of years down the line. I may be a senior, but I have no immediate intentions of retiring. Making movies these days is an enviable combination of fun and money.

"If suddenly it all went wrong, I could just walk away from it. I've had a good run."

Two years ago, Connery sold his condo in Los Angeles. He still has an apartment in London and a villa in Spain where he lives with his second wife, Michellein.

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