Actress Diane Cilento, ex-wife of Sean Connery, dies in Australia

(CBS/AP) Oscar and Tony nominated Australian actress Diane Cilento, ex-wife of James Bond star Sean Connery, died Thursday, the day after her 78th birthday.

Cilento died after a long illness at the Cairns Base Hospital in Queensland, Australia, late on Thursday, according to Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh.

A veteran of dozens of films, television shows and stage productions, Cilento was nominated for an Oscar for her role in 1963's "Tom Jones." She also was nominated for Broadway's 1956 Tony Award for her portrayal of Helen of Troy in "Tiger at the Gates."

The Queensland-born actress rose to fame in the 1950s and 1960s, starring alongside screen legends such as Charlton Heston and Paul Newman. Her celebrity grew after she married Connery her second husband in 1962. The two had a son before divorcing 11 years later. She already had a daughter from her first marriage to Andrea Volpe.

Cilento went on to wed her third husband, playwright Anthony Shaffer, in 1985.

She and Shaffer eventually settled in tropical northern Queensland, where she built a popular outdoor theater in the rainforest. She cut back on her TV and movie work to run the theater.

"While she was originally known as a glamorous international film star, her work in later years in the far north showed her commitment to the arts," Bligh said in a statement. "I know that Ms. Cilento will be sorely missed by many in the industry."