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John Mills

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For other people with this or similar names, see John Mills (disambiguation).

Sir
John Mills
CBE
Born
Lewis Ernest Watts Mills

(1908-02-22)22 February 1908
North Elmham, Norfolk, England
Died23 April 2005(2005-04-23) (aged 97)
Denham, Buckinghamshire, England
Cause of deathChest Infection
OccupationActor
Years active1932–2004
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1932; div. 1941)​

​
​
(m. 1941; "his death" is deprecated; use "died" instead. 2005)​
Children3, including Juliet and Hayley
Military career
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branch British Army
Years of service1939–1945
RankLance bombardier
UnitRoyal Artillery
Battles / warsWorld War II

Sir John Mills, CBE (22 February 1908 – 23 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. On screen, he often played people who are not at all exceptional, but become heroes because of their common sense, generosity and good judgment. He received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in Ryan's Daughter (1970).

Early life

Mills was born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills in Felixstowe, Suffolk, the son of Edith (Baker), a theatre box office manager, and Lewis Mills, a mathematics teacher.[1]

His spent his early years in the village of Belton where his father was the headmaster of the village school. He first felt the thrill of performing at a concert in the school hall when six years old.[2] He lived in a modest house in Gainsborough Road Felixstowe until 1929. His older sister was Annette Mills, remembered as presenter of BBC Television's Muffin the Mule (1946–55).

He was educated at Balham Grammar School in London, Sir John Leman High School in Beccles, Suffolk and Norwich High School for Boys,[3][4] where it is said that his initials can still be seen carved into the brickwork on the side of the building in Upper St. Giles Street. Upon leaving school he worked as a clerk[1] at a corn merchants in Ipswich before finding employment in London as a commercial traveller for the Sanitas Disinfectant Company.

In September 1939, at the start of the Second World War, Mills enlisted in the British Army in the Royal Engineers.[5] He was later commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, but in 1942 he received a medical discharge because of a stomach ulcer.[5]

Career

Mills took an early interest in acting, making his professional début at the London Hippodrome in The Five O'Clock Girl in 1929. He also starred in the Noël Coward revue Words and Music. He made his film début in The Midshipmaid (1932), and appeared as Colley in the 1939 film version of Goodbye, Mr Chips, opposite Robert Donat. In 1942, he starred in Noël Coward's In Which We Serve.

Mills took the lead in Great Expectations in 1946, and subsequently made his career playing traditionally British heroes such as Captain Scott in Scott of the Antarctic (1948). After Morning Departure he made a series of unsuccessful films[6] but bounced back with war dramas, such as The Colditz Story (1954), Above Us the Waves (1955) and Ice Cold in Alex (1958).

From 1959 through the mid-1960s, Mills starred in several films alongside his daughter Hayley. Their first film together was the 1959 crime drama Tiger Bay, in which John plays a police detective investigating a murder that Hayley's character witnessed. Following Hayley's rise to fame in Pollyanna (1960) and the 1961 family comedy The Parent Trap, John and Hayley again starred together, in the 1965 teen sailing adventure The Truth About Spring, the 1964 drama The Chalk Garden (with Deborah Kerr in the lead role), and the 1966 comedy-drama The Family Way, in which John plays an insecure, overbearing father and Hayley plays his son's newlywed wife.

As Colonel Barrow in Tunes of Glory, Mills won the best Actor Award at the 1960 Venice Film Festival. For his role as the village idiot in Ryan's Daughter (1970) — a complete departure from his usual style – Mills won an Best Supporting Actor Oscar. His most famous television role was probably as the title character in Quatermass for ITV in 1979. Also on the small screen, in 1974 he starred as Captain Tommy "The Elephant" Devon in the six-part television drama series The Zoo Gang, about a group of former underground freedom fighters from World War II, with Brian Keith, Lilli Palmer and Barry Morse. Mills also starred as Gus: The Theatre Cat in the filmed version of the musical Cats in 1998.

In 2000, Mills released his extensive home cine-film footage in a documentary film entitled Sir John Mills' Moving Memories, with interviews with Mills, his children Hayley, Juliet and Jonathan and Richard Attenborough. The film was produced and written by Jonathan Mills, directed and edited by Marcus Dillistone, and features behind the scenes footage and stories from films such as Ice Cold in Alex and Dunkirk. In addition the film also includes home footage of many of Mills's friends and fellow cast members including Laurence Olivier, Harry Andrews, Walt Disney, David Niven, Dirk Bogarde, Rex Harrison and Tyrone Power.

Mills's last cinema appearance was playing a tramp in Lights 2 (directed by Marcus Dillistone); the cinematographer was Jack Cardiff. They had last worked together on Scott of the Antarctic in 1948. Their combined age was 186 years, a cinema record.[citation needed]

Personal life

The Wick on Richmond Hill in Richmond, Greater London, was the family home for many years

His first wife was the actress Aileen Raymond, who died only five days after he did. They were married in 1932 and divorced in 1941. Raymond later became the mother of actor Ian Ogilvy.

His second wife was the dramatist Mary Hayley Bell. Their marriage, on 16 January 1941, lasted for 64 years, until his death in 2005. They were married in a rushed civil ceremony, because of the war; and it was not until 60 years later that they had their union blessed in a church.[7] They lived in The Wick, London, for many years. They sold the house to musician Ronnie Wood in 1971 and moved to Hills House, Denham.

Mills and Bell had two daughters, Juliet, star of television's Nanny and the Professor and Hayley, a Disney child star who appeared in Pollyanna, The Parent Trap and Whistle Down the Wind, and one son, Jonathan Mills, a screenwriter.[1] In 1947, Mills appeared with his daughters in the film So Well Remembered. The three also appeared together decades later, on an episode of ABC's The Love Boat. Mills's grandson by Hayley, Crispian Mills, is a musician, best known for his work with the raga rock group Kula Shaker.

Despite having always previously voted Conservative, Mills publicly supported Tony Blair's Labour Party in the 2001 General Election, later regretting this decision after the invasion of Iraq in 2003.[8]

Death

In the years leading up to his death, he appeared on television only on special occasions, his sight having failed almost completely in 1992. After that, his film roles were brief yet notable cameos.

He died aged 97 on 23 April 2005 in Denham, Buckinghamshire,[9] following a chest infection. Lady Mills died on 1 December 2005. Sir John and Lady Mills are buried in Denham Churchyard.

Honours

Mills was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1960.[1] In 1976 he was knighted[1] by the Queen.

In 2002, he received a Fellowship of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), their highest award, and was named a Disney Legend by the Walt Disney Company.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1932 The Midshipmaid Golightly
1933 The Ghost Camera Ernest Elton
Britannia of Billingsgate Fred Bolton
1934 A Political Party Tony Smithers
The River Wolves Peter Farrell
Those Were the Days Bobby Poskett
The Lash Arthur Haughton
Blind Justice Ralph Summers
Doctor's Orders Ronnie Blake
1935 Car of Dreams Robert Miller
Royal Cavalcade Young Enlistee
Brown on Resolution Albert Brown (later reissued in the UK as Forever England)
Charing Cross Road Tony
1936 The First Offence Johnnie Penrose alternative title Bad Blood
Tudor Rose Lord Guilford Dudley Released as Nine Days a Queen in USA
1937 O.H.M.S. Cpl. Bert Dawson
The Green Cockatoo Jim Connor
1939 Goodbye, Mr. Chips Peter Colley - as a Young Man
1941 Old Bill and Son Young Bill Busby
Cottage to Let Flt. Lieutenant Perry
1942 The Black Sheep of Whitehall Bobby Jessop
The Big Blockade Tom
In Which We Serve Ordinary Seaman Blake
The Young Mr Pitt William Wilberforce
1943 We Dive at Dawn Capt. Lt. Taylor, R.N.
1944 This Happy Breed Billy Mitchell
1945 Waterloo Road Jim Colter
The Way to the Stars Peter Penrose
1946 Great Expectations Pip
1947 So Well Remembered George Boswell (with daughters Juliet Mills and Hayley Mills)
The October Man Jim Ackland
1948 Scott of the Antarctic Captain Scott
Captain R.F. Scott R.N.
1949 The History of Mr Polly Alfred Polly
The Rocking Horse Winner Bassett (also produced)
1950 Morning Departure Lt. Commander Armstrong
1951 Mr. Denning Drives North Tom Denning
1952 The Gentle Gunman Terrence Sullivan
1953 The Long Memory Phillip Davidson
1954 Hobson's Choice Willie Mossop Nominated-BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
1955 The Colditz Story Pat Reid
The End of the Affair Albert Parkis
Above Us the Waves Commander Fraser
Escapade John Hampden
1956 The Baby and the Battleship Puncher Roberts
War and Peace Platon Karataev
Around the World in 80 Days London Carriage Driver
It's Great to Be Young Mr. Dingle
1957 Town on Trial Supt. Mike Halloran
The Vicious Circle Dr. Howard Latimer
1958 Dunkirk Binns
Ice Cold in Alex Captain Anson
I Was Monty's Double Major Harvey (also titled Hell, Heaven or Hoboken)
1959 Tiger Bay Superintendent Graham (with daughter Hayley Mills)
Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Barney (also titled Season of Passion)
1960 Tunes of Glory Lt. Col. Basil Barrow (Battalion Commander) Volpi Cup for Best Actor
Nominated-BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
Swiss Family Robinson Father Robinson
1961 The Singer Not the Song Father Michael Keogh
The Parent Trap Mitch Evers' Golf Caddy Uncredited
Flame in the Streets Jacko Palmer
1962 The Valiant Captain Morgan
Tiara Tahiti Lt. Col. Clifford Southey
1964 The Chalk Garden Maitland (with daughter Hayley Mills)
1965 Operation Crossbow Gen. Boyd
The Truth About Spring Tommy Tyler (with daughter Hayley Mills)
King Rat Smedley - Taylor
1966 The Wrong Box Masterman Finsbury
The Family Way Ezra Fitton (with daughter Hayley Mills)
Prize San Sebastián for Best Actor (tied with Maurice Ronet for The Champagne Murders)
1967 Africa Texas Style Wing Commander Hayes
Chuka Colonel Stuart Valois
1968 A Black Veil for Lisa Inspector Franz Bulon
Emma Hamilton Sir William Hamilton
1969 Oh! What a Lovely War Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig
Run Wild, Run Free The Moorman
1970 Adam's Woman Sir Phillip MacDonald
Ryan's Daughter Michael Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated-BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor
1971 Dulcima Mr. Parker
1972 Young Winston General Kitchener
Lady Caroline Lamb Canning
1973 Oklahoma Crude Cleon Doyle
1975 The Human Factor Mike McAllister
1976 Trial by Combat Colonel Bertie Cook (also titled A Dirty Knight's Work)
1977 The Devil's Advocate Blaise Meredith
1978 The Big Sleep Inspector Jim Carson
The Thirty Nine Steps Scudder
1979 The Quatermass Conclusion Professor Bernard Quatermass
Zulu Dawn Sir Henry Bartle Frere
1982 Gandhi The Viceroy Baron Chelmsford
1983 Sahara Cambridge
1986 When the Wind Blows Jim Voice
1987 Who's That Girl Montgomery Bell (credited as Sir John Mills)
1993 The Big Freeze Dapper man
1994 Deadly Advice Jack the Ripper
1995 The Grotesque Sir Edward Cleghorn (also titled Gentleman Don't Eat Poets)
1996 Hamlet Old Norway
1997 Bean Chairman (credited as Sir John Mills)
1998 Cats Gus the Theater Cat
2003 Bright Young Things Gentleman
2004 Lights2 The Tramp Cinematographer Jack Cardiff (previously worked on Scott of The Antarctic), (final film role)

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1967 Dundee and the Culhane Dundee 13 episodes
1974 The Zoo Gang Thomas 'The Elephant' Devon 6 episodes
1978 Dr. Strange Thomas Lindmer TV Movie
1979 Quatermass Professor Bernard Quatermass
1980–82 Young at Heart Albert Collyer 18 episodes
1985 Edge of the Wind (TV play)
1987 The Dame Edna Experience Season 1, Episode 6 (as himself)
1993 Harnessing Peacocks Bernard Quigley TV Movie
1994 Martin Chuzzlewit Mr Chuffey 3 episodes, TV Mini-series

Stage appearances

Year Title Role Theatre
1929 The Five O'Clock Girl Hippodrome Theatre
1931 The 1931 Revue London Pavilion, London
Cavalcade Drury Lane
1932 Words and Music Adelphi Theatre
1934 Jill Darling Savoy Theatre
1936 Aren't Men Beasts? Strand Theatre
1939 A Midsummer Night's Dream Oberon Old Vic Theatre
She Stoops to Conquer Young Marlow Old Vic Theatre
1939-40 Of Mice and Men George Milton Old Vic Theatre
1942 Men in Shadow Lyric Theatre, London
1945 Duet for Two Hands Vaudeville Theatre
1960-61 Ross Broadway Theatre
1972 Veterans Royal Court Theatre
1973 At the End of the Day Savoy Theatre
1974 The Good Companions Her Majesty's Theatre
1975 Great Expectations Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford
1977 Separate Tables Apollo Theatre
1982 Goodbye, Mr. Chips Chichester
1983 Little Lies Wyndham's Theatre
1986 The Petition National Theatre
1987 Pygmalion Broadway

Box office ranking

For a number of years, British film exhibitors voted him among the top ten British stars at the box office via an annual poll in the Motion Picture Herald.

  • 1945 – 4th[10]
  • 1946 – 8th[11]
  • 1947 – 4th (6th most popular overall)[12]
  • 1948 – 3rd (4th most popular over all)[13]
  • 1949 – 3rd (8th most popular over all)[14][15]
  • 1950 – 4th (6th most popular overall)
  • 1954 – 10th
  • 1955 – 2nd (5th most popular overall)[16]
  • 1956 – 10th[17]
  • 1957 – 6th[18]
  • 1958 – 6th
  • 1961 – 5th

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Tim Pulleine (25 April 2005). "Obituary: Sir John Mills". theguardian.com. The Guardian. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  2. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00949y8
  3. ^ Brian McFarlane, ‘Mills, Sir John Lewis Ernest Watts (1908–2005)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Jan 2009 available online. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  4. ^ Mills, John. Chapter 1 Up in the Clouds, Gentleman Please Published by Orion.
  5. ^ a b "British actor: Lewis Ernest Watts Mills". Encyclopædia Britannica. 22 October 2009.
  6. ^ "WHAT NEWS IN FILMS? GOOGIE DITCHES STAR PART TO SEE AUSTRALIA". Sunday Times (Perth). No. 2913. Western Australia. 3 October 1954. p. 1 (MAGAZINE). Retrieved 21 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ Obituary, The Age, 25 April 2005, p.9
  8. ^ Oliver, Jonathan. "John Mills to take starring role for Labour | Mail Online". London: Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  9. ^ Deaths England and Wales 1984–2006
  10. ^ 'Bloomer Girl' to Play Instead of Jolson Opus, Los Angeles Times (1923–Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 23 March 1946: A5.
  11. ^ "FILM WORLD". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 28 February 1947. p. 20 Edition: SECOND EDITION. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  12. ^ "Anna Neagle Most Popular Actress". The Sydney Morning Herald. NSW. 3 January 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  13. ^ "Bing Crosby Still Best Box-office Draw". The Sydney Morning Herald. NSW. 31 December 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  14. ^ "Bob Hope Takes Lead from Bing In Popularity". The Canberra Times. ACT. 31 December 1949. p. 2. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  15. ^ "TOPS AT HOME". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane, Qld. 31 December 1949. p. 4. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  16. ^ "'The Dam Busters'." The Times (London, England) 29 December 1955. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  17. ^ "The Most Popular Film Star In Britain." The Times (London, England). 7 December 1956. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  18. ^ 'BRITISH ACTORS HEAD FILM POLL: BOX-OFFICE SURVEY', The Manchester Guardian, 27 December 1957: 3.
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