Ray Milland Biography

Date of Birth: January 3, 1907

Birth Name: Reginald Alfred Truscott-Jones

Born in Wales, Ray Milland put in three years of service as a guardsman with the Royal Household Cavalry in London before breaking into British films in 1929, first as an extra, then graduating to bit parts. Just a year later, he left to try his luck in America, and immediately began landing small roles in Hollywood films, gradually working his way up to second leads, and finally, leading roles. As with most actors of the era, he was signed with a studio and averaged four to five films per year. But it wasn't until he played the lead role in The Lost Weekend (1945) that his skill as an actor was fully appreciated. Playing an alcoholic writer, he won an Academy Award for Best Leading Actor. When Milland went up to accept the award, he didn't say a word, just simply bowed his head in appreciation before leaving the stage. He won several more awards for his performance, including a Golden Globe and a Cannes Film Festival award.

He continued to work steadily in films until the 1960s, when he began to cut back on his appearances, making only five films within the decade. He made a strong comeback in Love Story (1970), playing Ryan O'Neal's snooty father. Milland also became a familiar figure on television, starring in his own sitcom The Ray Milland Show and the drama Markham. He appeared in the mini-series Rich Man, Poor Man (1976) and Testimony of Two Men (1977) as well as numerous TV movies, including Ellery Queen (1975), Battlestar Galactica (1978), The Dream Merchants (1980) and The Masks of Death (1984) before retiring in 1986.

Milland loved to read, and released an autobiography in 1972 -- the best-selling Wide-Eyed in Babylon. He preferred to avoid the Hollywood party scene, instead staying at home with his wife of 54 years, Malvina Webber. Together, they raised a son, Daniel and a daughter, Victoria. Milland, who has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, died in California on March 10, 1986 of lung cancer.

Filmography:

The Sea Serpent (1984)
Survival Run (1980)
The Attic (1979)
A Game for Vultures (1979)
Oliver's Story (1979)
Blackout (1978)
Slavers (1978)
La ragazza dal pigiama giallo (1977)
The Uncanny (1977)
The Billion Dollar Fire (1976)
Aces High (1976)
The Last Tycoon (1976)
The Swiss Conspiracy (1976)
Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)
Gold (1974)
The House in Nightmare Park (1973)
Un par de zapatos del '32 (1973)
Terror in the Wax Museum (1973)
The Big Game (1972)
Embassy (1972)
The Thing with Two Heads (1972)
Frogs (1972)
Love Story (1970)
Hostile Witness (1968)
Code Name, Red Roses (1968)
The Confession (1964)
X (1963)
Panic in Year Zero! (1962)
The Premature Burial (1962)
The Safecracker (1958)
The River's Edge (1957)
High Flight (1956)
Three Brave Men (1956)
Lisbon (1956)
A Man Alone (1955)
The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955)
Dial M for Murder (1954)
Let's Do It Again (1953)
Jamaica Run (1953)
The Thief (1952)
Something to Live For (1952)
Bugles in the Afternoon (1952)
Rhubarb (1951)
Night Into Morning (1951)
Circle of Danger (1951)
Close to My Heart (1951)
Copper Canyon (1950)
A Life of Her Own (1950)
A Woman of Distinction (1950)
It Happens Every Spring (1949)
Alias Nick Beal (1949)
Miss Tatlock's Millions (1948)
Sealed Verdict (1948)
So Evil My Love (1948)
The Big Clock (1948)
Golden Earrings (1947)
The Trouble with Women (1947)
The Imperfect Lady (1947)
California (1947)
The Well-Groomed Bride (1946)
The Lost Weekend (1945)
Kitty (1945)
Ministry of Fear (1944)
The Uninvited (1944)
Till We Meet Again (1944)
Lady in the Dark (1944)
The Crystal Ball (1943)
Forever and a Day (1943)
The Major and the Minor (1942)
Are Husbands Necessary? (1942)
Reap the Wild Wind (1942)
The Lady Has Plans (1942)
Skylark (1941)
I Wanted Wings (1941)
Untamed (1940)
Arise, My Love (1940)
The Doctor Takes a Wife (1940)
Irene (1940)
French Without Tears (1940)
Everything Happens at Night (1939)
Beau Geste (1939)
Hotel Imperial (1939)
Say It in French (1938)
Men with Wings (1938)
Tropic Holiday (1938)
Her Jungle Love (1938)
Wise Girl (1937)
Ebb Tide (1937)
Easy Living (1937)
Wings Over Honolulu (1937)
Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937)
Three Smart Girls (1936)
The Jungle Princess (1936)
The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936)
The Return of Sophie Lang (1936)
Next Time We Love (1936)
The Glass Key (1935)
Alias Mary Dow (1935)
Four Hours to Kill! (1935)
One Hour Late (1935)
Gilded Lily (1935)
Menace (1934)
Charlie Chan in London (1934)
Many Happy Returns (1934)
We're Not Dressing (1934)
Bolero (1934)
The Mystery of Mr. X (1934) (uncredited)
This Is the Life (1933)
Orders Is Orders (1933)
Payment Deferred (1932)
But the Flesh Is Weak (1932) (uncredited)
Polly of the Circus (1932) (uncredited)
The Man Who Played God (1932)
Blonde Crazy (1931)
Ambassador Bill (1931)
Bought (1931)
Son of India (1931) (uncredited)
Just a Gigolo (1931)
Strangers May Kiss (1931) (uncredited)
The Bachelor Father (1931)
Passion Flower (1930) (uncredited)
Way for a Sailor (1930)
The Flying Scotsman (1929)
The Lady from the Sea (1929) (uncredited)
The Plaything (1929)
The Informer (1929) (uncredited)
Piccadilly (1929) (uncredited)