Michael Rennie (1909 - 1971)

Michael Rennie was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England on August 25, 1909. His birth name was Eric Alexander Rennie. His father, James Rennie operated a century old wool mill. James Rennie, Michael Rennie's grandfather designed and built the Waterloo Bridge.

On June 10, 1971, Michael Rennie being a heavy smoker, died of emphysema in Harrogate, Yorkshire, England.

Michael Rennie married Joan Phyllis England in 1938 but were later divorced. Maggie McGrath, acted in THE MARK TWO WIFE in 1947, married Michael Rennie in 1947. They had one child named David, and were divorced in 1960. David, Rennie's son is now a UK High Court Judge on the Lewes, Sussex circuit.

A graduate of Leys in Cambridge, Rennie excelled in sports. He competed in rowing, fencing, cricket, boxing, wrestling and swimming.

In 1941, Michael Rennie joined the Royal Air Force in 1941. He trained as a fighter pilot in the United States. Rennie became a flight instructor for over two years.

Michael Rennie worked as a car salesman and factory manager before he turned to acting. He did not actively pursue his acting career until he was 29 years old. His first acting job was a stand-in for Robert Young in ALFRED HITCHCOCK SECRET AGENT in 1936. For a few years, Rennie worked for a repertory in York and Windsor to get more acting experience. He returned to films in 1945 and had star status in I'LL BE YOUR SWEETHEART.

Darrel Zanuck, from 20th Century Fox brought Michael Rennie to Hollywood and cast him in his most popular role, Klaatu in THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL in 1951. The film is now considered a science fiction classic. For the following eight years, he worked as a supporting actor in films.

In 1951, Michael Rennie appeared in THE THIRTEENTH LETTER for director Otto Preminger. Preminger later named Rennie as a third party to his countersuit of adultery against his wife in the divorce proceedings in 1958.

Michael Rennie returned to England in 1959. He took the lead role in the Harry Lime television series THE THIRD MAN.

Michael Rennie lived his last years in Geneva, Switzerland. He died at his mother's home in England while visiting because of his brother's death.

Some of Michael Rennie's credits include -

THE LAST GENERATION - 1971
MONSTRUOS DEL TERROR, LOS - 1970
SUBTERFUGE - 1969
BATTAGLIA DI EL ALAMEIN, LA - 1969
THE DEVIL'S BRIGADE - 1968
HOTEL - 1967
CYBORG 2087 - 1966
THE THIRD MAN - TV - 1959 - 1964
THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR: THE LONG SILENCE - 1963
SHIRLEY TEMPLE'S STORYBOOK - TV - 1960
THE LOST WORLD - 1960
THIRD MAN ON THE MOUNTAIN - 1959
ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS: THE FOGHORN - 1958
OMAR KHAYYAM - 1957
SOILDIER OF FORTUNE - 1955
THE ROBE - 1953
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL - 1951
IDOL OF PARIS - 1948
I'LL BE YOUR SWEETHEAR - 1945
BANK HOLIDAY - 1938