Birth name:Lewis Ernest Watts Mills Birth:22 February 1908 Died:23 April 2005 Nationality:
Career / Biography
John Mills was a prolific British actor over 8 decades from the 1930's in a wide range of different film types. He was the father of Hayley Mills. His first film role was in The Midshipmaid and during the 1930's he appeared in a variety of quota quickies before gettting roles in bigger films like Goodbye Mr Chips. During World War 2 he srved in the army being invalided out in 1942. he did make several films during this period like Cottage To let and The Big Blockade. He had been spotted early bu Noel Coward and appeared in several film based on his screen palys, including In Which We Serve. This was a the first of a number of film in collaboration with David Lean. Films like This Happy Breed and Great Expectations made him a star. Scott Of the Antartic was a major commercial success. After the History Of Mr Polly he had something of a slump in his career. He came back though with David Lean's Hobson's CHoice. He then returned to the war with The Colditz Story. The Baby And The Battleship was a comdey farce. This was follwed by the big blockbusters War And Peace and Around The World In 80 Days. There was a return to war films with Dunkirk, I Was Monty's Double and one of his best films, Ice Cold In Alex. Disney's Swiss Family Robinson was one of his few Hollywood films. During this period he appeared in several films with his daughter hayley Mills (Tiger Bay, Chalk Garden, The Truth About Spring and The Family Way from the Boulting brothers). He won his only Osacr for his role in David Lean's Ryan's Daughter.
