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Ray MillandAmerican film actor
Date of Birth: 03.01.1907
Country: ![]() |
Content:
- Early Life and Career
- Film Success and Military Service
- Later Career and Directing
- Television and Notable Films
- Personal Life and Legacy
Early Life and Career
Reginald Alfred John Truscott-Jones, later known as Ray Milland, was born on January 3, 1905, in Neath, Wales. Before embracing acting, he served in the Royal Horse Guards for four years. Milland's theatrical debut occurred on the London stage, where he was spotted by a Hollywood talent scout. He relocated to the United States and signed a contract with Paramount Pictures.

Film Success and Military Service
In 1940, Milland starred in "The Westerner," where he insisted on performing a horse jump without a stunt double, resulting in a fall and multiple fractures. During World War II, despite an injury, he was enlisted as an aviation instructor in the Pacific. Milland's iconic role came in the 1945 film "The Lost Weekend," for which he received the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Later Career and Directing
Throughout the 1940s, Milland featured in notable films like "My Gal Sal," "Ministry of Fear," and "Major and the Minor." His premature balding, attributed to the use of hot curling tongs, led to a shift from leading roles to supporting ones. Milland ventured into directing in the mid-1950s, helming films such as "Panic in Year Zero."
Television and Notable Films
Milland's career shifted towards television in the 1960s, where he also achieved success. However, he continued to appear in films, including "Love Story," "Escape to Witch Mountain," and "Oliver's Story." Notable television roles included "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" and "The Love Boat."
Personal Life and Legacy
In 1932, Milland married Muriel Weber, with whom he had two children. Their marriage lasted until Milland's death from lung cancer in 1986. He was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to cinema and television.