MICHAEL RENNIE BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Michael Rennie was born August 25th, 1909 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England. UK with the birth name Eric Alexander Rennie.  He went to school at Leys School in Cambridge.  He worked in various careers such as  a car sales man and managed his uncle's rope factory. 
 
In 1935, right before he turned 26 years of age, he decided he wanted to pursue a career in acting.  He decided to keep his last name Rennie, but adopted for his stage name, Michael.  His first on screen appearance, un credited was on the feature film, "Secret Agent" (1936) as a stand in for Robert Young.    Rennie decided after participating in this film, that if he was really going to make it as an actor, he needed to undergo acting lessons.  Therefore, he attended several seasons with the York Repertory and served his apprenticeship as an actor, gaining experience in acting technique while touring the provinces in British repertory.
 
He was cast in various other films as small un credited roles, but was slowly gaining experience in the industry.  Between 1936 and 1940 he worked on a total of ten films.  The last one was, "Pimpernel Smith" (1941) which was completed at the same time that Rennie was serving in World War II as a flying officer in the RAF. 
 
Small roles followed in postwar British films and his first film lead, in the suspense drama, "Tower of Terror" (1941).  He was formally on his way to his goal of earning a career as an actor.  
 
He was discharged for commission on 4 August 1944, however, the following day he was commissioned "for the emergency" as a Pilot Officer on probation in the General Duties Branch of the RAFVR and then on February 5, 1943, he was promoted to Flying Officer on probation.  He resigned his commission on 1 May 1944.  He achieved recognition for his taelnts in, "I'll be Your Sweetheart" (1945)
 
The war ended in 1945 and Rennie was beginning to be seem as a potential star.  His last two roles lead to a contract with 20th Century Fox  His first major role was in the feature film, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951) followed by, "Les Miserables" (1952) and "The Robe" (1953).  A sequel to "The Robe" was followed with," Demetrius and the Gladiators" (1954).  Rennie also starred in, "Dangerous Crossing" (1953) under his contract with 20th century fox.  Many of his movies co starred Jean Simmons including, "Desiree" (1954).
 
The first film under his new contract was the British-filmed Medieval period adventure "The Black Rose".  Rennie's second Fox film gave him fourth billing in the top tier, "The 13th Letter", was a remake of the 1943 French film Le Corbeau, "The Raven" and Michael Rennie's next film was the last under his five-year contract with 20th Century-Fox, "The Rains of Ranchipur" released on December 14, 1955

Rennie also worked as a television actor portraying a soldier for 76 episodes on the series, "The Third Man".  No longer bound by the no-television clause in his studio contract, he began his prolific 15-year association with the medium.

In the beginning of the 60's, rennie made his one time only Briadway Appearance in, "Maru, Mary" which opened at the Helen Hayes Theatre (1961) and ran for 1572 sucessful performances.
 
Rennie appeared in two additional films as guest roles in Los angeles before he decided to move to Switzerland, "The Power" (1968) and "The Devil's Brigade" (1968).  He also had two guest starring roles in the television episodes on ABC series, " F.B.I.".  He did continue to work as an actor, but filmed oversees.  His final seven feature films were all filmed in Britain, Italy, Spain and one in the Phillippeans. 
 
During a trip to visit his mother in Yorkshire to grieve the loss of his brother,  Michael Rennie passed away unexpectadly from emphysema casued by a heart attack on June 10th, 1971 in Harrogate, Yorkshire only two months before his 62nd birthday.  He was cremated and his ashes were laid to rest in Harlow Cemetery, in Harrogate Yorkshire.
 
Rennie was married twice, first to Joan England  from 1938 to 1945,then to actress Margaret McGrath from 1947 to 1960, their son, David Rennie, is an English circuit judge in Lewes, Sussex, England. Both marriages ended in divorce.
 
 
Filmography

1970   Die Screaming Marianne
1970   Assignment Terror
1969   Dracula Vs. Frankenstein
1969   Subterfuge
1969   Surabaya Conspiracy
1969   The Battle of El Alamein
1968   Commando Attack
1968   The Devil's Brigade
1968   The Power
1968   The MiniSkirt Murders
1968   The Last chance
1967   Hondo and The Apaches 
1967   Hotel
1967   Death on the Run
1966   Ride Beyond Vengeance
1966   Cyborg 2087
1963   Mary, Mary
1960   The Lost World
1959   The Third Man on the Mountain
1958   Missiles from Hell
1957   Island in the Sun
1957   Omar Khayyam
1956   Teenage Rebel
1955   Mambo
1955   Seven Cities of Gold
1955   Soldier of Fortune
1955   The Rains of Ranchipur
1954   Demetrius and the Gladiators
1954   Desiree
1954   Princess of the Nile
1953   King of the Khyber Rifles
1953   The Robe
1952   Phone Call From a Stranger
1951   The 13thLetter
1951   The Day The Earth Stood Still
1951   I'll Never Forget You
1950   Trio
1950   The Black Rose
1950   Miss Pilgirim's Progress
1949   Golden Madonna
1948   Uneasy Terms
1948   Uneasy Terms
1948   Idol of Paris
1947   High Fury
1947   Root Of Evil
1945   Ceaser and Cleopatra
1945   I'll Be Your Sweetheart
1945   The Wicked Lady
1942   The Big Blockade
1941   Ships With Wings 
1941   Tower of Terror
1941   Suicide Squadron
1941   The Patient Vanishes
1941   Pimpernel Smith
1941   Turned out Nice Again
1940   The Briggs Family
1939   Shadow of the Underworld
1938   Three on a Weekend
1938   Divorice of Lady X
1937   Murder on Diamond Row
1937   Gangway
1937   Gypsy
1936   Conquest of the Air
1936   The Man Who Could Work Miracles
1936   Secret Agent