Michael Rennie was a British actor who rose to fame in Hollywood with his role as Klaatu, the alien visitor in the 1951 sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still. He had a long and successful career in film, television and stage, appearing in more than 50 films and several TV series. But how did he die and what was the cause of his death?
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Early Life and Career
Michael Rennie was born Eric Alexander Rennie on August 25, 1909, in Idle, near Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. He was the second son of a Scottish wool mill owner, James Rennie, and his English wife Amelia. He had an elder brother William, younger brother Gordon and sister Edith. He was educated at the Leys School, Cambridge.
He worked in various jobs, including a car salesman and a floor sweeper, before deciding to pursue a career as an actor. He adopted Michael as his professional name and cited Ronald Colman as his role model. He was discovered by a casting director at Gaumont British, who hired him as an extra and a stand-in for actors such as Robert Young and John Loder. He made his film debut in an uncredited bit part in the Alfred Hitchcock film Secret Agent (1936).
However, he was soon fired by the head of production, Michael Balcon, who saw him act in a scene in East Meets West (1936) and decided that he was too inexperienced for big screen parts. Rennie then left the studios and went to learn his craft in repertory theatre, mostly in Yorkshire. He eventually became a star with the York Repertory Company.
Hollywood Breakthrough and Success
Rennie’s breakthrough came when he was cast as the lead in the British film I’ll Be Your Sweetheart (1945), a musical comedy that was a box office hit. He then starred in the historical drama The Wicked Lady (1945), opposite Margaret Lockwood and James Mason, which was also a success. He caught the attention of Hollywood producer Darryl F. Zanuck, who signed him to a contract with 20th Century Fox.
Rennie’s first Hollywood film was The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), directed by Robert Wise. He played Klaatu, a humanoid alien who comes to Earth with a message of peace and a warning of the dangers of nuclear war. He also voiced the robot Gort, who accompanies him. The film was a critical and commercial hit and is considered one of the best sci-fi films of all time. It also made Rennie a star in the US and internationally.
Rennie went on to appear in many other films for Fox, such as Les Misérables (1952), The Robe (1953), Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954), The Rains of Ranchipur (1955), and Island in the Sun (1957). He also worked for other studios, such as MGM, Warner Bros., and Columbia. He played a variety of roles, ranging from historical figures, such as Julius Caesar, King Arthur, and Marco Polo, to romantic leads, such as in Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) and The Lost World (1960).
Television and Stage Work
Rennie also had a prolific career in television, especially in the 1960s. He starred in several TV series, such as The Third Man (1959-1965), based on the film of the same name, The Grand Alliance (1961), a historical drama about the alliance of Britain, France, and Russia during World War I, and The Invaders (1967-1968), a sci-fi thriller about a man who discovers that aliens are secretly invading Earth. He also guest-starred in many popular shows, such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone, Batman, Lost in Space, and The Fugitive.
Rennie also continued to work on stage, both in the US and in the UK. He appeared in several Broadway plays, such as The Little Hut (1953), The Pleasure of His Company (1958), and Mary, Mary (1961). He also toured with the Old Vic Company in 1955, playing Hamlet, Macbeth, and Henry V. He returned to the West End in 1965, starring in The Killing of Sister George, a controversial play about a lesbian relationship.
Personal Life and Death
Rennie was married twice and had two children. His first wife was Joan England, whom he married in 1938 and divorced in 1945. They had a son, David, who became a film producer. His second wife was Maggie McGrath, whom he married in 1947 and divorced in 1960. They had a daughter, Jennifer, who became an actress. He also had a long-term relationship with Renee Taylor, an American actress and writer.
Rennie died on June 10, 1971, at the age of 61. He had travelled to his mother’s home in Harrogate, Yorkshire, following the death of his brother. There, he suffered a fatal aortic aneurysm, a rupture of the main artery of the heart. He was cremated and his ashes were interred in Harlow Hill Cemetery, Harrogate.
Rennie is remembered as one of the most versatile and charismatic actors of his generation, who left a lasting impression on film, television and stage. His role as Klaatu in The Day the Earth Stood Still is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential in sci-fi history. He is also honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
