Ronald Millar

Sir
Ronald Graeme Millar
Born(1919-11-12)12 November 1919
Reading, Berkshire, England
Died16 April 1998(1998-04-16) (aged 78)
London, England
Resting placeGolders Green Crematorium[1]
Occupation(s)Film and theatre actor, scriptwriter and dramatist
Years active1943–1958

Sir Ronald Graeme Millar (12 November 1919 – 16 April 1998) was an English actor, scriptwriter, and dramatist.[2]

Life and career

After attending Charterhouse School, Millar studied at King's College, Cambridge for a year before joining the Royal Navy in 1940, during the Second World War. He established himself as a playwright after the war and, between 1948 and 1954, lived in Hollywood, where he wrote scripts for MGM. These included The Miniver Story and Scaramouche, both with George Froeschel.[3]

On his return to Britain, he successfully adapted several C. P. Snow novels – and, in 1967, William Clark's novel Number 10 – for the stage.[4] He also wrote the book and lyrics for the musical Robert and Elizabeth.[citation needed]

Millar acted as speechwriter for three[citation needed] British prime ministers, including Margaret Thatcher for whom he wrote the line "The lady's not for turning".[5] He was knighted after Thatcher became Prime Minister in 1979. He wrote the line, Where there is discord, let us bring harmony, which was one of her promises on arrival at 10 Downing Street.[3]

Millar was the son of a professional actress, Dorothy Dacre-Hill. Prior to becoming a full-time dramatist and then a speechwriter, he acted in a number of West End productions during and after World War II, in the company of luminaries as Ivor Novello, Alastair Sim and John Gielgud.[6] He also appeared in the 1943 war film We Dive at Dawn directed by Anthony Asquith. One of his most well-received productions was Abelard and Heloise featuring Keith Michell and Diana Rigg.[7]

Selected filmography

Selected plays

References

  1. ^ "Sir Ronald Millar (1919-1998) - Find A Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  2. ^ League, The Broadway. "Ronald Millar – Broadway Cast & Staff - IBDB".
  3. ^ a b "Sir Ronald Millar". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  4. ^ Kavanagh, Denis, "Sir Ronald Millar", The Independent, Financial Times Ltd., 1996 (ISSN 0951-9467).
  5. ^ Berlinski, Claire, There Is No Alternative: Why Margaret Thatcher Matters, Basic Books, First Trade Paper Edition, 2010, p. 37.
  6. ^ Millar, Ronald, A View From the Wings, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London: 1993.
  7. ^ "Abelard and Heloise – Broadway Play". The Broadway League.