Michael Rennie

From Alfred Hitchcock Wiki

born: 25/Aug/1909 (Bradford, Yorkshire, England, UK)
died: 10/Jun/1971 (Harrogate, Yorkshire, England, UK) - emphysema

[edit] Biography

Michael Rennie was an English film, television and stage actor best known for his starring role as the benevolent space visitor Klaatu in the 1951 classic science fiction film "The Day the Earth Stood Still".

Eric Alexander Rennie was born in Idle, a village near the West Yorkshire city of Bradford and educated at The Leys School, Cambridge. He attempted a number of professions, including periods as automobile salesman and manager of his uncle's rope factory, before deciding, at the time of his 26th birthday in 1935, on a career as an actor. Retaining his surname, but adopting the professional name Michael Rennie, the tall (6' 4" [1.93 m]) show-business hopeful with gaunt, chiseled features, first appeared onscreen in an uncredited bit part in Alfred Hitchcock's "Secret Agent", which had its London premiere in May 1936. Another future star named "Michael", also had an unbilled bit in the film, Michael Redgrave.

(Wikipedia)