Michael Rennie (born August 1909 – June 10, 1971) was an English actor best known for his role as Klaatu in the science fiction classic The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). He enjoyed a successful career spanning film, television, and theater, gaining fame for his dignified and often authoritative roles.
Michael Rennie (born August 1909 – June 10, 1971) was an English actor best known for his role as Klaatu in the science fiction classic The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). He enjoyed a successful career spanning film, television, and theater, gaining fame for his dignified and often authoritative roles.
Michael Rennie was born Eric Alexander Rennie in Ilford, Essex, England. His early interest in acting led him to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), where he trained and developed his skills as a performer. He worked initially in British theater before transitioning to film.
Rennie’s early career included several roles in British films, but it was his move to Hollywood in the 1940s that helped him gain more widespread recognition. He appeared in a series of films, often portraying dignified or authoritative characters, with his tall stature, smooth voice, and good looks making him a natural fit for leading roles.
His breakthrough came with the science fiction film The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), where he portrayed the alien visitor Klaatu. The film is considered one of the most influential sci-fi movies of all time, and Rennie’s portrayal of the calm and rational Klaatu became iconic. The film's message of peace, tolerance, and warning against militarism resonated with audiences, and Rennie’s performance as the alien ambassador remains one of his most famous and enduring roles.
Following The Day the Earth Stood Still, Rennie continued to appear in a variety of films, often in roles of authority or leadership. Some notable films he starred in include The Lost World (1960), The 27th Day (1957), and Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959), where he appeared alongside actors like James Mason and Pat Boone.
Rennie also appeared in numerous television series, including The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and The Invaders. In the 1960s, he had roles in various TV shows, further establishing his presence in the science fiction and adventure genres.
Rennie was married twice. His first marriage was to actress Dorothy Dandridge in 1959, but they eventually divorced. Later, he married Shirley Sutherland, with whom he remained until his death.
Despite his fame, Rennie led a relatively private life and was known to be a gentleman both on and off screen. He had a reputation for being reserved and professional, a trait that made him well-suited to the types of roles he was often cast in.
Michael Rennie passed away on June 10, 1971, at the age of 61, from a heart attack while vacationing in Spain. His death marked the end of a distinguished career in film and television.
Rennie’s most enduring legacy is his portrayal of Klaatu in The Day the Earth Stood Still, which remains a staple of science fiction cinema. His calm, authoritative presence in the film and his portrayal of an alien visitor with a message of peace continue to resonate with audiences and are considered a high point in 1950s science fiction. Throughout his career, he brought dignity and depth to the roles he played, earning him a place in cinematic history, particularly within the science fiction genre.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0719692
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1929042
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Filmography (Movies)
Lost In Space Forever
Character:The Keeper (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/1998
Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey
Character:Klaatu (archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:24/08/1995
The Horror Show
Character:(archive footage)
Release Date:06/02/1979
Assignment Terror
Character:Dr. Odo Warnoff
Release Date:24/02/1970
The Battle of El Alamein
Character:Bernard Law Montgomery
Release Date:01/01/1969
Stoney
Character:Harvey Ward
Release Date:01/01/1969
Subterfuge
Character:Goldsmith
Release Date:12/12/1968
The Last Chance
Character:George McConnell
Release Date:09/07/1968
Seven Into Hell
Character:Blynn
Release Date:02/06/1968
The Devil's Brigade
Character:Lt. Gen. Mark Clark
Release Date:15/05/1968
The Power
Character:Arthur Nordlund
Release Date:21/02/1968
Naked You Die
Character:Inspector Durand
Release Date:20/02/1968
Death on the Run
Character:Major Worthington Clark
Release Date:09/10/1967
Hondo and the Apaches
Character:Tribolet
Release Date:08/09/1967
Hotel
Character:Geoffrey - Duke of Lanbourne
Release Date:19/01/1967
Cyborg 2087
Character:Garth A7
Release Date:01/10/1966
Ride Beyond Vengeance
Character:Brooks Durham
Release Date:01/01/1966
Mary, Mary
Character:Dirk Winston
Release Date:24/10/1963
The Lost World
Character:Lord John Roxton
Release Date:13/07/1960
Third Man on the Mountain
Character:Captain John Winter
Release Date:10/11/1959
Perilous Assignment
Character:Self
Release Date:06/11/1959
Battle of the V-1
Character:Stefan
Release Date:01/01/1958
Omar Khayyam
Character:Hasani Sabah
Release Date:23/08/1957
Island in the Sun
Character:Hilary Carson
Release Date:12/06/1957
Circle of the Day
Character:Eric Millet
Release Date:30/05/1957
Teenage Rebel
Character:Jay Fallon
Release Date:01/11/1956
The Rains of Ranchipur
Character:Lord Albert Esketh
Release Date:14/12/1955
Seven Cities of Gold
Character:Father Junipero Serra
Release Date:07/10/1955
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Character:Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
Release Date:28/07/1955
Soldier of Fortune
Character:Inspector Merryweather, Hong Kong Marine Police
Release Date:24/05/1955
Désirée
Character:Bernadotte
Release Date:16/11/1954
Mambo
Character:Enrico Marisoni
Release Date:18/09/1954
Princess of the Nile
Character:Rama Khan
Release Date:01/07/1954
Demetrius and the Gladiators
Character:Peter
Release Date:16/06/1954
King of the Khyber Rifles
Character:Brig. Gen. J. R. Maitland
Release Date:23/12/1953
The Robe
Character:Peter
Release Date:16/09/1953
Dangerous Crossing
Character:Dr. Paul Manning
Release Date:22/07/1953
Sailor of the King
Character:Lt. Richard Saville
Release Date:11/06/1953
Titanic
Character:End Narrator (Voice)
Release Date:11/04/1953
The Desert Rats
Character:Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Release Date:26/03/1953
Les Miserables
Character:Jean Valjean
Release Date:14/08/1952
5 Fingers
Character:Colin Travers
Release Date:22/02/1952
Phone Call from a Stranger
Character:Dr. Robert Fortness
Release Date:01/02/1952
The House in the Square
Character:Roger Forsyth
Release Date:07/12/1951
The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel
Character:Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Release Date:16/10/1951
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Character:Klaatu, alias Mr. Carpenter
Release Date:18/09/1951
The 13th Letter
Character:Dr. Pearson
Release Date:21/02/1951
Trio
Character:Major George Templeton (segment Sanatorium)
Release Date:10/10/1950
The Black Rose
Character:King Edward
Release Date:01/09/1950
The Body Said No!
Character:The Body
Release Date:30/04/1950
Miss Pilgrim's Progress
Character:Bob Thane
Release Date:29/11/1949
The Golden Madonna
Character:Mike Christie
Release Date:23/05/1949
Uneasy Terms
Character:Slim Callaghan
Release Date:06/07/1948
Idol of Paris
Character:Hertz
Release Date:24/04/1948
White Cradle Inn
Character:Rudolph
Release Date:28/02/1947
The Root of All Evil
Character:Charles Mortimer
Release Date:05/02/1947
Caesar and Cleopatra
Character:1st Centurion
Release Date:11/12/1945
The Wicked Lady
Character:Kit Locksby
Release Date:15/11/1945
I'll Be Your Sweetheart
Character:
Release Date:30/07/1945
The Sky’s the Limit
Character:George
Release Date:01/01/1943
The Big Blockade
Character:George
Release Date:19/01/1942
Tower of Terror
Character:Anthony Hale
Release Date:27/12/1941
Ships with Wings
Character:Lieut. Maxwell
Release Date:10/11/1941
Turned Out Nice Again
Character:Diner
Release Date:01/08/1941
"Pimpernel" Smith
Character:Prison Camp Officer
Release Date:28/07/1941
The Patient Vanishes
Character:Inspector
Release Date:21/07/1941
Dangerous Moonlight
Character:Kapulski
Release Date:26/06/1941
This Man in Paris
Character:Gang Member (uncredited)
Release Date:01/07/1939
Bank Holiday
Character:Guardsman (uncredited)
Release Date:27/01/1938
The Divorce of Lady X
Character:Minor Role (uncredited)
Release Date:15/01/1938
The Squeaker
Character:Medical Examiner
Release Date:11/11/1937
The Gap
Character:Chemist-Radio Operator (uncredited)
Release Date:01/09/1937
Gangway
Character:Ship's Officer
Release Date:19/08/1937
Gypsy
Character:
Release Date:29/12/1936
The Man Who Could Work Miracles
Character:San Francisco Cop
Release Date:23/07/1936
Secret Agent
Character:Army Captain (uncredited)
Release Date:11/05/1936
The Conquest of the Air
Character:Marquis d'Arlandes (uncredited)
Release Date:01/12/1931
Television Appearances
The Danny Thomas Hour
Character:Paul Heaton
Hondo
Character:
The Invaders
Character:Magnus
The Invaders
Character:Vice Chancellor Pierre Alquist
Jericho
Character:
ABC Stage 67
Character:
The Time Tunnel
Character:Capt. Malcolm Smith
Batman
Character:Sandman
The F.B.I.
Character:Conrad Letterman
The F.B.I.
Character:Albert Robinson / Major John Anka
The F.B.I.
Character:Eric Reverson
Lost in Space
Character:The Keeper
Branded
Character:
Daniel Boone
Character:Maj. Peter Wellington
Daniel Boone
Character:Edgar Newton
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Character:Barnaby Partridge
12 O'Clock High
Character:Gen. St. John Keighley
Kraft Suspense Theatre
Character:Robert Thurston
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Character:Edward Parker Greene
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Character:Inspector Kauslake
The Great Adventure
Character:President Jefferson Davis
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
Character:Ralph Manson
The Virginian
Character:Michael O'Rourke
The Dick Powell Show
Character:Inspector Marshall
The Dick Powell Show
Character:General Conrad Munday
Route 66
Character:
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
Character:Julius
The Third Man
Character:
Bonanza
Character:Prof. Poppy / Dr. P.A. Mundy
Shirley Temple's Storybook
Character:Captain Creighton
Suspicion
Character:Angus Martin
DuPont Show of the Month
Character:
Perry Mason
Character:Prof. Edward Lindley
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Character:Matthew Birch
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Character:Grant Coburn
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Character:Marshal Locke Gardner
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Character:Narrator
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Character:Allen Bliss
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Character:Sir Humphrey J. Orford
The Wonderful World of Disney
Character:Self
Producers' Showcase
Character:Howard Joyce
Climax!
Character:Lord Edward Dominey / Major General Von Raggenstein
Climax!
Character:Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
Climax!
Character:Charles Martin Westling
Climax!
Character:'Irish' Sean Dillon
Climax!
Character:James MacLennan
Climax!
Character:Dr. Fitzroy
Climax!
Character:Lorenzo
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Character:
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