The long lasting marriage of John and Mary Mills was described by many as one of devotion. Lady Mills was said to be the light of Sir John's life. Here's information about how they met, their wedding, their renewal of their wedding vows on their 60th wedding anniversary, and more.
Birthdates:
John Lewis Ernest Watts Mills was born on February 22, 1908 in Felixstowe, Suffolk, England.Mary was born on January 22, 1911 in England.
Health Concerns:
Early in his life, Sir John suffered from severe duodenal ulcers. By 1990, Sir John Mills was partially blind and deaf. A few months before his death he had a chest infection.Lady Mary suffers from Alzheimer's and is wheelchair-bound.
Death:
John died on April 23, 2005, in Denham, Buckinghamshire. He was 97 and died at his home. The cause of his death is suspected to be from a chest infection. His funeral was scheduled for April 27, 2005, in Denham.
How John and Mary Met:
They first met while John was on a tour. Mary was 14 years old and they met when she beat John in a tennis match at her father's home in Tientsin, China.They met again eight years later in early 1939 when she was appearing in "Tony Draws a Horse" at the Comedy. He admits to not remembering the tennis match.
They had strawberries and cream in John's dressing room backstage after one of his performances as George in "Of Mice and Men" at the Apollo.
Wedding Date:
John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell married on January 16, 1941 in the Marylebone registry office in London when John had a 48-hour pass from the Royal Engineers.Their honeymoon at Duke's Hotel on Jermyn Street lasted one night, but their long term marriage lasted until his death on April 23, 2005.
Renewal of Wedding Vows:
John proposed to Mary a second time at their home and they exchanged rings again privately before the renewal ceremony.On January 16, 2001, when John was 92, and Mary was 89, they renewed their marriage vows at St. Mary's Church in Denham. He said he regretted not being able to give Mary a church wedding.
Although their home, Hills House, is right next door to the church, they rode there in a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow with the license plate 1JMM. They had 100 guests at the ceremony.
The champagne reception was at their home. They had their second honeymoon in Gibraltar the following April.
They later celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary at John's 93rd birthday party on February 21, 2001, at the Painted Hall at the former Royal Naval College in Greenwich. Guests included Hayley Mills, Juliet Mills, Lord Attenborough, Judi Dench, Roger Moore, Sarah Mills, Lord Lloyd-Webber, Richard Stilgoe, and Kenneth Brannagh.
Children and Grandchildren:
John and Mary had three children: Juliet Mayon Mills, Hayley Catherine Rose Vivien Mills, and Jonathan Mills. Read More...
Previous Marriages:
John, to Aileen Raymond. They married in 1931 and divorced in 1940. They had no children.Aileen married Francis Ogilvy in 1941 and they had a son, Ian Ogilvy, who was born on September 30, 1943.
Occupations:
John was a British actor. He appeared in more than 100 movies. John's first job was as a clerk. He served in the Royal Engineers at the start of World War II.He received an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor for "Ryan's Daughter" in 1971. In 1960 he received a CBE, or Companion of the Order of British Empire. John was made a knight of the British Empire in 1977.
Mary was an actress, dramatist, mystery novelist, poet, and playwright. She gave up her acting career right after they married. Mary is quoted in an article by Barbara Roisman-Cooper in "British Heritage, February 2000, p. 44, as saying, "That's it; I'm not acting any more. We can't have two actors in the family. We married to be together."
Mary wrote three plays in which John appeared: "Men in Shadow", "Duet for Two Hands", and "The Uninvited Guest." Her novel, "Whistle Down the Wind" was made into a movie and also into an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.
Residence:
In 1975 they purchased a 17th century house named Hills House with a four-acre garden in Denham.They moved to a smaller bungalow in the village when Sir John was 96, and when Lady Mary was 92. The house had become too big and the stairs became difficult for them.
Pets:
John had a cream-and-caramel cocker spaniel named Hamlet.
Hobbies and Interests:
Sir John collected all sorts of hats. And he wore them on a rotating basis.Being superstitious, John wore red socks on stage.
