Acting world mourns death of Mills

Tributes have been paid to Oscar-winning actor John Mills, who became one of the best-loved actors over a career spanning more than 100 films.

Mills died peacefully at his home in Buckinghamshire in England yesterday after a short illness. He was 97.

The archetypal English gentleman, he graced stage and screen for more than 60 years, starting as a chorus boy at the London Hippodrome in 1929.

His greatest triumph was winning a Hollywood Oscar in 1971 for playing a deformed mute in Ryan’s Daughter.

Mills who was knighted in 1976, will probably be best-remembered for his patriotic roles in such films as Ice Cold in Alex, Above Us the Waves, Dunkirk, Scott of the Antarctic and Tunes of Glory – one of his personal favourites.

Actor and director Richard Attenborough described his old friend as a “truly remarkable man”.

Attenborough told the BBC Radio Four PM programme that Mills was “almost unequalled as a world British movie star”.

Attenborough said Mills went into hospital five weeks ago with a chest infection which he never overcame.