Dashing to the End

Born Alfred Reginald John Truscott-Jones, Welsh American actor Ray Milland (1907–1986) appeared in more than 135 theatrical releases between 1929 and 1985 and on radio, television, and the stage, while also becoming a film director; Milland’s extensive canon across such a period is remarkable, especially considering his lack of formal training, his belated start in show business in his late twenties, and the fact he only lived to age seventy-nine. Perhaps best remembered for his Oscar-winning performance as the tortured alcoholic in Billy Wilder’s The Lost Weekend (1945) or his outstanding collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock in Dial M for Murder (1954), there is much more to Milland’s life and career than the few films that elevated him from star to icon.

Despite his prolific and successful career, Dashing to the End: The Ray Milland Story is the first comprehensive biography of the star. Milland’s personal and professional trajectory epitomize quintessential Hollywood lore: the British army soldier-turned-actor who went from unknown, struggling bit player to Oscar-winning star to aging, scandal-haunted “has-been” to comeback character actor to present-day cult figure. Using interviews with Milland’s costars and colleagues, as well as research from several major archives, author Eric Monder brings into sharp relief both the positive and negative aspects of the Hollywood film and television industries and paints a well-rounded portrait of this complex man and artist.