Michael Mills (British producer) - Revision history

Kurt at 18:10, 16 January 2023

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	\| birth_place = [[w:Prestwich]], [[w:Lancashire\|Lancashire]], (now [[w:Greater Manchester\|Greater Manchester]]), England		\| birth_place = [[w:Prestwich\|Prestwich]], [[w:Lancashire\|Lancashire]], (now [[w:Greater Manchester\|Greater Manchester]]), England
	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1988\|01\|07\|1919\|05\|13\|df=yes}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1988\|01\|07\|1919\|05\|13\|df=yes}}
	\| death_place = [[w:Gillingham, Kent]], England		\| death_place = [[w:Gillingham, Kent\|Gillingham]], England
	\| nationality =		\| nationality =
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Kurt at 18:08, 16 January 2023

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	{{short description\|British producer and director (1919–1988)}}		{{short description\|British producer and director (1919–1988)}}
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=October 2017}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=October 2017}}~~
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| name = Michael Mills		\| name = Michael Mills
	\| image =		\| image = Michael Mills.jpg
	\| alt =		\| alt =
	\| caption =		\| caption =
	\| birth_name =		\| birth_name =
	\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1919\|05\|13\|df=yes}}		\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1919\|05\|13\|df=yes}}
	\| birth_place = [[Prestwich]], [[Lancashire]], (now [[Greater Manchester]]), England		\| birth_place = [[w:Prestwich]], [[w:Lancashire\|Lancashire]], (now [[w:Greater Manchester\|Greater Manchester]]), England
	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1988\|01\|07\|1919\|05\|13\|df=yes}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1988\|01\|07\|1919\|05\|13\|df=yes}}
	\| death_place = [[Gillingham, Kent]], England		\| death_place = [[w:Gillingham, Kent]], England
	\| nationality =		\| nationality =
	\| other_names =		\| other_names =
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	\| years_active = 1947–1986		\| years_active = 1947–1986
	\| known_for = ''[[Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em]]''		\| known_for = ''[[Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em]]''
	\| notable_works = Head of comedy at the [[British Broadcasting Corporation\|BBC]] (1967–1972), producer at Thames Television		\| notable_works = Head of comedy at the [[w:British Broadcasting Corporation\|BBC]] (1967–1972), producer at Thames Television
	}}		}}

	'''Michael Mills''' (13 May 1919 – 7 January 1988) was an English television producer and director who served as the [[BBC]]'s Head of Comedy from 1967 until 1972.		'''Michael Mills''' (13 May 1919 – 7 January 1988) was an English television producer and director who served as the [[w:BBC\|BBC]]'s Head of Comedy from 1967 until 1972.

	==Early life and career==		==Early life and career==
	Mills was born in [[Prestwich]], [[Lancashire]] (now part of Greater Manchester), England.<ref name=bfi/> He joined the [[BBC]] before the [[Second World War]] as a sound effects operator, and served in the [[Free French Navy]] (on secondment from the [[Royal Navy]]) during hostilities, where he undertook revue-type shows.		Mills was born in [[w:Prestwich\|Prestwich]], [[w:Lancashire\|Lancashire]] (now part of Greater Manchester), England.<ref name=bfi/> He joined the [[w:BBC\|BBC]] before the [[w:Second World War\|Second World War]] as a sound effects operator, and served in the [[w:Free French Navy\|Free French Navy]] (on secondment from the [[w:Royal Navy\|Royal Navy]]) during hostilities, where he undertook revue-type shows.

	In 1947, he returned to the BBC, as a light entertainment producer.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Barfe \|first=Louis \|date=2013-01-01 \|title=Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light Entertainment \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XHbFLkrXezMC&pg=PT53 \|location=London \|publisher=[[Atlantic Books]] \|page=53 \|isbn=9781848877573 \|author-link=Louis Barfe}}</ref> [[Yvonne Littlewood]], at the time his personal assistant, recalled one live production of the three act [[Vivian Ellis]] musical ''Jill Darling'' in February 1949 which used both studios at [[Alexandra Palace]], the set being changed in one while the second act was being broadcast.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Barfe \|first=Louis \|date=2013-01-01 \|title=Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light Entertainment \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XHbFLkrXezMC&pg=PT54 \|location=London \|publisher=[[Atlantic Books]] \|page=54 \|isbn=9781848877573 \|author-link=Louis Barfe}}</ref>		In 1947, he returned to the BBC, as a light entertainment producer.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Barfe \|first=Louis \|date=2013-01-01 \|title=Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light Entertainment \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XHbFLkrXezMC&pg=PT53 \|location=London \|publisher=[[Atlantic Books]] \|page=53 \|isbn=9781848877573 \|author-link=Louis Barfe}}</ref> [[Yvonne Littlewood]], at the time his personal assistant, recalled one live production of the three act [[Vivian Ellis]] musical ''Jill Darling'' in February 1949 which used both studios at [[Alexandra Palace]], the set being changed in one while the second act was being broadcast.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Barfe \|first=Louis \|date=2013-01-01 \|title=Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light Entertainment \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XHbFLkrXezMC&pg=PT54 \|location=London \|publisher=[[Atlantic Books]] \|page=54 \|isbn=9781848877573 \|author-link=Louis Barfe}}</ref>

Kurt: /* External links */

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External links

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	==External links==		==External links==
	* {{IMDb name\|0590113}}		* {{IMDb name\|0590113}}

	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Mills, Michael}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Mills, Michael}}

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2022-07-27T20:42:33Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 15:42, 27 July 2022
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EN>Rlink2: /* Early life and career */Adding archives to assist with Wikipedia:Verifiability, WP:SOURCEACCESS

2022-05-14T19:28:05Z

Early life and career: Adding archives to assist with Wikipedia:Verifiability, WP:SOURCEACCESS

New page

{{short description|British producer and director (1919–1988)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Michael Mills
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1919|05|13|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Prestwich]], [[Lancashire]], (now [[Greater Manchester]]), England
| death_date = {{death date and age|1988|01|07|1919|05|13|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Gillingham, Kent]], England
| nationality =
| other_names =
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Valerie Leon]]|1974}}
| children = 2
| occupation = Television producer, director
| years_active = 1947–1986
| known_for = ''[[Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em]]''
| notable_works = Head of comedy at the [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]] (1967–1972), producer at Thames Television
}}

'''Michael Mills''' (13 May 1919 – 7 January 1988) was an English television producer and director who served as the [[BBC]]'s Head of Comedy from 1967 until 1972.

==Early life and career==
Mills was born in [[Prestwich]], [[Lancashire]] (now part of Greater Manchester), England.<ref name=bfi/> He joined the [[BBC]] before the [[Second World War]] as a sound effects operator, and served in the [[Free French Navy]] (on secondment from the [[Royal Navy]]) during hostilities, where he undertook revue-type shows.

In 1947, he returned to the BBC, as a light entertainment producer.<ref>{{cite book |last=Barfe |first=Louis |date=2013-01-01 |title=Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light Entertainment |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XHbFLkrXezMC&pg=PT53 |location=London |publisher=[[Atlantic Books]] |page=53 |isbn=9781848877573 |author-link=Louis Barfe}}</ref> [[Yvonne Littlewood]], at the time his personal assistant, recalled one live production of the three act [[Vivian Ellis]] musical ''Jill Darling'' in February 1949 which used both studios at [[Alexandra Palace]], the set being changed in one while the second act was being broadcast.<ref>{{cite book |last=Barfe |first=Louis |date=2013-01-01 |title=Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light Entertainment |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XHbFLkrXezMC&pg=PT54 |location=London |publisher=[[Atlantic Books]] |page=54 |isbn=9781848877573 |author-link=Louis Barfe}}</ref>

Mills served as the BBC's Head of Comedy from 1967 to 1972. According to creator [[Jimmy Perry]], it was Mills who in 1968 suggested that a forthcoming series should be titled ''[[Dad's Army]]'' instead of ''The Fighting Tigers'', and that [[John Le Mesurier]] should play the Sergeant and [[Clive Dunn]], Corporal Jones.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pertwee |first=Bill |author-link=Bill Pertwee |title=Dad's Army: The Making of a TV Legend |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HoqHel5bnfMC&pg=PA22 |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]] |location=USA |date=2009-11-03 |page=22 |isbn=9781844861057}}</ref> Mills thought [[Frankie Howerd]]'s role in the British stage production of ''[[A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum]]'' could be the basis for a series. This became ''[[Up Pompeii!]]'' (1969–70).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Joshel |first1=Sandra R. |last2=Margaret |first2=Malamud |last3=McGuire Jr. |first3=Donald T. |date=2005 |title=Imperial Projections: Ancient Rome in Modern Popular Culture |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H3NCIYRRIVUC&pg=PA181 |publisher=[[Johns Hopkins University Press]] |pages=180–181 |isbn=9780801882685}}</ref> Mills was also responsible for commissioning the sitcom ''[[The Liver Birds]]'' in 1969.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/jun/01/carla-lane-obituary|title=Carla Lane obituary: celebrated writer of TV sitcoms|date=1 June 2016|website=The Guardian}}</ref>

While the first series of ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'' (1969) was still being transmitted, he wrote to [[John Cleese]]: "The shows seem to be getting better and better and this is a view shared by most people who see it." Offering him a role in the second series, Mills had been told by [[Barry Took]] that Cleese was unsure about continuing: "I do hope you will be able to take part both as a writer and performer because the show would lose a great deal if you are not one of them."<ref>{{cite web |last=Verkaik |first=Robert |title=BBC bosses almost lost faith in 'disgusting' Monty Python |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/bbc-bosses-almost-lost-faith-in-disgusting-monty-python-1693829.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/bbc-bosses-almost-lost-faith-in-disgusting-monty-python-1693829.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=[[The Independent]] |date=2009-05-31 |access-date=2014-04-09}}</ref>

==Last years==
Mills was the original producer of television series ''[[Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em]]'' (1973–1975), and briefly supervised ''[[Wodehouse Playhouse]]'' (1976).<ref>{{cite web|last=Innes|first=John|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/467706/index.html|title=Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973-75, 1978)|work=BFI Screenonline|date=2003–2014|access-date=6 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8UsfvxcEAssC&dq=wodehouse+playhouse+michael+mills&pg=PA124|title=P.G. Wodehouse and Hollywood: Screenwriting, Satires and Adaptations|first=Brian|last=Taves|date=24 January 2015|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786484430|via=Google Books}}</ref> He joined [[Thames Television]] around this time, where he remained for the rest of his career. At Thames, he was responsible for the production of such series as ''[[Get Some In!]]'' (1975–1978) and ''[[Chance in a Million]]'' (1984-1986).<ref name=bfi>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9eff20f9|title=Michael Mills|website=BFI|access-date=6 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/c/chanceinamillion_7771315.shtml|title=BBC - Comedy Guide - Chance In A Million|date=17 May 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060517055923/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/c/chanceinamillion_7771315.shtml|archive-date=17 May 2006}}</ref>

==Personal life==
From 1974, Mills was married to the actress [[Valerie Leon]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Maxford|first=Howard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lfp1DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA494|title=Hammer Complete: The Films, the Personnel, the Company|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|publisher=McFarland|year=2018|page=494|isbn=9781476629148}}</ref> The couple had two children; their daughter Merope Mills has worked for ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper. Michael Mills died in [[Gillingham, Kent]], in 1988.<ref name=bfi/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0590113}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mills, Michael}}
[[Category:1919 births]]
[[Category:1988 deaths]]
[[Category:British television producers]]
[[Category:British television executives]]
[[Category:Royal Navy sailors]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of World War II]]