Claim: Ray Milland is a thespian.

Ray Milland -LRB- 3 January 1907  -- 10 March 1986 -RRB- was a Welsh actor and director . His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985 , and he is best remembered for his Academy Award-winning portrayal of an alcoholic writer in The Lost Weekend -LRB- 1945 -RRB- , a sophisticated leading man opposite a corrupt John Wayne in Reap the Wild Wind -LRB- 1942 -RRB- , the murder-plotting husband in Dial M for Murder -LRB- 1954 -RRB- , and as Oliver Barrett III in Love Story -LRB- 1970 -RRB- .   Before becoming an actor , Milland served in the Household Cavalry of the British Army , becoming a proficient marksman , horse-rider and aeroplane pilot . He left the army to follow a career in acting and appeared as an extra in several British productions before getting his first major role in The Flying Scotsman -LRB- 1929 -RRB- . This led to a nine-month contract with MGM and he moved to the United States where he appeared as a stock actor . After being released by MGM , he was picked up by Paramount , who used Milland in a range of lesser speaking parts , normally as an English character . He was loaned out to Universal for a film called Three Smart Girls -LRB- 1936 -RRB- , and its success saw Milland given a lead role in The Jungle Princess -LRB- also 1936 -RRB- alongside new starlet Dorothy Lamour . The film was a big success and catapulted both to stardom . Milland remained with Paramount for almost 20 years , and as well as his Oscar-winning role in The Lost Weekend , he is remembered for the films The Major and the Minor -LRB- 1942 -RRB- , The Big Clock -LRB- 1948 -RRB- , and The Thief -LRB- 1952 -RRB- , the last of which saw him nominated for his second Golden Globe . After leaving Paramount , he began directing and ended his career moving into television .   Milland , who was at one time Paramount Pictures ' highest paid actor , co-starred alongside many of the most popular actresses of the time including Gene Tierney , Grace Kelly , Lana Turner , Marlene Dietrich , Ginger Rogers , Jane Wyman , Loretta Young and Veronica Lake .