▁years ▁and ▁were ▁relatively ▁well ▁off . ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁the ▁Le ys ▁School , ▁Cambridge . ▁ ▁He ▁went ▁to ▁work ▁at ▁the ▁family ▁w ool ▁mill ▁in ▁Brad ford , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁enjoy ▁it . ▁He ▁worked ▁in ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁occup ations , ▁including ▁a ▁st int ▁as ▁a ▁car ▁sales man , ▁and ▁swe eping ▁flo ors ▁in ▁his ▁uncle ' s ▁steel ▁ro pes ▁factory . ▁He ▁eventually ▁decided ▁( at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁ 2 6 th ▁birth day , ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 ) ▁on ▁a ▁career ▁as ▁an ▁actor . ▁ ▁He ▁retained ▁his ▁surname ▁but ▁adopted ▁Michael ▁as ▁his ▁professional ▁name . ▁ ▁He ▁c ited ▁Ron ald ▁Col man ▁as ▁his ▁role ▁model . ▁ ▁Early ▁British ▁films ▁The ▁ 6 ' ▁ 4 " ▁tall ▁R enn ie ▁attract ed ▁the ▁interest ▁of ▁a ▁casting ▁director ▁at ▁Ga um ont ▁British ▁who ▁took ▁him ▁on ▁as ▁an ▁extra . ▁R enn ie ▁said ▁this ▁was ▁a ▁deliber ate ▁strategy ▁so ▁he ▁could ▁learn ▁how ▁films ▁were ▁made . ▁Head ▁of ▁production ▁Michael ▁Bal con ▁said ▁R enn ie ▁was ▁taken ▁on ▁ ▁" because ▁he ▁was ▁good - looking ▁and ▁athlet ic . ▁He ▁knew ▁nothing ▁of ▁acting , ▁but ▁was ▁given ▁a ▁contract ▁to ▁play ▁small ▁parts ▁and ▁to ▁work ▁as ▁stand - in ▁for ▁players ▁such ▁as ▁Robert ▁Young ▁and ▁John ▁L oder ." ▁ ▁R enn ie ' s ▁first ▁screen ▁acting ▁was ▁an