Biography for
Sarah Miles (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

31 December 1941, Ingatestone, Essex, England, UK

Height

5' 5" (1.65 m)

Mini Biography

Sarah Miles is an English actress whose career flourished during the Swinging Sixties and in the early Seventies. The high point of her career came when her husband, screenwriter Robert Bolt, adapted "Madame Bovary" into a story set during the 1916 Easter Rebellion in Ireland. Directed by David Lean, Ryan's Daughter (1970), with Miles as the eponymous lead, brought her a Best Actress Oscar nomination. Lean equated her as a talent with Julie Christie, whom she physically resembled. However, Bolt's next script for her, Lady Caroline Lamb (1973), which he also directed, was a critical and box office flop when it was released in 1973.

That same year, she was involved with scandal when her manager died under mysterious circumstances during the shooting of The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (1973). She reportedly was cuckolding Robert Bolt with her "Cat" co-star, Burt Reynolds.

After appearing in a TV adaptation of William Faulkner's "Requiem for a Nun" for the Hollywood Television Theatre (broadcast by PBS) in 1975 and The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (1976) in 1976, Miles divorced Bolt and her career dropped off. Miles had one last burst of glory with Hope and Glory (1987) (1989). She is now retired from the acting.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Jon C. Hopwood

Spouse

Robert Bolt	(1988 - 20 February 1995) (his death)
Robert Bolt	(25 February 1967 - 30 October 1975) (divorced) 1 child

Trivia

Married, twice, to British playwright/screenwriter Robert Bolt, who died in 1995.

Had a relationship with the actor James Fox in the early 1960s.

Sister of director, producer and screenwriter Christopher Miles.

Suffers from dyslexia.

Became an Associate Member of RADA.

Graduated from RADA.

Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1985.

Was amongst those considered for the role of Lara Antipova in Doctor Zhivago (1965), but the part ultimately went to Julie Christie.

Ryan's Daughter (1970), a variation of "Madame Bovary", was written especially for Miles by her husband Robert Bolt, with the intention of the screenplay being directed by David Lean.

Sarah Miles was engaged in the mid-60's to author and promoter William Donaldson, but Donaldson dumped Miles in favor of a 19 year old American, Carly Simon. Once he and Simon were engaged, Donaldson returned to Miles.

Mother of Thomas Bolt.

Personal Quotes

Filming is a frustrating unfulfilling process, only made bearable by those few minutes, five maybe, of genuine creativity between "action!" and "Cut!'".

I believe in the marriage state so enormously, I don't want to be responsible for another failure. Besides, I like the bed to myself.

[on David Lean]: He played cruel games with us actors, did David. Not respecting actors too much, finding their breaking point gave him a kick.