Millward was born in London, and raised in the
East End. He left school in his teens but studied woodwind at the
Royal College of Music. By the mid-1930s he was known as a leading
saxophone and
clarinet player in
swing bands, including the
Jack Hylton Orchestra. He formed his own band in 1937, naming them the Nitwits the following year. They made regular appearances on
BBC radio, and became the resident band at the Café Anglais in
Leicester Square. In 1950 they had their own radio show,
Nitwit Serenade, and later in the decade were frequent performers on British television
variety shows. Beside Millward, band members included Wally Stewart, Cyril Lagey, Charlie Rossi, Arthur Calkin, Sid Flood, Harry Coles, Ronnie Genarda and Tony Traverci. They played "wild versions of classical hits, interspersed with madcap, visual jokes", and were an influence on the
Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. He was buried in
Puerto Rico after his widow refused to pay for his body to be repatriated. == References ==