Dick Miller
Dick Miller | |
---|---|
![]() Miller at the Chiller Theatre Expo in 2015 | |
Born | Richard Miller December 25, 1928 New York City,U.S. |
Died | January 30, 2019 Toluca Lake,California, U.S. | (aged 90)
Alma mater | City College of New York Columbia University New York University |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1955–2019 |
Spouse |
Sheila Elaine Halpern
(m.1967) |
Children | 1 |
Military career | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | ![]() |
Richard Miller(December 25, 1928 – January 30, 2019) was an Americancharacter actorwho appeared in more than 180 films,[1]including many produced byRoger Corman.He later appeared in the films of directors who began their careers with Corman, includingJoe Dante,James Cameron,andMartin Scorsese,with the distinction of appearing in every film directed by Dante. He was known for playing the beleagueredeveryman,often in one-scene appearances.
Miller's main roles in films includedGremlins,Gremlins 2: The New Batch,Explorers,Piranha,The Howling,A Bucket of Blood,The Little Shop of Horrors,Not of This Earth,Chopping Mall,Night of the Creeps,The Terminator,The 'Burbs,Small SoldiersandQuake.
Early life[edit]
Miller was born on Christmas Day, 1928, inThe Bronx,New York,the son ofRussian Jewishimmigrants, Rita (Blucher), an opera singer, and Ira Miller, a printer.[2]He served a tour of duty in theUnited States Navy.Miller attended theCity College of New York,Columbia University,andNew York University,[3]eventually attaining aPhDin psychology.[4][5]He was a writer before turning to acting.[6]
Career[edit]
While working as a graduate psychologist, Miller performed onBroadwayand also worked at theBellevue HospitalMental Hygiene Clinic and the psychiatric department ofQueens General Hospital.[5]In 1952, he moved toCaliforniaseeking work as a writer. One of his earliest acting roles was inApache Woman(1955). He played one of the townspeople and also a separate role as an Indian. In an action scene his townsperson character shoots his Indian character, as related in the documentaryCorman's World.[7]
His movie roles includeWhite Line Fever,The Terminator,All The Right Moves,Night of the Creeps,Small Soldiers,It Conquered the World,A Bucket of Blood,The Little Shop of Horrors,theTales from the CryptmovieDemon Knight,Amazon Women on the Moon,Chopping Mall,The Howling,PiranhaandI Wanna Hold Your Hand.[8]His best known role was in the moviesGremlinsandGremlins 2: The New Batchas Murray Futterman. He appeared inPulp Fictionas Monster Joe, but his scene and a few others were deleted because of the film's length. He also appeared in Rod Stewart's video for the song "Infatuation"in 1984, withMike MazurkiandKay Lenz.
Histelevisioncredits include as a Townsman on the 1963 TV WesternGunsmoke(S9E8's "Carter Caper" ), inCombat!,as a young soldier in the 5th-season episode "The Outsider";Police Squad!(a 1980s crime spoof series with Leslie Nielsen);V: The Final Battleas Dan Pascal; three seasons as the generous bartender Lou Mackie onFame;Star Trek: The Next Generation,in the season 1 episode "The Big Goodbye",as the newspaper stand man in theholodeck;Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,in the season 3 two-part episode "Past Tense",as Vin;Time of Your Life;as a prison guard inSoap(1979); and as the voice of the gangster Chuckie Sol in the animated feature filmBatman: Mask of the Phantasm.He also directed television shows, including "The Fix", a 1986 episode of the seriesMiami Vice.[8]
In 2000, Miller was featured alongside former collaborators includingRoger Corman,Sam ArkoffandPeter Bogdanovichin the documentarySCHLOCK! The Secret History of American Movies,a film about the rise and fall of American exploitation cinema. In 2014 he appeared in a documentary of his life,That Guy Dick Miller.[8]He is also credited for appearing in a Sega CD video game,Prize Fighter,ascorner manfor the main character.
Walter Paisley[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Dick_Miller_as_Walter_Paisley.png/180px-Dick_Miller_as_Walter_Paisley.png)
Throughout his career, Miller would portray several fictional characters all namedWalter Paisley.He once noted, "I've played Walter Paisley five times now, I think."[9]By 2011, the character name had actually appeared in Miller's acting credits six times, and twice more with other actors on stage and screen. The name first appeared in theRoger CormanfilmA Bucket of Blood,with a story centred on Paisley, a busboy who becomes an artist of sorts by killing his subjects and covering them in plaster.[10]In 1976, Miller again portrayed a Walter Paisley — this time, a talent agent and former actor – in another Corman production,Hollywood Boulevard,directed byAllan ArkushandJoe Dante.In one scene of the film, Miller watches himself onscreen at adrive-in theatreshowing ofThe Terror– along with the Paisley name, this was one of several Corman/American International references and in-jokes in the finished production.
Dante cast Miller as another Walter Paisley, the owner of anoccultbookshop, in the 1981 filmThe Howling.[11]Two years later, the name appeared again attached to another Miller role, this time as the owner of a diner in the third segment ofTwilight Zone: The Movie.[12]The 1986 horror filmChopping Mallfeatured a janitor named Walter Paisley; and the1994 made-for-TV remakeofShake, Rattle and Rock!had Miller playing a policeman, Officer Paisley. Officer Paisley also appeared inNight of the Creeps.Miller played a variation on the role one last time in his final, posthumously released film,Hanukkah.Two other actors have portrayed the Walter Paisley fromA Bucket of Blood:Anthony Michael Hallin the1995 television remake;and James Stanton in themusical adaptationproduced by Chicago'sAnnoyance Theatre.
Personal life[edit]
Miller married Lainie (Sheila Elaine Halpern) on October 6, 1959, and they had one child together, Barbara.[13][14][15]Miller died at age 90 of a heart attack[2]on January 30, 2019, while being treated for pneumonia inToluca Lake, Los Angeles.[16][17]
Filmography[edit]
Television[edit]
Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1967 | Dragnet 1967 | Harry Johnson | Jack Webb | Episode: "The Shooting" |
1979 | Taxi | Ernie the Waiter | James Burrows | Episode: "The Lighter Side of Angela Matusa" |
1979 | Soap | The Guard | John Bowab | Episode: # 2.19 |
1982 | Police Squad! | Vic | Joe Dante | Episode: "Testimony of Evil (Dead Men Don't Laugh)" |
1982 | Taxi | Fergie | Michael Zinberg | Episode: "Travels With My Dad" |
1984 | V: The Final Battle | Dan Pascal | Richard T. Heffron | 1 Episode |
1984-1987 | Fame | Lou Mackie | Various | Recurring role (30 episodes) |
1988 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | News Stand Vendor | Joseph L. Scanlon | Episode: "The Big Goodbye" |
1990-1991 | The Flash | Fosnight | Various | 6 episodes |
1993 | Fallen Angels | Carl | Various | 2 episodes |
1994 | Rebel Highway | Roy Farrell | Joe DanteandAllan Arkush | 2 episodes |
1994 | Batman: The Animated Series | Boxy Bennett | Bruce Timm | Voice, 2 episodes[18] |
1994 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Mike Lane | Robert Singer | Episode: "Church of Metropolis" |
1995 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Vin | Reza BadiyiandJonathan Frakes | Episode: "Past Tense" |
2005 | Justice League Unlimited | Oberon | Bruce Timm | Voice, episode: "The Ties that Bind"[18] |
Film[edit]
Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1955 | Apache Woman | Tall Tree | Roger Corman | |
1956 | The Oklahoma Woman | The Bartender | ||
Gunslinger | Jimmy Tonto | |||
It Conquered the World | Sergeant Neil | |||
1957 | Naked Paradise | Mitch | ||
Not of This Earth | Joe Piper | |||
The Undead | The Leper | |||
Rock All Night | "Shorty" | |||
Sorority Girl | Mort | |||
Carnival Rock | Benny | |||
1958 | War of the Satellites | Dave Boyer | ||
1959 | A Bucket of Blood | Walter Paisley | ||
1960 | The Little Shop of Horrors | Burson Fouch | ||
1961 | Atlas | Greek Soldier | Uncredited | |
Capture That Capsule | Ed Nowak | Will Zens | ||
1962 | Premature Burial | "Mole" | Roger Corman | |
1963 | The Terror | Stefan | ||
X: The Man with the X-ray Eyes | Heckler | Uncredited | ||
1965 | The Girls on the Beach | First Waiter | William Witney | Uncredited |
Ski Party | Taxi Driver | Alan Rafkin | Uncredited | |
Beach Ball | Cop #1 | Lennie Weinrib | ||
1966 | Wild Wild Winter | Rilk | ||
The Wild Angels | Rigger | Roger Corman | ||
1967 | The Dirty Dozen | MP At Hanging | Robert Aldrich | Uncredited |
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre | Gangster Dressed As A Cop | Roger Corman | Uncredited | |
A Time for Killing | Zollicoffer | Phil Karlson | ||
The Trip | Cash | Roger Corman | ||
1968 | The Wild Racers | Pit Crew Mechanic | Daniel Haller Roger Corman |
|
The Legend of Lylah Clare | Reporter At Press Party | Robert Aldrich | Uncredited | |
1972 | Night Call Nurses | Mr. Jensen | Jonathan Kaplan | |
1973 | The Student Teachers | Coach Harris | Jonathan Kaplan | |
The Slams | Taxi Driver | |||
Executive Action | Rifleman, Team B | David Miller | ||
The Young Nurses | Cop | Clint Kimbrough | ||
Fly Me | Taxi Driver | Cirio Santiago | ||
1974 | Truck Turner | Fogarty | Jonathan Kaplan | |
Big Bad Mama | Bonney | Steve Carver | ||
Candy Stripe Nurses | The Spectator | Alan Holleb | ||
Summer School Teachers | Sam | Barbara Peeters | ||
1975 | Capone | Joe Pryor | Steve Carver | |
Death Race 2000 | Chicken Gang | Paul Bartel | Uncredited | |
White Line Fever | "Birdie" Corman | Jonathan Kaplan | ||
Darktown Strutters | Officer Hugo | William Witney | ||
Crazy Mama | Wilbur Janeway | Jonathan Demme | ||
1976 | Hollywood Boulevard | Walter Paisley | Joe Dante | |
Cannonball | Bennie Buckman | Paul Bartel | ||
Moving Violation | Mack | Charles S. Dubin | ||
Vigilante Force | The Pianist | George Armitage | ||
1977 | Mr. Billion | Bernie | Jonathan Kaplan | |
New York, New York | The Palm Club Owner | Martin Scorsese | ||
Game Show Models | The Game Show Host | David N. Gottlieb | ||
1978 | Starhops | Jerry | Barbara Peeters | |
I Wanna Hold Your Hand | Sergeant Brenner | Robert Zemeckis | ||
Corvette Summer | "Mr. Lucky" | Matthew Robbins | ||
Piranha | Buck Gardner | Joe Dante | ||
1979 | The Lady in Red | Patek | Lewis Teague | |
Rock 'n' Roll High School | Police Chief | Allan Arkush | ||
11th Victim | Ned, Investigator | Jonathan Kaplan | TV movie | |
1941 | Officer Miller | Steven Spielberg | ||
1980 | The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood | New York Cop | Alan Roberts | |
Used Cars | Man In Bed | Robert Zemeckis | ||
Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype | Irsil / Orson | Charles B. Griffith | ||
1981 | The Howling | Walter Paisley | Joe Dante | |
Smokey Bites the Dust | Glen Wilson | Charles B. Griffith | ||
Heartbeeps | Factory Watchman | Allan Arkush | ||
1982 | National Lampoon's Movie Madness | Dr. Hans Kleiner | Bob Giraldi | Segment: "Success Wanters" |
White Dog | Animal Trainer | Samuel Fuller | ||
Vortex | Bit Part | Beth B Scott B |
||
The Aftermath | Broadcaster | Steve Barkett Ted V. Mikels |
Voice | |
1983 | Heart Like a Wheel | Mickey White | Jonathan Kaplan | |
Twilight Zone: The Movie | Walter, The Bar Owner | Joe Dante | Segment: "It's a Good Life" | |
Space Raiders | Mel "Crazy Mel" | Howard R. Cohen | ||
Get Crazy | Susie's Dad | Allan Arkush | ||
All the Right Moves | Teacher In Auditorium | Michael Chapman | ||
Lies | The Producer | Jim Wheat Ken Wheat |
||
1984 | Swing Shift | Wallflower At The Swing Shift Jamboree | Jonathan Demme | Uncredited |
Gremlins | Murray Futterman | Joe Dante | ||
The Terminator | Gun Shop Clerk | James Cameron | ||
1985 | Explorers | Charlie Drake | Joe Dante | |
After Hours | Pete, Diner Waiter | Martin Scorsese | ||
1986 | Chopping Mall | Walter Paisley | Jim Wynorski | |
Night of the Creeps | Walt | Fred Dekker | ||
Armed Response | Steve | Fred Olen Ray | ||
1987 | Project X | Max King | Jonathan Kaplan | |
Face Like a Frog | Max | Sally Cruikshank | ||
Innerspace | Cab Driver | Joe Dante | ||
Amazon Women on the Moon | Danny Clayton | Various | Segment: "The French Ventiloquist's Dummy" (TV cut & DVD only) Uncredited | |
1988 | Under the Boardwalk | Official | Fritz Kiersch | |
Angel III: The Final Chapter | Nick Pellegrini | Tom DeSimone | ||
Dead Heat | Cemetery Security Guard | Mark Goldblatt | Uncredited | |
1989 | The 'Burbs | Vic, The Garbageman | Joe Dante | |
Far from Home | Sheriff Bill Childers | Meiert Avis | ||
Ghost Writer | Club Manager | Kenneth J. Hall | ||
1990 | Gremlins 2: The New Batch | Murray Futterman | Joe Dante | |
Mob Boss | Mike | Fred Olen Ray | ||
1991 | Motorama | Horseshoe Player | Barry Shils | |
1992 | Evil Toons | Burt | Fred Olen Ray | |
Body Waves | Mr. Matthews | P.J. Pesce | ||
Unlawful Entry | Impound Clerk | Jonathan Kaplan | ||
1992 | Quake | The Storekeeper | Louis Morneau | |
1993 | Matinee | Herb Denning | Joe Dante | |
1993 | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | Chuckie Sol | Eric Radomski | Voice[18] |
1994 | Pulp Fiction | Joe "Monster Joe" | Quentin Tarantino | (scenes deleted) |
Mona Must Die | Father Stilicato | Donald Reiker | ||
1995 | Demon Knight | Uncle Willy | Ernest R. Dickerson | |
Number One Fan | The Night Manager | Jane Simpson | ||
1997 | The Second Civil War | Eddie O'Neill | Joe Dante | Television film |
1998 | The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy | The Peddler | ||
Small Soldiers | Joe, The Truck Driver | |||
2001 | Route 666 | The Bartender | William Wesley | |
2003 | Looney Tunes: Back in Action | Security Chief | Joe Dante | |
2006 | Trapped Ashes | Max | Joe Dante | Segments: "Wraparound" |
2007 | Trail of the Screaming Forehead | Eddie | Larry Blamire | |
2009 | The Hole | Pizza Delivery Guy | Joe Dante | Uncredited |
3rd Shift: Michael's Lament | The Sculptor | Christopher D. Grace | ||
2014 | Burying the Ex | Grumpy Cop | Joe Dante | |
That Guy Dick Miller | Himself | Elijah Drenner | Documentary | |
2015 | The Adventures of Biffle and Shooster | Walter | Michael Schlesinger | |
Schmo Boat | Michael Schlesinger | Short | ||
2019 | Hanukkah | Rabbi Walter Paisley | Eben McGarr | Posthumous release; Final film role |
References[edit]
- ^"R.I.P. Dick Miller, character actor legend from Gremlins, The Terminator, nearly 200 other movies".News.January 31, 2019.RetrievedApril 12,2020.
- ^abSlotnik, Daniel E. (February 1, 2019)."Dick Miller, 90, Dies; Character Actor and Roger Corman Mainstay".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedApril 12,2020.
- ^Bastidas, Jose (January 30, 2019)."'Gremlins' and 'Terminator' Actor Dick Miller Dead at 90 ".Pop Culture Magazine.United States:Pop.RetrievedFebruary 1,2019.
- ^"Biography".DickMiller.net.
- ^ab"Dick Miller Biography".Yahoo! Movies.Yahoo!.Archived fromthe originalon May 22, 2011.
- ^Hughes, William (January 30, 2019)."R.I.P. Dick Miller, character actor legend from Gremlins, The Terminator, nearly 200 other movies".The A.V. Club.Chicago:Onion, Inc.RetrievedFebruary 1,2019.
- ^Gingold, Michael(March 10, 2015). Shaw, Jay (ed.)."Dick Miller in person for retrospective including" THAT GUY "docu," GREMLINS "reunion, Fango appearance & more!".Fangoria.Archived fromthe originalon August 6, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 6,2018.
- ^abc""THAT GUY DICK MILLER" kicks off exclusive engagement; Dick Miller to attend ".Fangoria.March 3, 2015. Archived fromthe originalon July 12, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 6,2018.
- ^Alan Frank,The Films of Roger Corman: "Shooting My Way Out of Trouble"(BT Batsford, 1998).
- ^David J. Hogan,Dark Romance: Sexuality in the Horror Film(McFarland, 1997),221.
- ^Reynold Humphries,The American Horror Film: An Introduction(Edinburgh University Press, 2002),133.
- ^John Kenneth Muir,Horror Films of the 1980s(McFarland & Co., 2007),364.
- ^Vatnsdal, Caelum(May 16, 2012)."Dick Miller talks working with Corman, Scorsese, and getting peed on by a monkey".The A.V. Club.Chicago, Illinois:Onion, Inc.RetrievedSeptember 6,2018.
- ^Nickolai, Nate (January 30, 2019)."Dick Miller, 'Gremlins' and 'Terminator' Actor, Dies at 90".Variety.Los Angeles, California:Penske Media Corporation.RetrievedFebruary 1,2019.
- ^"Remembering Trek Guest Star, Dick Miller, 1928-2019".StarTrek.Los Angeles, California:CBS Television Studios.January 31, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 1,2019.
- ^Viessing, Etan (January 30, 2019)."Dick Miller, 'Gremlins' and 'The Howling' Star, Dies at 90".The Hollywood Reporter.Los Angeles, California:Valence Media.RetrievedFebruary 1,2019.
- ^Collins, Clark (January 30, 2019)."Dick Miller Dead: Terminator, Gremlins actor dies at 90".Entertainment Weekly.New York City:Time, Inc.RetrievedFebruary 1,2019.
- ^abc"Dick Miller (visual voices guide)".Behind The Voice Actors.RetrievedDecember 19,2023.A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
External links[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Biographyon (re)Search my Trash
- Dick Millerat theTCM Movie Database
- Dick MilleratIMDb
- 1928 births
- 2019 deaths
- 21st-century American Jews
- American Ashkenazi Jews
- Jews from New York (state)
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male voice actors
- American people of Russian-Jewish descent
- City College of New York alumni
- Columbia University alumni
- Jewish American male actors
- Jewish American military personnel
- Military personnel from New York City
- New York University alumni
- Male actors from the Bronx
- United States Navy personnel of World War II
- United States Navy sailors