Richard Miller (December 25, 1928 – January 30, 2019) was an American character actor who appeared in more than 180 films,[1] including many produced by Roger Corman. He later appeared in the films of directors who began their careers with Corman, including Joe Dante, James Cameron, and Martin Scorsese, with the distinction of appearing in every film directed by Dante. He was known for playing the beleaguered everyman, often in one-scene appearances.
Dick Miller | |
|---|---|
 Miller at the Chiller Theatre Expo in 2015 | |
| Born | Richard Miller December 25, 1928 The Bronx, New York City, U.S. |
| Died | January 30, 2019 (aged 90) Toluca Lake, California, U.S. |
| 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 |  United States |
| Service |  United States Navy |
Miller's main roles in films included Not of This Earth (1957), A Bucket of Blood (1959), The Little Shop of Horrors (1960), Piranha (1978), The Howling (1981), Gremlins, The Terminator (both 1984), Explorers (1985), Chopping Mall, Night of the Creeps (both 1986), The 'Burbs (1989), Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), Quake (1992), and Small Soldiers (1998).
Early life
editMiller was born on Christmas Day, 1928, in The Bronx, New York, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Rita (Blucher), an opera singer, and Ira Miller, a printer.[2] He served a tour of duty in the United States Navy. Miller attended the City College of New York, Columbia University, and New York University,[3] eventually attaining a PhD in psychology.[4][5] He was a writer before turning to acting.[6]
Career
editWhile working as a graduate psychologist, Miller performed on Broadway and also worked at the Bellevue Hospital Mental Hygiene Clinic and the psychiatric department of Queens General Hospital.[5] In 1952, he moved to California seeking work as a writer. One of his earliest acting roles was in Apache 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 documentary Corman's World.[7]
His movie roles include White 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, the Tales from the Crypt movie Demon Knight, Amazon Women on the Moon, Chopping Mall, The Howling, Piranha and I Wanna Hold Your Hand.[8] His best known role was in the movies Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch as Murray Futterman. He appeared in Pulp Fiction as 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, with Mike Mazurki and Kay Lenz.
His television credits include as a Townsman on the 1963 TV Western Gunsmoke (S9E8's "Carter Caper"), in Combat!, as a young soldier in the 5th-season episode "The Outsider"; Police Squad! (a 1980s crime spoof series with Leslie Nielsen); V: The Final Battle as Dan Pascal; three seasons as the generous bartender Lou Mackie on Fame; Star Trek: The Next Generation, in the season 1 episode "The Big Goodbye", as the newspaper stand man in the holodeck; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, in the season 3 two-part episode "Past Tense", as Vin; Time of Your Life; as a prison guard in Soap (1979); and as the voice of the gangster Chuckie Sol in the animated feature film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. He also directed television shows, including "The Fix", a 1986 episode of the series Miami Vice.[8]
In 2000, Miller was featured alongside former collaborators including Roger Corman, Sam Arkoff and Peter Bogdanovich in the documentary SCHLOCK! 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, as corner man for the main character.
Walter Paisley
edit
Throughout his career, Miller would portray several fictional characters all named Walter 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 the Roger Corman film A 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 by Allan Arkush and Joe Dante. In one scene of the film, Miller watches himself onscreen at a drive-in theatre showing of The 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 an occult bookshop, in the 1981 film The 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 of Twilight Zone: The Movie.[12] The 1986 horror film Chopping Mall featured a janitor named Walter Paisley; and the 1994 made-for-TV remake of Shake, Rattle and Rock! had Miller playing a policeman, Officer Paisley. Officer Paisley also appeared in Night 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 from A Bucket of Blood: Anthony Michael Hall in the 1995 television remake; and James Stanton in the musical adaptation produced by Chicago's Annoyance Theatre.
Personal life
editMiller married Lainie (Sheila Elaine Halpern) on October 6, 1959, and they had one child together, Barbara.[13][14][15]
Death
editMiller died at age 90 of a heart attack[2] on January 30, 2019, while being treated for pneumonia in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles.[16][17]
Filmography
editTelevision
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 Dante and Allan 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 Badiyi and Jonathan 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 | Rob Garrett | 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. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
- ^ a b Slotnik, Daniel E. (February 1, 2019). "Dick Miller, 90, Dies; Character Actor and Roger Corman Mainstay". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
- ^ Bastidas, Jose (January 30, 2019). "'Gremlins' and 'Terminator' Actor Dick Miller Dead at 90". Pop Culture Magazine. United States: Pop. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ "Biography". DickMiller.net.
- ^ a b "Dick Miller Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Yahoo!. Archived from the original on 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. Retrieved February 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 from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
- ^ a b c ""That Guy Dick Miller" kicks off exclusive engagement; Dick Miller to attend". Fangoria. March 3, 2015. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved September 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. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
- ^ Nickolai, Nate (January 30, 2019). "Dick Miller, 'Gremlins' and 'Terminator' Actor, Dies at 90". Variety. Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ "Remembering Trek Guest Star, Dick Miller, 1928-2019". StarTrek.com. Los Angeles, California: CBS Television Studios. January 31, 2019. Retrieved February 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. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ Collins, Clark (January 30, 2019). "Dick Miller Dead: Terminator, Gremlins actor dies at 90". Entertainment Weekly. New York City: Time, Inc. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Dick Miller (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 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 credits or other reliable sources of information.
External links
edit
- Biography on (re)Search my Trash
- Dick Miller at the TCM Movie Database
- Dick Miller at IMDb