Denny Miller facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Denny Miller
Denny Miller in 2007
Born	Dennis Linn Miller (1934-04-25)April 25, 1934 Bloomington, Indiana, U.S.
Died	September 9, 2014(2014-09-09) (aged 80) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, Author
Years active	1958–2014
Spouse(s)	Kit Smythe (divorced) Nancy Miller (at time of his death)

Denny Scott Miller (born Dennis Linn Miller; April 25, 1934 – September 9, 2014) was an American actor and author. He was well-known for playing Duke Shannon on the TV show Wagon Train. He also appeared as a guest star on popular shows like Gilligan's Island and Charlie's Angels. In 1959, he even played the famous jungle hero, Tarzan, in a movie.

Who Was Denny Miller?

Denny Miller was born in Bloomington, Indiana. He was very tall, standing at 6 feet 4 inches. He loved basketball and played for the UCLA Bruins team at UCLA. His dad was a physical education teacher there.

While he was still in college, Denny worked moving furniture to help pay for his studies. One day, a Hollywood agent saw him on Sunset Boulevard. This led to him being signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a big movie studio. His first screen test was directed by the famous George Cukor.

Becoming a Movie Star

Denny Miller made history as the first blond Tarzan in the movie Tarzan, the Ape Man (1959). This movie used many scenes from older Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan films. Denny was under contract with MGM for almost two years, but he only worked for eight weeks as Tarzan during that time.

Denny also appeared in many different television series. Some of his early guest roles were on shows like Northwest Passage and Overland Trail. In 1960, he played Wilkie in an episode of Laramie. He also showed up on Have Gun, Will Travel and The Rifleman.

The cast of Wagon Train in 1962. Denny Miller is at the bottom left.

From 1961 to 1964, Denny Miller was a regular on the show Wagon Train. He played Duke Shannon, the scout who helped guide the wagon train. After Wagon Train ended in 1965, Denny starred as Mike McCluskey in the sitcom Mona McCluskey.

He continued to guest star on many popular TV shows. These included Gunsmoke, The Fugitive, The High Chaparral, Gilligan's Island, I Dream of Jeannie, and The Brady Bunch. He also appeared in Hawaii Five-O, Emergency!, The Six Million Dollar Man, The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, Battlestar Galactica, Charlie's Angels, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, The Incredible Hulk, and M*A*S*H.

Denny Miller was in over 200 television shows! For 14 years, he was also the famous Gorton's Fisherman in TV commercials.

His movie career included roles in Love in a Goldfish Bowl (1961) and The Party (1968). He especially enjoyed playing "Wyoming" Bill Kelso in The Party. Other films he was in include Making It (1971), Buck and the Preacher (1972), and The Island at the Top of the World (1974).

Beyond Acting: Books and Family

Denny Miller also became an author. He wrote a book about his life called Didn't You Used to Be...What's His Name? in 2004. He also wrote a book about obesity called Toxic Waist? ... Get to Know Sweat!.

Denny lived in Las Vegas, Nevada, with his second wife, Nancy. He also taught classes on how to relax.

His Later Years

In January 2014, Denny Miller was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This is a serious illness that affects the nerves and muscles. He passed away in Las Vegas on September 9, 2014, at the age of 80.

Movies and TV Shows (Filmography)

See Also

In Spanish: Denny Miller para niños

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