Dick Miller facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dick Miller
Miller at the Chiller Theatre Expo in 2015
Born	Richard Miller (1928-12-25)December 25, 1928 New York City, U.S.
Died	January 30, 2019(2019-01-30) (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(s)	Sheila Elaine Halpern (m. 1967)
Children	1
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Navy

Richard "Dick" Miller (born December 25, 1928 – died January 30, 2019) was a well-known American actor. He appeared in over 180 movies during his long career. Many of these films were made by director Roger Corman.

Miller was famous for playing the "everyman" character. This means he often played regular people who found themselves in unusual or difficult situations. He was also known for appearing in every movie directed by Joe Dante.

Some of his most famous roles were in movies like Gremlins, The Terminator, Explorers, and Small Soldiers.

Dick Miller's Early Life

Dick Miller was born on Christmas Day in 1928. His birthplace was The Bronx, a part of New York City. His parents were immigrants.

He served in the United States Navy for a period. After his time in the Navy, he went to college. He studied at the City College of New York, Columbia University, and New York University. He even earned a high-level degree in psychology. Before becoming an actor, he worked as a writer.

Dick Miller's Acting Career

Before acting, Miller worked as a psychologist. He also performed on Broadway, which is famous for its plays. In 1952, he moved to California to try writing.

One of his first acting jobs was in the movie Apache Woman (1955). He played two different characters in this film. He was a townsperson and also an Indian. In one scene, his townsperson character actually shot his Indian character!

Miller appeared in many movies. These include White Line Fever, The Terminator, and Small Soldiers. He also starred in classic horror films like A Bucket of Blood and The Little Shop of Horrors.

His most famous role was Murray Futterman in Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch. He played a friendly, but often scared, neighbor.

Dick Miller's TV Appearances

Miller also had many roles on television. He appeared in the Western show Gunsmoke in 1963. He was also in Combat!, a show about soldiers.

He played the kind bartender Lou Mackie for three seasons on the show Fame. He even appeared in two Star Trek shows: Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Miller also lent his voice to cartoons. He was the voice of Chuckie Sol in the animated movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. He even directed some TV shows, like an episode of Miami Vice.

In 2014, a documentary about his life was made. It was called That Guy Dick Miller. This film showed his long and interesting career.

Walter Paisley: A Recurring Character

Miller in A Bucket of Blood (1959)

Dick Miller played a special character named Walter Paisley many times. He once said he played Walter Paisley five times. But actually, he played characters named Walter Paisley in six different movies and one play!

The name first appeared in the 1959 movie A Bucket of Blood. In this film, Walter Paisley was an artist. Later, in 1976, Miller played a talent agent named Walter Paisley in Hollywood Boulevard.

Director Joe Dante often cast Miller as Walter Paisley. In the 1981 film The Howling, Paisley owned an occult bookshop. Two years later, in Twilight Zone: The Movie, Miller played a diner owner named Walter.

Other movies where he played a Walter Paisley character include Chopping Mall (as a janitor) and Night of the Creeps (as Officer Paisley). His very last movie, Hanukkah, also featured him as Rabbi Walter Paisley.

Dick Miller's Personal Life

Dick Miller married Sheila Elaine Halpern on October 6, 1967. They had one child together, a daughter named Barbara.

Miller passed away on January 30, 2019. He was 90 years old. He died from a heart attack while being treated for pneumonia in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Dick Miller para niños