Jason Miller (playwright) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jason Miller
Miller, c. 1972
Born	John Anthony Miller, Jr. (1939-04-22)April 22, 1939 New York City, U.S.
Died	May 13, 2001(2001-05-13) (aged 62) Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education	University of Scranton (BA) Catholic University (MA)
Occupation	Playwright, actor
Years active	1972–2001
Spouse(s)	Linda Gleason ​ ​ (m. 1963; div. 1973)​ Susan Bernard ​ ​ (m. 1974; div. 1983)​ Ruth Josem ​ ​ (m. 1984; div. 1990)​
Children	4, including Jason Patric and Joshua John Miller

Jason Miller (born John Anthony Miller Jr.; April 22, 1939 – May 13, 2001) was a famous American writer and actor. He won important awards for his play That Championship Season in 1973. These awards included the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Father Damien Karras in the 1973 movie The Exorcist. He played this role again in The Exorcist III (1990). Later, he became the artistic director of the Scranton Public Theatre in Scranton, Pennsylvania. His famous play That Championship Season was set in Scranton.

Early Life and Education

Jason Miller was born John Anthony Miller Jr. in Queens, New York City. His mother, Mary Claire, was a teacher. His father, John Anthony Miller Sr., was an electrician. His family mainly had Irish Catholic roots, with some German heritage.

In 1941, his family moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania. Jason went to St. Patrick's High School there. He then studied English and philosophy at the Jesuit-run University of Scranton. After that, he went to the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.. He studied drama and speech as a graduate student. While studying, he also taught drama and English at Archbishop Carroll High School.

Miller's Acting and Writing Career

Jason Miller became very well-known in 1972. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his play, That Championship Season. This play also won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1973. Famous actors like Charles Durning and Paul Sorvino were in the original Broadway show.

In the same year, he was offered a role in the movie The Exorcist (1973). He played Father Damien Karras, a troubled priest. For this role, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. After this, he was offered the main role in Taxi Driver (1976). However, he chose to act in another movie called The Nickel Ride instead.

In 1982, Miller directed the movie version of That Championship Season. Actors like Robert Mitchum and Martin Sheen were in the film. Jason Miller did not act in many movies. He preferred to work in local theater. He was the artistic director for The Scranton Public Theatre. There, he directed and acted in many plays. These included Blithe Spirit and The Lion in Winter.

He also acted in some other films. These included The Devil's Advocate (1977) and The Exorcist III (1990). In the movie Rudy (1993), he played the football coach Ara Parseghian from Notre Dame.

In 1998, he toured with his one-man play called Barrymore's Ghost. He performed it for four months off-Broadway. His last project was a play called The Odd Couple in 2001. He was supposed to play the role of Oscar Madison. Sadly, he passed away before the play opened.

Personal Life

Jason Miller had four children. His sons, Jason Patric and Joshua John Miller, also became actors. Jason Patric's mother was Miller's first wife, Linda Gleason. Joshua John Miller's mother was his second wife, Susan Bernard.

In 1972, he lived in Neponsit, Queens, New York. He moved to Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, in 1973. In 1982, he returned to Scranton. He became the artistic director of the Scranton Public Theatre. This theater company had been started the year before.

Death and Legacy

Jason Miller died on May 13, 2001. He had a heart attack in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

In 2004, actor Paul Sorvino was asked to create a bronze statue of Jason Miller. Paul Sorvino was a long-time friend of Miller's. He had also been in all three versions of That Championship Season. The statue was shown to the public in December 2008.

In March 2011, That Championship Season was brought back to Broadway. The cast included Kiefer Sutherland and Miller's older son, Jason Patric. Jason Patric played the role that Miller had based on himself. He placed the urn with his father's ashes on the stage as a tribute.

Film and TV Roles

See also

In Spanish: Jason Miller para niños