Ron W. Miller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ron W. Miller
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| Born |
Ronald William Miller
April 17, 1933 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Died | February 9, 2019 (aged 85) Napa, California, U.S.
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| Spouse(s) |
Diane Disney Miller
(m. 1954; died 2013) |
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| Children | 7 | ||||||||
| Relatives | Disney family | ||||||||
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Football career |
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| Position: | End | ||||||||
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||||
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| High school: | John C. Fremont | ||||||||
| College: | USC | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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Ronald William Miller (April 17, 1933 – February 9, 2019) was an American businessman and professional American football player. He was the president and CEO of The Walt Disney Company from 1980 to 1984. He also led the board of directors for the Walt Disney Family Museum. Ron Miller was the son-in-law of Walt Disney.
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Early Life and Football
Ronald William Miller was born near Los Angeles, California. His mother worked in a candy factory. His father was a tire salesman who came from Canada.
Ron went to the University of Southern California. There, he played on the Trojan Football Team. He also joined the Sigma Chi fraternity.
Playing Professional Football
After college, Miller joined the United States Army. Later, he played professional football for the Los Angeles Rams. During one game, he was knocked out. Walt Disney was actually watching that game.
Miller later shared this story: "My father-in-law saw me play football. In one game, I got hit hard and was knocked out. After the season, Walt told me, 'You're going to die out there. How about working with me?' I agreed, and it was a smart choice. I'm proud of being a pro athlete. It taught me to be competitive and to finish what I start."
Career at Disney
Miller first worked at Walt Disney Productions in 1954. He helped connect WED Enterprises with Disneyland. Soon after, he joined the Army.
When he returned from the Army, Walt Disney asked him to come back to work. Walt helped Miller join the Screen Director's Guild. Miller started as an assistant director on the movie Old Yeller (1957). He quickly moved up to become a producer. He also directed parts of the popular weekly Disney television series.
In 1958, Ron Miller almost became an actor. He was asked to try out for a TV show called Cheyenne. The show's star, Clint Walker, had left. But Walt Disney told Miller to focus on producing instead. Walt wanted to train him to be a producer. Clint Walker later returned to Cheyenne, so Miller never acted.
Instead, Miller worked in the film division. He helped produce many Disney movies. These included Son of Flubber (1963), Summer Magic (1963), and That Darn Cat! (1965). His first movie where he was the main producer was Never a Dull Moment (1968).
He was also an executive producer for many well-known films. Some of these were Escape to Witch Mountain (1975), Freaky Friday (1976), The Rescuers (1977), Pete's Dragon (1977), The Fox and the Hound (1981), and Tron (1982).
Leading Walt Disney Productions
Ron Miller became president of Walt Disney Productions in 1980. He became the CEO in 1983. Miller wanted the company to grow and try new things. He helped create Touchstone, a new film label. He also launched the Disney Channel in 1983.
Like Walt Disney, Miller was an innovator. He supported early computer animation, seen in films like Tron (1982). He also funded short stop-motion animation films by a young Tim Burton. These included Vincent (1982) and Frankenweenie (1984). He also started ideas for future projects like Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).
During his time as CEO, Disney faced challenges. Some people tried to take over the company. In 1984, Miller left his role. New leaders, Michael Eisner, Frank Wells, and Jeffrey Katzenberg, took over.
Silverado Vineyards Winery
After leaving Disney in 1984, Ron and his wife Diane moved to the Napa Valley. This became their permanent home. In 1981, they started Silverado Vineyards.
They worked to protect the environment in winemaking. They helped restore local riverbanks. They also used solar power and hybrid-engine technology in their winery.
Personal Life
Ron Miller met Diane Disney when he was a student-athlete. They went on a blind date after one of his football games. They got married on May 9, 1954, in Santa Barbara, California.
Ron Miller passed away on February 9, 2019. He was 85 years old. He died from heart failure in Napa, California.
Awards and Nominations
Ron Miller was recognized for his work in television.
- In 1971, he won an Emmy Award for "Special Classification of Outstanding Program and Individual Achievement - Programs" for The Wonderful World of Disney.
- He was also nominated for several other Emmy Awards for Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color and The Wonderful World of Disney in various years.
See also
In Spanish: Ron W. Miller para niños
- List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards
