Sharron Miller facts for kids

Sharron Miller is an American director, producer, and writer for television and film. She was one of the first women directors who worked regularly in mainstream Hollywood during the 1970s and 1980s. Other pioneering women directors included Elaine May, Lee Grant, and Joan Micklin Silver. In 1984, Sharron Miller became the first woman ever to win the prestigious Directors Guild of America Award (DGA Award) for directing a story-based (not documentary) project.

Sharron Miller's Career Journey

Sharron Miller was born in Enid, Oklahoma and grew up in Perry, Oklahoma. She started writing and directing short films when she was a teenager. After finishing her degree in Theatre at Oklahoma State University in 1971, she studied film at Northwestern University.

In 1972, she moved to Hollywood. She worked behind the scenes as a script supervisor (someone who makes sure the script is followed during filming), a sound editor (who works with the audio), and a film editor (who puts the film scenes together). In 1976, she became a professional director. Her first directing job was for the NBC television series, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams. This made her one of only a few women directing in Hollywood at that time. She also edited the movie Guardian of the Wilderness in 1976. This film told the true story of mountaineer Galen Clark and how Abraham Lincoln helped save Yosemite from being destroyed.

Directing for Television

Sharron Miller has written and directed several short films. However, most of her work has been in television. She has had a long and successful career directing many television movies and series. Early in her career, she learned from famous acting teachers like Jack Garfein and Harold Clurman. She is known for helping actors give strong performances. For example, Sharon Gless, Cloris Leachman, and Peggy McCay all won Emmy Awards for their acting under her direction. James Stacy also received an Emmy nomination.

In 1983, Miller won several major awards for The Woman Who Willed a Miracle. This was an ABC Afterschool Special that she both produced and directed. She won the DGA Award, two Emmy Awards, the Peabody Award, and the Christopher Award for this project. The true story was about Leslie Lemke, a blind boy with cerebral palsy who became famous as a savant pianist. This special is one of the most well-known and honored Afterschool Specials. It won many awards, including Emmys in all the main categories.

In 1987, she was nominated for both a DGA Award and an Emmy Award. These nominations were for directing two different episodes of the popular series, Cagney & Lacey (titled Turn, Turn, Turn part 1 and part 2).

Sharron Miller's Film and TV Work

Here are some of the films and TV shows Sharron Miller has worked on:

Film Projects

Television Projects

Awards and Recognitions

Sharron Miller has received many awards for her directing and producing work:

Professional Groups

Sharron Miller is a member of these important professional organizations:

• Directors Guild of America
• Academy of Television Arts and Sciences