Dick Miller Cast Member of the Month

Richard Miller was born on Christmas Day 1928 in the Bronx New York City. His star sign is Capricorn and people born under this sign of the Zodiac have been described as hard working, persistent, practical and sensitive. 

Dick's parents Isidor (Ira) , a printer and Rita Blucher, an opera singer  were Russian Jewish Immigrants. At age 8 he was singing at a resort in the Catskill Mountains and aged 15 he was painting scenery for a summer stock company. He also got his first taste of acting there and tried his hand at being a radio DJ and late night talk show host on "Midnight Shack".

Dick attended City College of New York, Columbia University and New York University where he graduated with a PhD in psychology. He also had a tour of duty in the U.S. Navy and earned a prize title of middleweight boxer.

Whilst working as a graduate psychologist at Bellevue and Queens General Hospitals, Dick also wrote jingles and jokes and in 1952 he moved to Hollywood in the hope of finding work as a writer. He met film maker Roger Corman through a friend, who was making the movie "Apache Woman" but when Roger said he didn't need a writer he needed an actor Dick declared himself as an actor and Roger cast him. Over the years he would have small roles in a lot of movies Roger Corman would cast him in almost all of his films as did director Joe Dante. 

Often Dick would be unaccredited in small roles in movies.  He did have a couple of lead roles most notably in 1957 in "Rock All Night" and 1959  in "A Bucket of Blood" playing Walter Paisley, a character he played various variations of over the years.

In 1967 he married Canadian actress Sheila Elaine Halpern (Lainie) with whom he had a daughter, Barbara.  the couple remained together until Dick's passing.

 

Having spent 30 years working in film and television in films like "Gremlins", Terminator" and "Twilight Zone The Movie" as well as TV shows like V, Knots Landing, Taxi  and Barnaby Jones, then came "Fame". Dick appeared in 1984 during the 4th season as a recurring guest star Lou Mackie, owner of bowling alley/ pizza parlour/ cabaret venue,  Lou's Lanes.  In 1987 he was added to the opening credits for the final half of Season 6. Dick appeared in 28 episodes of the show over 3 seasons.

After Fame Dick continued appearing in films and TV shows like Gremlins 2, The Flash,  Who's The Boss, E.R. & Star Trek: The Next Generation. In fact Dick kept on working with his last appearance in 2019.

Dick had a long life living until he was 90 years old.  Looking back at his career he said: "It's funny, looking at a picture that's 50 years old and seeing that it hasn't lost any of the--what's the word?--magic. They had magic. They were cheap. They were inexpensive to make, but they've held up for 50 years."

In 2014 a documentary titled "That Dick Miller Guy" was released. Directed by Elijah Drenner it took an in depth look at Dick's life  and career.  

On 30th January 2019 he passed away in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles from a heart attack after suffering from pneumonia.