Celebrity Nooz: Dick Miller

Dick Miller (Actor) - Gremlins

Updated: 7/19/19

Name: Dick Miller

Birth Name: Richard Miller

Born: December 25, 1928, The Bronx, New York

Claim To Fame: Dick Miller has appeared in easily over 100 films, including many produced by Roger Corman. Miller is most remembered for roles in Gremlins, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Explorers, Piranha, The Howling, A Bucket of Blood, The Little Shop of Horrors, Chopping Mall, The Terminator, The 'Burbs and Small Soldiers, and so much more.

Family Life: Married to his wife Lainie from October of 1967 until his death, January 30, 2019.

Info: Miller began entertaining at the age of 8 as a singer at a resort in the Catskill Mountains. He first tried his hand at acting while at a job painting scenery for a Summer Stock company. In 1952, he moved to California to be a writer, but then he met director Roger Corman, who told Miller he didn't need a writer, he needed an actor. Miller's first film with Corman was Apache Woman.

Served a tour of duty in the United States Navy.

Miller attended the City College of New York, Columbia University, and New York University, eventually attaining a PhD in psychology.

In many of his movies, Miller often plays the role of Walter Paisley, his famous character from A Bucket of Blood (1959).

Always cast by director, and longtime friend, Joe Dante for his movies.

Known for his memorable Bronx accent.

Worked at the Bellevue Hospital Mental Hygiene Clinic and the psychiatric department of Queens General Hospital.

Trivia: Earned a prize title as a middleweight boxer.

His favorite movie of his own is the horror cult classic The Howling.

He also appeared in Rod Stewart's music video for the song "Infatuation" in 1984, with Mike Mazurki and Kay Lenz.

In 2014, he appeared in a documentary of his life, That Guy Dick Miller.

In 2018, the biography of beloved American movie actor Dick Miller, "You Don't Know Me, But You Love Me" by Caelum Vatnsdal, was released.

Where Are They Now: The Legendary Dick Miller passed away on January 30th, 2019; one month and 5 days after his 90th birthday. Miller did complete his final role as Rabbi Walter Paisley in the horror film Hanukkah, which has yet to be released.

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