ComingSoon.net (via Variety) is sad to report that legendary character actor Dick Miller has passed away after just celebrating his 90th birthday last month. Miller was best known for his work with filmmakers Joe Dante and Roger Corman, having appeared in such films as Gremlins, A Bucket of Blood and The Terminator.
RELATED: Roger Corman Remembers 1959’s A Bucket of Blood
Born on Christmas Day 1928, Miller served in the United States Navy before heading to Broadway and eventually movies, where he got work in bit parts. In one of his earliest films, 1955’s Apache Woman, he played both a Native American character and the white townsperson who shoots that character!
Miller earned a rare leading role in Roger Corman’s 1959 comedic horror picture A Bucket of Blood playing Walter Paisley, a busboy who turns himself into a celebrated artist overnight by murdering people and covering them with clay, passing them off as sculptures. He went on to become a mainstay in Corman’s films, including classics like The Little Shop of Horrors, The Terror, X: The Man with the X-ray Eyes, The Wild Angels, Big Bad Mama and Death Race 2000.
In 1976 he appeared (again as a character named Walter Paisley) in Joe Dante’s directorial debut Hollywood Boulevard, and went on to appear in parts both big and small in nearly every Dante picture since including Piranha, The Howling, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Explorers, Innerspace, Amazon Women on the Moon, The ‘Burbs, Matinee, Small Soldiers, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Trapped Ashes, The Hole and Burying the Ex. His most famous role with Dante was the character of war vet Murray Futterman in 1984’s Gremlins and (despite his character being seemingly murdered in the first film) 1990’s Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
Other notable roles amid his impressive run of 182 credits include an unfortunate gun store owner opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1984’s The Terminator, Martin Scorsese’s New York, New York and After Hours, a police officer in Steven Spielberg’s 1941, small roles in Robert Zemeckis’ first two films I Wanna Hold Your Hand and Used Cars, the Tom Cruise vehicle All the Right Moves, cult horror films Chopping Mall, Night of the Creeps and Dead Heat, and the Tales From the Crypt movie Demon Knight. He also voiced roles on Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League Unlimited and the animated movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.
In 2014 Dick Miller was the subject of a career retrospective documentary titled That Guy Dick Miller, which debuted to rave reviews at SXSW. He was also the subject of a 2018 biography by Caelum Vatnsdal titled “You Don’t Know Me, But You Love Me: The Lives of Dick Miller.” Miller is survived by his wife Lainie, daughter Barbara and granddaughter Autumn.
RELATED: The Lovely Trailer for the Documentary That Guy Dick Miller
Here are what some of Dick Miller’s friends and admirers in Hollywood are saying about his passing…
I’m devastated to report that one of my best friends and most treasured collaborators has passed away. I “grew up” (kinda) watching Dick Miller in movies from the 50s on and was thrilled to have him in my first movie for @RogerCorman… (1/2)https://t.co/TEsacH8SUW
— Joe Dante (@joe_dante) January 31, 2019
…We hit it off and every script thereafter I always looked for a role for Dick–not just because he was my friend but because I loved watching him act! But he leaves behind over 100 performances, a bio & a doc–not bad for a guy who hardly ever enjoyed a starring role. (2/2) pic.twitter.com/sqXgMIZb6k
— Joe Dante (@joe_dante) January 31, 2019
Dick Miller and I were friends for over 60 years. We made many movies together over many decades but I will always think of him as the beat artist Walter Paisley in A Bucket of Blood. Dick was able to take what was written and reach the deepest depths(1/2) https://t.co/Rr4sgAajIY
— Roger Corman (@RogerCorman) January 31, 2019
of the character while still injecting humor into each role. I will remember the brilliance of his acting talent, but more importantly his humanity and kindness as a friend. My deepest condolences to Lainie and their family. I will miss Dick greatly. (2/2) pic.twitter.com/Cy6bp2gi63
— Roger Corman (@RogerCorman) January 31, 2019
RIP Dick Miller, surely the king of character actors. A friendly, funny face in Gremlins (1&2), Piranha, the original Little Shop Of Horrors, Not Of This Earth, After Hours & my personal beatnik fav, Walter Paisley in ‘A Bucket Of Blood’. Any role of his was cult movie nirvana. pic.twitter.com/StRqrWHgBS
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) January 31, 2019
And really as well as Roger Corman, we owe it the mighty @joe_dante for giving us so much Dick Miller goodness over the years. pic.twitter.com/tuGSfOUYZx
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) January 31, 2019
A great actor, and an even better person.
So privileged to have worked with you. You taught this young actor so much.
My condolences to Lainie and his children.
This one hurts a lot.
Rest in peace, Dick. And thank you.Richard ‘Dick” Miller
1928-2019 pic.twitter.com/M0fZ5uoGdf— Zach Galligan (@zwgman) January 31, 2019
Dick Miller (RIP) catching the kiss Rosanna Arquette blows him in Martin Scorsese’s AFTER HOURS pic.twitter.com/bkfQcyEeRi
— Peter Avellino (@PeterAPeel) January 31, 2019
Rest In Peace Dick Miller I’m blowing you a kiss. Please catch it.
— Rosanna Arquette (@RoArquette) January 31, 2019
RIP Dick Miller, a King pic.twitter.com/ulD0AlGk9R
— Jesse Hawken (@jessehawken) January 31, 2019
Rest in peace, Dick Miller. Terrific character actor.
— John Carpenter (@TheHorrorMaster) January 31, 2019
As a lifelong fan of Dick Miller, I was overjoyed to work with him in Corvette Summer. He turned what could have been a throwaway part into a mimi-masterpiece of effortless comic invention. I was awestruck by his timing, energy & a career that spanned 6 decades! #OneOfAKind #RIP pic.twitter.com/H7dCmzgSok
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) January 31, 2019
Dick Miller Dead: The ‘Gremlins’ Actor Was 90
Thanks for playing the beleaguered everyman so well – and for so long. https://t.co/c8KMTKLNMN
— Bruce Campbell (@GroovyBruce) January 31, 2019
I had the good fortune to work alongside Dick Miller once. Although we didn’t have any dialogue together, I admired him from close up. Rip
— Barbara Crampton (@barbaracrampton) January 31, 2019
God speed, That Guy.https://t.co/SZamNbuv5k
— Christopher McQuarrie (@chrismcquarrie) January 31, 2019
Dick Miller was the patron saint of Junkfood Cinema. Brian and I did an in depth interview with him 5 years ago at the very beginning of JFC. We only had a Half hour, but Dick wanted to keep going. Went over an hour. He LOVED talking about films he hadn’t thought about in 40yrs.
— C. Robert Cargill (@Massawyrm) January 31, 2019
It’s the end of an era. Dick Miller was the character actor to end all character actors. One of my favorite cinema faces, full-stop. The movies are slightly less cool now than they were yesterday. Rest In Peace, sir. pic.twitter.com/nKn2wuL2bd
— Eric Vespe (@EricVespe) January 31, 2019
Dick Miller telling Corey Feldman, in front of @tomhanks, to “shut the fuck up, kid, we’re trying to do some acting.” https://t.co/sHRydGVFyR
— Scott Weinberg (@scottEweinberg) January 31, 2019
I love this clip of Dick Miller. Shows what a total pro he was. #ShutTheFuckUpKid #WereTryingToDoSomeActing pic.twitter.com/gYqgyLWXZS
— Mike Williamson (@WilliamsonMike_) January 31, 2019
Rest In Peace, Dick Miller. You somehow managed to be the coolest and the kindest — a rare pairing . No @joe_dante project will ever be the same without you. pic.twitter.com/1fKfH0cL2Y
— Robert Picardo (@RobertPicardo) January 31, 2019
RIP, Dick Miller. Legend, friend, hero to his country (WWII). Gone at age 90. So many memories of this greatest of genre character actors. Still mourning James Karen, and now this. These guys are irreplaceable. pic.twitter.com/WY8ckJTfze
— Tony Timpone (@TonyTimpone1) January 31, 2019
After a lifetime of watching him in so many of my favorite movies, I had the pleasure of meeting Dick Miller at Monsterpalooza back in 2017. He called me “Kenny”, unprompted, I was ok with it. RIP Dick Miller. pic.twitter.com/P2MIb5q1Ys
— Ken Reid (@KennethWReid) January 31, 2019
Rock All Night
Dick Miller pic.twitter.com/QVARfQbjOL— Greg Proops (@GregProops) January 31, 2019
RIP Dick Miller. Great character actor in countless movies, including some MST3K/ RiffTrax flicks. https://t.co/cdDW86q1Kk
— Bill Corbett (@BillCorbett) January 31, 2019
R.I.P. Former guest on my pod cast and star of “A Bucket Of Blood” Dick Miller
— Gilbert Gottfried (@RealGilbert) January 31, 2019
Dick Miller would often tell people that TALES FROM THE CRYPT PRESENTS DEMON KNIGHT was his favorite job in a half century career because he spent every day on set “surrounded by great actors and boobs.” Godspeed, you one-of-a-kind character. pic.twitter.com/unPVAmVo4J
— Ted Geoghegan (@tedgeoghegan) January 31, 2019
RIP Walter Paisley https://t.co/KtcgiDDwTJ
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) January 31, 2019
We’re saddened to report Dick Miller, one of the most beloved character actors in all of American cinema, has passed. Our thoughts are with Dick’s family, friends, and loving collaborator Joe Dante. #Gremlins #Gremlins2 #Innerspace #SmallSoldiers #DickMiller #AmblinGreat pic.twitter.com/u1xxWbIG79
— Amblin (@amblin) January 31, 2019
