Today, we have some very sad news to report, as Variety reports veteran movie actor Dick Miller has passed away. As of yet, an official cause of death has not been revealed, and details surrounding his passing are still unknown. A veteran actor with many, many memorable roles, Miller was 90 years old at the time of his death.
Miller began his film career in 1956, working strictly with director Roger Corman for many years. In 1959, he starred in Corman’s film A Bucket of Blood as a character named Walter Paisley. The character name would become somewhat of a running gag for Miller throughout the course of his career, as he’d go on to play other characters in different movies with that same name.
Some other notable films to cast Miller as a character named Walter Paisley include Hollywood Boulevard, The Howling, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Chopping Mall, Night of the Creeps, and a made-for-TV remake of Shake, Rattle, and Rock!
Although Miller has played Walter Paisley many times, however, it may have been his role in Gremlins that made him most famous. In that film, Miller plays Murray Futterman and is one of the more entertaining characters in the movie. Although it appears as if he is killed by the gremlins along with his wife, the two are both brought back in the sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
And if it wasn’t one of the above-mentioned movies you’ve noticed Miller in, chances are you’ve seen him somewhere. The Terminator, The ‘Burbs, Fame, and Piranha are just a few of the other films the prolific actor has appeared in.
Such a strong presence on-screen, Miller will truly be missed. All of us here at Horror Geek Life wish to extend our condolences to the family, friends, and fellow fans of Dick Miller.
