A-Z Challenge 2013: D is for Dick Miller!

Round four for this blogfest actually branches off yesterday's post - as we're going to take a look at one of my favorite character actors of all time - it's therefore a treat to tell you that

D is for Dick Miller!

Dick Miller got his start as an actor in Roger Corman's films in the 1950's and continued working for the King of Pop Cinema through the 1970's. In addition to his acting he's also done some screenwriting - among his scripts - a co-writing credit on the 1970 Jerry Lewis flick Which Way to the Front?. He's appeared in more than 200 movies and television shows. Director Joe Dante (a graduate of Corman College) casts Dick Miller in nearly every project he shoots. It's also cool that after he played Walter Paisley in A Bucket of Blood in 1959 - several other filmmakers have given Dick Miller's character in their film the same name - he's played Walter Paisley in Hollywood Blvd, and Chopping Mall as well as a few other times.



I could write volumes on the guy - but instead - let's make this a post from one of this blog's recurring departments - The Video Vault of Mora Tau - and show you Dick Miller in action. My thanks to G. Noel Gross - formerly of Cineschlock.com - for this terrific retrospective of Dick Miller's career, which was produced for a Texas Frightmare show honoring Mr. Miller. Ten minutes - and bound to bring back some fond memories if you used to stay up and watch the late show on TV...go on - you know you want to.

That covers about 25 years of Mr. Miller's career - up to about 1980. Sadly, Fox and MGM both registered complaints about the public posting of Part 2 - because heaven knows, having clips of movies you're trying to sell on DVD is never a good way to advertise...(*sigh*)


And if ten minutes is too much time - here's a shorter clip that was put together for a fund raising drive for a documentary about Dick Miller. Filmmaker Elijah Drenner makes his pitch, and has a very entertaining montage of the man himself included. This one's only about three minutes.


By the way - the fund drive is over - the film is in production - but here's a link if you'd like to see the Kickstarter site - go HERE.

Now personally - I think you should watch both clips - because as far as I'm concerned you can NEVER have too much Dick Miller.



Every time his name appears in the credits, or his face appears on the screen - my movie watching gets a little more fun.



Here's to Dick Miller - and all of the crazy characters he's played!



Mark this post "D" for Done - and until the next one - roughly 24 hours from now - you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!