Dick Miller (December 25, 1928 – January 30, 2019) was a legendary American character actor, a true cult movie icon, and the undisputed king of the memorable one-scene appearance, beloved for his portrayals of beleaguered everymen over a remarkable seven-decade career.
Miller got his start as a key member of legendary producer Roger Corman’s stock company, where he delivered one of his most famous performances, starring as the nerdy, murderous artist Walter Paisley in the classic dark comedy A Bucket of Blood (1959). He also had a memorable role as the flower-eating customer, Burson Fouch, in Corman’s original The Little Shop of Horrors (1960).
He became a favorite of directors who got their start with Corman, most notably Joe Dante, who cast Miller in every single one of his films. He is best known to a generation of moviegoers as the grumpy, patriotic World War II veteran Murray Futterman in Dante’s blockbuster Gremlins (1984) and its sequel. His other iconic appearances include roles in The Terminator (1984), The Howling (1981), and Piranha (1978), cementing his legacy as one of the most recognizable and cherished character actors in modern film history.
