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Unsung Heroes of Horror Part 1 - Dick Miller

It wasn’t until the mid-90’s, specifically after watching Tales From TheCrypt’s Demon Knight (1995), that 17 year old me started to take notice that Dick Miller (born in 1928) was in a lot of great horror movies that I loved.

Until then, he was just that old, creepy guy who’s name I didn’t know.

With his turn in Demon Knight I started remembering other recent roles.

Amityville 1992: It’s AboutTime (1992), The ‘Burbs (1989) playing Vic the garbage man, Dead Heat (1988), InnerSpace (1986), Project X (1987), Night of the Creeps (1986), Chopping Mall(1986) were all flicks I loved growing up and I recognized him in.

At the time I thought , “At least that old guy is getting some work in cool movies”

What I didn’t realize is that Dick Miller’s career was much longer and more in depth than a young boy like myself had any idea of.



Miller was a Roger Corman regular starting all the way back into the 1950’s.

He had some smaller roles in different Corman flicks, most horror or Sci-Fi related but the occaonal other genre role was on his resume as well.

Then Miller was given his first leading role in the amazing and not talked about enough A Bucket of Blood in 1959.

Miller played Walter Paisley, a waiter at a local beatnik club who desperately wanted to be condered artistic and talented by the very people he served every day.

Unfortunately, Paisley was a bit slow mentally and socially inept in every way and most days the beatniks took the piss out of the unassuming Paisley.

One day Paisley accidentally kills a neighbors cat in a fit of frustrated rage.

He hides the cat by putting it’s body in plaster.

Others notice his creation and herald him the next great artists just like he always wanted.

As you can read in my review, things go south for old Walter when the *ahem* cat is let out of the bag, so to speak, with regards to his art.



Miller reprised the role of Walter Paisley over the years as cameos in many other movies.

Most likely as homages from current directors to the 1959 clasc or from Corman himself.

He played Paisley in Hollywood Boulevard (1976) another Corman produced pic, The Howling (1981), Twilight Zone:

The Movie (1983), Chopping Mall (1986) and finally the TV movie from 1994 called Shake, Rattle and Roll!

Miller has unfortunately be delegated to minor or bit parts for most of his career, usually Sci-Fi or Horror, but every time I see him, he gives the whackiest performances.

Can you ever remember a time when he was on screen and hasn’t chewed up the scenery?

A quick scan of the ‘net says that Miller was born in the Bronx in New York and went on to attend the City College of New York as well as Columbia Univerty.

Early on in his career he performed on Broadway but had de jobs in a hygiene clinic as well as a mental institution.

I wonder if the latter job is where Miller picked up some of his more quirky traits for characters.

I can only assume.

In 1952, Miller packed his bags and headed to California to try and find work as a writer.

According to IMDB, Miller’s first film role came in 1955’s Apache Woman where he played several bit characters.

Again, falling in with the Corman alum, Miller built a career showing up in several Sci-Fi and Horror flicks.

As for writing which was Miller’s original intent, he hasn’t written much memorable except for maybe 1974’s Blaxploitation clasc TNT Jackson (1974).

He shared this credit with Ken Metcalfe.



Miller is still working in show buness today showing up most recently in Joe Dante’s 2009 3D sci-fi flick The Hole.

A man whose face any horror fan will know and love, Dick Miller has brought his zany and ridiculous characters to life for almost 60 years.

To me he’s one of the greats that has never received the recognition he deserves.

He’s been around nce Roger Corman’s early days and is still working today and although he hasn’t appeared in anything nce 2009, I’d love to see him pop up just once more as Walter Paisley before his career is over.

Give us that last kiss of macabre and insanity only you can dish out, Mr. Miller.

Dick Miller…you get The Devil Made Me Watch’s first award for Unsung Heroes of Horror.

…Yeah, I bet he'd really give a fuck…..

Selected Filmography: A Bucket of Blood (1959) - My review -->