Jason Miller (playwright)

Jason Miller
As Father Karras in The Exorcist III, 1990 Born John Anthony Miller
April 22, 1939(1939-04-22)
Long Island City, Queens, U.S.Died May 13, 2001(aged 62)
Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.Spouse(s) Linda Miller (1963-1973)
Susan Bernard(1974-1983)
Ruth Josem (1984-1990) Awards won Academy AwardsNominated: Best Supporting Actor
1973 The Excorcist

Jason Miller (April 22, 1939 – May 13, 2001) was an American actor and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.

1 Biography
2 Filmography
3 References
4 External links

Biography

Early life

Miller was born John Anthony Miller in Long Island City, Queens, the son of Mary Claire (née Collins), a teacher, and John A. Miller, an electrician.[1][2] He was of Irish ancestry. His family moved to the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania, where Miller was educated at St. Patrick's High School and the Jesuit-run University of Scranton. He also attended The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Career

Miller was launched into stardom in 1973 by winning a Pulitzer Prize for his play, That Championship Season. That same year, he was offered the role of the troubled priest in William Friedkin's horror film The Exorcist (1973), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Miller's film career was sporadic, however, preferring to work in regional theatre.

Miller continued to act occasionally in such films as The Ninth Configuration (1980), Toy Soldiers (1984), The Exorcist III (1990) and Rudy (1993). Miller's most recent project had been a revival of The Odd Couple for the Pennsylvania Summer Theatre Festival, in which he was appearing in the role of Oscar Madison.

Writings

Plays:

Nobody Hears a Broken Drum (1970)
That Championship Season (1972)
Barrymore's Ghost (2000)

Book:

Three One-Act Plays (1973, drama)

Personal life and death

Miller was the father of actors Jason Patric (by first wife Linda Gleason, daughter of Jackie Gleason) and Joshua John Miller (by second wife Susan Bernard). On May 13, 2001, the thrice-divorced Miller died of a heart attack in Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the age of 62.[3]

In 2004, actor Paul Sorvino, a longtime friend of Miller, was commissioned by the city of Scranton to create a bronze bust of the late playwright and actor.

Filmography

Year Title Role Other comments 2003Finding Home Lester Bownlow 2002Paradox Lake 2000Slice 1999 That Championship Season*** TV
Screenwriter 1998Trance The Doctor a/k/a The Eternal 1995Mommy Lieutenant March Murdered Innocence Detective Rollins 1993 Rudy Ara Parseghian 1992Small Kill Mikie 1990 The Exorcist IIIPatient X (Father Damien Karras) 1987Deadly Care Dr. Miles Keefer TV Light of DayBenjamin Rasnick 1984A Touch of Scandal Garrett Locke TV Toy SoldiersSarge 1982 That Championship Season*** Screenwriter
Director MonsignorDon Vito Appolini 1981The Best Little Girl in the World Clay Orlovsky TV 1980Marilyn: The Untold Story Arthur Miller TV The Ninth ConfigurationLt. Frankie Reno a/k/a Twinkle, Twinkle, Killer Kane The Henderson Monster Dr. Tom Henderson TV 1979Vampire John Rawlins TV 1978 The Dain CurseOwen Fitzstephan TV Mini-Series 1977Teufels Advokat, Des a/k/a The Devil's Advocate(UK) 1976F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood F. Scott Fitzgerald TV El Perro Aristides Ungria a/k/a The Dog
a/k/a Vengeance(USA Video Title) 1975A Home of Our Own Father William Wasson TV 1974The Nickel Ride Cooper 1973 The Exorcist Father Damien KarrasAcademy Award Nomination
Best Supporting Actor