Editorials
Remembering Horror Icon, Scene-Stealer, and Prolific Talent Dick Miller
When news breaks of the passing of any of our cinematic heroes, you typically default to maybe one or two of their most notable features to revisit in their memory. With actor Dick Miller, literally hundreds of his memorable roles, featured or cameo, could pop into mind. His work spanned decades and genres, giving nearly 200 movie roles from which to pull favorites.
A larger-than-life personality who made each role uniquely his own, regardless of the size, Miller was genuinely a one of a kind film fixture and icon. Known for his character work, he was a definitive scene stealer every single time. His loss stings regardless of classification, but in the horror community, this loss cuts deep. From the beginning of his career, he quickly became intertwined with horror, influencing key directors that would shape the genre and delivering iconic performances that would prove formative on many budding horror fans.
The Roger Corman Years
Miller’s first acting role was in a Roger Corman directed western, Apache Woman, in 1955. It was a bit part, but his work so impressed Corman that he was asked to appear in the director’s very next feature. It marked the beginning of a long-running friendship between the pair, and one that permanently altered Miller’s trajectory in film.
His first notable horror sci-fi feature with Corman was It Conquered the World, in 1956, where he played Sgt. Neil. It was the type of movie that would make it easy to see why Corman continued to cast Miller in his films – he was the best thing about the movie. He once again stole the show the following year in Not of This Earth, where he played a door-to-door vacuum salesman. Miller re-wrote the small part to make it more natural, something he often did behind the scenes. The same year, he appeared as the Leper in Corman’s The Undead. 1958’s War of the Satellites gave Miller top billing as astronomer David Boyer, the hero fighting on Earth’s behalf against an alien attack.
Next came Corman’s A Bucket of Blood, and with it Miller’s first major iconic horror role in Walter Paisley. The lead character, Walter was a dimwitted busboy propelled to murder after finding acclaim as an artist for a plaster-covered dead cat that is mistaken for a work of art. The character was so memorably played by Miller that many of his future character roles would also share the name Walter Paisley (see Chopping Mall, Hollywood Boulevard, The Howling, Twilight Zone: The Movie).
Corman next asked him to play the lead in The Little Shop of Horrors, but he felt Seymour was too similar to Walter Paisley and chose to play the flower-eating florist shop patron Burson Fouch instead. He also appeared in Corman’s Premature Burial, The Terror and X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes.
Collaborations with Joe Dante
Eventually, Corman founded his own independent production company New World Pictures, and with it a new class of Corman inspired budding filmmakers. One of the most prominent filmmakers to emerge from this group was director Joe Dante, who’d grown up watching and admiring Miller’s work in film. From Dante’s very first feature film, Miller showed up in every single TV series or film Dante directed. Dante’s first horror film, Piranha, saw Miller playing Buck Gardner, the charismatic and shady resort owner. Next came The Howling, in which Miller’s character Walter Paisley owned a curios bookstore and delivered exposition on werewolves in that sort of Miller way that made you want to spend the entire movie with him.
Many who grew up in the ‘80s will remember Miller most for his scene-stealing turn as Murray Futterman in Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Futterman captured what Miller did to perfection- play the beleaguered Everyman that was so relatable, but with that no bullshit New York attitude that Miller’s own. Futterman went from blue-collar neighbor, sometime town drunk, to kicking major Gremlin butt in The New Batch.
While Dante included Miller in Twilight Zone: The Movie, Explorers, Innerspace, The ‘Burbs, Matinee, and Small Soldiers, the actor was also busy with unforgettable turns in The Terminator, Night of the Creeps, and Chopping Mall. He even elevated most schlocky horror films like Dead Heat, Amityville 1992: It’s About Time, and Evil Toons.
One of his all-time best-recalled horror performances came in 1995, as lovable town drunk Uncle Willy in Tales from the Crypt Presents Demon Knight. A much larger role than most, Miller really let loose in playing a character with a much larger character arc- from sweet town drunk to vulnerable to vicious demon. It’s not easy to stand out in a film with the likes of Billy Zane, chewing major scenery, or William Sadler, but Miller does.
Miller appeared in Dante’s more recent films like kid horror movie The Hole and zombie rom-com Burying the Ex, even when his age started to slow down his work. His friendship and decade-spanning collaborations with Dante and Corman were legendary, but so was his passion and love for movies and television (of which his credits were also extensive).
Dick Miller may often be touted as a character actor, but that doesn’t quite convey just what a marvel he was both on and off screen. A prolific worker, dependable scene-stealer, writer, forever Walter Paisley, our favorite Uncle Willy, the Futterman neighbor we wish we had, and a Hollywood fixture unlike no other, “that guy” Dick Miller was one of a kind.
And he’ll be forever missed.
No conversation about cartoons based on live-action movies is ever complete without mentioning The Real Ghostbusters.
This animated continuation is, warts and all, a notable example of turning a hit movie into a hit series. And although the new target demographic skewed a little younger, even kids-at-heart could partake in the further adventures of Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore and Egon Spengler.
For a good part of its run, the show required fans to wait at least a week for more Ghostbustin’. That’s torture for a kiddo. Luckily, though, the entire series, or at least most of it, is now available for streaming.
So, as you revisit The Real Ghostbusters on Tubi—for now it’s just the first five seasons there—use this guide to help prioritize some must-see episodes.
The Boogieman Cometh
“The Boogieman Cometh” (Season 1)
Season One’s “The Boogieman Cometh” is a classic episode featuring one of the show’s more iconic villains. It’s hard to forget the unique character design used for the Boogieman (whose creepy voice was provided by Ray and Slimer’s actor, Frank Welker). In this story, Egon is reunited with that bump-in-the-night entity who haunted his own childhood, all while trying to keep him away from his latest targets: the brother and sister claiming to have the Boogieman in their closet. Although the Ghostbusters do save the day here, the Boogieman eventually returns (“The Bogeyman Is Back“). That same episode also features the love-’em-or-hate-’em Junior Ghostbusters.
Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream
“Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” (Season 1)
You could say the namesake of “Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” had good intentions for putting mankind to sleep for the next few centuries—he wanted to end war and keep everyone dreaming. Sounds nice until you remember that whole free will business. But when it seems like the Ghostbusters have lost to their latest foe, the last one standing, Winston, gains a sudden ally. Janine’s dream of becoming a Ghostbuster is manifested, and she helps put this rogue spirit to bed.
When Halloween Was Forever
“When Halloween Was Forever” (Season 1)
Before the show’s execs capitalized on Slimer’s popularity by making him the focus of later episodes, early stories like “When Halloween Was Forever” better utilized that gooey ghost. Here, the spirit of Halloween itself, Samhain, hopes to make the holiday a permanent thing by stopping time. And who does the embodiment of All Hallows’ Eve use in his nefarious plot? Slimer, of course. Thankfully, the lil’ green bud knows where he really belongs, and Samhain is banished (at least until Season 3’s “Halloween II 1/2“).
Night Game
“Night Game” (Season 2)
Because Season Two was rather long, in comparison to other seasons, it accumulated quite a few solid episodes. One of the most beloved, though, is that ultimate good-versus-evil story, “Night Game“. Winston gets to shine here as he participates in a battle that was 500 years in the making. Except this time, the fighting is done on the baseball field. The other-dimensional settings in The Real Ghostbusters are always great, but the one here is particularly memorable.
Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin
“Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” (Season 2)
Not all ghosts and whatnot were bad in The Real Ghostbusters. As “Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” showed, some were actually benevolent. Sadly, it took a lot of convincing, and one very heroic act, for Peter and the others to see past this goblin’s grotesque appearance. The heroes find more than one shapeshifter at a sideshow carnival in the Poconos; a sinister Class-4er called the Metamorph does a swell job of menacing the Ghostbusters before they finally realize Drool’s not their culprit. The good guys indeed win here, but that victory is a bittersweet one.
The Collect Call of Cathulhu
“The Collect Call of Cathulhu” (Season 2)
While “The Collect Call of Cathulhu” does misspell “Cthulhu” in the title (probably to avoid legal issues), it is clearly the Old One in this Lovecraft-inspired episode. The story kicks off with the Necronomicon being stolen by the deity’s modern-day cult, who then raise their ancient god at Coney Island. From there, the Ghostbusters’ typical methods don’t work on the big guy, so they seek advice from an old issue of Weird Tales (or “Wierd Tales”, as it’s spelled on screen). That build-up to the finale comes with a decent amount of dread before the Ghostbusters, as well as a scholar named Alice, face off with one of the show’s most powerful entities.
Knock, Knock
“Knock, Knock” (Season 2)
A number of Real Ghostbusters episodes could be reworked into big-screen features, but perhaps “Knock, Knock” is the most hopeful. It helps that this story feels in step with the first two movies. Here, some ignorant construction workers accidentally uncover and open an ancient door in the subway. What’s behind said door is none other than those unspeakable evils that only the Ghostbusters can quell. A good deal of the imagery here is prime for adaptation.
The Grundel
“The Grundel” (Season 3)
One of the darker episodes, which was written by the prominent J. Michael Straczynski, is “The Grundel“. Here, a boy is being influenced by the titular entity, a type of ghost who ultimately turns his targets into new Grundels. The episode does have something of an after-school special quality to it, but that doesn’t take away from the eerier moments. For more Grundel lore, be sure to check out the episode “Grundelesque” from the sequel series, Extreme Ghostbusters.
Standing Room Only
“Standing Room Only” (Season 4)
It’s no secret that The Real Ghostbusters experienced multiple changes after the second season. Out of all of them, though, retooling the show so that Slimer would get more of the spotlight is maybe the most egregious. Thankfully, Season Four (the first to be called Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters) didn’t completely obey that new directive; episodes like “Standing Room Only” felt more like the old days. The focus here was on the well-being of the city and its people, rather than on the series’ green mascot (or the Junior Ghostbusters). In the episode, Peter’s new ghost attractor isn’t to blame for the ensuing chaos; the ghost-eating Mee-Krah is what’s really imperiling everyone. And the Ghostbusters must dish out everything they have to avoid a doomsday situation.
The Halloween Door
“The Halloween Door” (Season 5)
While many fans will skip the later seasons in their rewatches, episodes like “The Halloween Door” are still worth checking out. This colorful helping of Halloween pandemonium premiered on primetime, so the animation is better than usual. And save for a random musical moment, it’s an enjoyable event. Here, a group of anti-Halloweeners tries to cancel the holiday, but they only end up making things worse by unleashing a baddie named Boogaloo.
The first five seasons of The Real Ghostbusters are available on Tubi, starting on July 15.
You must be logged in to post a comment.