Denny Scott Miller (born Dennis Linn Miller;[citation needed] April 25, 1934 – September 9, 2014) was an American actor, perhaps best known for his regular role as Duke Shannon on Wagon Train, his guest-starring appearances on Gilligan's Island and Charlie's Angels, and his 1959 film role as Tarzan.

Denny Miller
Denny Miller in 2007
Born
Dennis Linn Miller

(1934-04-25)April 25, 1934
DiedSeptember 9, 2014(2014-09-09) (aged 80)
Occupation(s)Actor, Author
Years active1958–2014
Spouse(s)Kit Smythe (divorced)
Nancy Miller (at time of his death)

Background

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A native of Bloomington, Indiana,[1] the 6'4' Miller was a basketball player for the UCLA Bruins at UCLA, where his father was a physical education instructor.[citation needed]

In his senior year, while he was working as a furniture mover to pay for school, Miller was discovered on Sunset Boulevard by a Hollywood agent who signed him with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. His screen test was directed by George Cukor.[2]

Acting career

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Miller became the first blond Tarzan in Tarzan, the Ape Man (1959), a cheapie/quickie which lifted most of its footage from earlier Johnny Weissmuller movies. Miller had been recommended by someone else considered for the role, William Smith, later a star of the NBC Laredo western series.[2] MGM had Miller under contract for twenty months; in that time, he worked only eight weeks as Tarzan.

Miller did guest spots on a number of television series, such as Northwest Passage and Overland Trail. In 1960, the 26-year-old Miller appeared as Wilkie, the son of a powerful rancher, in the "License to Kill" episode of Laramie. He also appeared on Have Gun, Will Travel and an episode of The Rifleman as a dimwitted gunfighter named Reuben Miles.

 
Wagon Train cast, 1962; Miller is at lower left

From 1961 to 1964, Miller was a regular on Wagon Train in the role of the scout, Duke Shannon. After the cancellation of Wagon Train in 1965, Miller starred as Mike McCluskey on the NBC sitcom Mona McCluskey.

He guest starred on such series as Gunsmoke; The Fugitive; The High Chaparral; Gilligan's Island; I Dream of Jeannie; The Brady Bunch; Alice; Death Valley Days; Hawaii Five-O; Emergency!; The Six Million Dollar Man; Quincy, M.E.; The New Adventures of Wonder Woman; Battlestar Galactica; Quark; Charlie's Angels; Buck Rogers in the 25th Century; The Incredible Hulk; M*A*S*H; Magnum, P.I.; Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman; and V. Also episodes of "Bordertown" 1989-90.

Miller appeared in over 200 television series and, for 14 years, he played the Gorton's Fisherman in TV commercials.[1]

His film career included roles in Love in a Goldfish Bowl (1961), and the part of "Wyoming" Bill Kelso in The Party (1968), which he remembered as the part he most enjoyed. His other film credits included Making It (1971), Doomsday Machine (1972), Buck and the Preacher (1972), The Gravy Train (1974), The Island at the Top of the World (1974), The Norseman (1978), Caboblanco (1980) and Circle of Power (1981).

Books

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Miller wrote an autobiography titled Didn't You Used to Be...What's His Name? on January 28, 2004[1] and a book about obesity in the United States called Toxic Waist? ... Get to Know Sweat!.[3]

Death

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Miller was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in January 2014. He died in Las Vegas on September 9, 2014, at the age of 80.[4]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1958 Some Came Running Dewey Cole Uncredited
1959 Tarzan, the Ape Man Tarzan
1961 Love in a Goldfish Bowl Oscar Flegler
1968 The Party William 'Wyoming Bill' Kelso
1971 Making It Skeeter
1971 The Virginian (TV series) Joe Terry season 9 episode 15 (The politician)
1972 Buck and the Preacher Floyd
1972 Doomsday Machine Col. Don Price
1973 The Brady Bunch “Quarterback Sneak” Tank Gates
1974 The Gravy Train Rex
1974 The Island at the Top of the World Town Guard
1978 The Norseman Rauric
1980 Caboblanco Horst
1981 Circle of Power Uwe
1984 Dallas “Blow Up” Max
2005 Hell to Pay Horace the miner (final film role)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Leonard, Mike (July 4, 2004). "From jungle to ocean: the life and times of 'what's his name'". The Reporter-Times. Indiana, Martinsville. p. 12. Retrieved May 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b Damen, Marcel (February 21, 2007). "Denny Miller interview". GALACTICA.TV. Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  3. ^ Toxic Waist? ... Get to Know Sweat!. To Health With You Publishers. 2006. ISBN 978-0-9753-9171-6.
  4. ^ Barnes, Mike (2014-09-12). "Denny Miller, Star of 'Tarzan' and 'Wagon Train,' Dies at 80". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
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Honorary titles
Preceded by Actors to portray Tarzan
1959
Succeeded by