Jason Miller Tribute Myspace page

jasonmiller1939_2001

(http://www.myspace.com/jasonmiller1939_2001)

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Please title your email Subject so it can be easily differentiated from Spam. Better desciption of guidelines coming soon.

Myspace news

Justin has made a kick-ass Exorcist Tribute page, and I have a JM tribute page in the works... I'll also make an email account for this site, so that if you have anything you want to send in or say, you can contact Justin or I directly without posting your email address etc. here.

UPDATE: You can now add The Exorcist III: Legion to your Myspace. It's owned by our friend, Ryan. (The Ninth Configuration)

The Ninth Configuration

I watched it Tuesday night and I love it. Links and stuff coming up!

TheNinthConfiguration.com

The Ninth Configuration on Myspace

Lt. Frankie Reno on Myspace

UPDATE: The Ninth Configuration Forum

My Halloween tradition

Starting off, if this goddamn computer doesn't stop fucking with me, I'll scream. Ok, on with business.

Just a few days until I watch The Exorcist TVYNS (2000). It pains me greatly to have never seen the original 1973 theatrical release. I beg of Warner Brothers to re release it. Please. I'll buy it. Promise. What about a Boxing day event...? 34th anniversary spectacular. I can dream.

I've watched TVYNS every Halloween for the last 2 years. (Only 2 years??? It feels like that film has been with me my whole life.) This year will make it 3. I've seen it about 11 times. I know it doesn't seem like much to some; may seem like a lot to others. It's all relative. It's the most times I've seen a film. I never tire of it. I'll write something here after I watch for the 12th time. It won't be a full review, just what comes to me. Cross your fingers.

And here I draw a blank. How ridiculous I feel to get writer's block on a blog.

UPDATE: I see I didn't write antything about Exorcist like I said I would... But cool things are coming up for this site. Keep checking back!

Very huge high quality pics from Justin

Miller’s Tale article

Filmmaker, vocalist earn community support through F. Lammot Belin Scholarship
Christopher J. Hughes Abington Journal Reporter

WAVERLY – In a field full of talented individuals, artists regularly find themselves spending time not only producing their works but seeking ways to finance them.

• Actor Martin Sheen, left, talks with Scranton native Rebecca Marshall Ferris about Jason Miller in Santa Monica in May 2007. Sheen was an interview subject for her documentary “Miller’s Tale.”PHOTO COURTESY REBECCA MARSHALL FERRIS
  

Thanks to the F. Lammot Belin Arts Scholarship, distributed annually since 1964 by the Waverly Community House, two artists with ties to the area are receiving a little help. Filmmaker Rebecca Marshall Ferris and Marywood University student �lan Royster have been named the 2007 F. Lammot Belin Traditional and Student Arts Scholarship winners, respectively.

Raised in Ocean City, MD, Royster said, “I was born to perform. I know it.” She began private study at age 12 through Catholic University and the Curtis Institute of Music. She is a former regional champion in the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition and has been featured on National Public Radio and at Boston’s Jordan Hall.

She recently transferred to Marywood University, having started her baccalaureate studies in vocal performance for opera at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, Baltimore, MD. “My mom (Maria Womer) is originally from Scranton, and she was the one who told me about Marywood,” Royster said. “I’m performing right now as a soprano. I have a very full voice according to my teachers. It’s not small by any means.”

Royster said she was told of her scholarship award the same day performed for the Selection Committee. “I had basically just gotten back from a break when they told me. I was just elated,” she said.

Set to graduate from Marywood in May of 2008, Royster said the $10,000 grant will help pay for her education and fund her travels to workshops and competitions. After graduation, she said she plans to continue her studies privately before beginning to perform.

“My dream has always been to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House in Manhattan. That would be phenomenal,” she said. “Being a performer is a tough road to go down, but I’m ready for it.”

Scranton native Marshall Ferris, who now resides in New York City, said she splits her time between the Big Apple and the Electric City, completing work on her project, “Miller’s Tale.” The project is a documentary on the life and cultural impact of Scranton playwright Jason Miller.

She admits that documentary work wasn’t her initial dream. As a student at the School of Visual Arts, she said she was drawn to fiction films and screenwriting. While working on a script about a jazz musician, she was introduced to legendary trumpet player Jonah Jones.

“We became really good friends, and his stories were just captivating,” Marshall Ferris said. The tales produced the documentary “Jonah and the Wail,” which was broadcast on the Independent Film Channel and earned her the 1999 F. Lammot Belin Scholarship.

“Once I got into documentaries, I couldn’t get out,” she said. “For me right now, I’m in love with dealing with real people and telling their stories.”

She was drawn to the idea of creating “Miller’s Tale” through her work and knowledge of his impact on the area. Miller acted in her first student film, she said. “Even after he’s gone, people are still talking about him. He’s still very much alive in this community,” Marshall Ferris said.

Just as her own film aspirations changed, Marshall Ferris said “Miller’s Tale” began as the story of a bust of the playwright to be created by actor Paul Sorvino. As more stories about him came through, the film took on a life of its own. “Not everyone in Scranton loves Jason, so this is a very honest piece,” she said.

It can be difficult to raise funds for a project, especially films, Marshall Ferris said. “Financial support is huge, but the biggest benefit is knowing that the community is behind you,” she said. “My life now is finding a way to support my art, and grant funding is crucial to documentary work.”

The $10,000 grant could buy her a piece of Miller’s history in film. One minute of archival footage of “The Exorcist” from Warner Bros. Entertainment would cost $10,000. “You can’t make the film without that footage,” Marshall Ferris said.

Upon completion, “Miller’s Tale” is scheduled to be broadcast nationally on PBS in the fall of 2008.

Marshall Ferris has also started Cottage Films, an independent, non-fiction film company, from her home office with fellow Scranton native Stephen Scalese and her husband, Jason Ferris, behind the cameras.

Want to go?

What: F. Lammot Belin Scholarship reception

When: Friday, Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Waverly Community House, 1115 N. Abington Rd., Waverly

Info: Reception is free to the public. Event includes performance by Arts Scholarship recipient �lan Royster and sneak preview of Scholarship recipient Rebecca Marshall Ferris’ documentary “Miller’s Tale.”

Want to apply?

Application deadline for 2008 is December 15, 2007. Registration fee is $15. Award increased to $15,000 for 2008 grant cycle. For details, call 586-8191, ext. 2, or visit www.waverlycomm.org.

What'd I tell ya?!

I knew I had a few more pics coming to me, but I didn't expect anything as good as this. RAH RAH, Justin!

That Championship Season photo

Hold tight all. More pics are coming. Here is one from That Championship Season. I can't be sure if he is actually in this photo (if so, I'm going with the man facing away.) but it's a good one.

Jason Miller, Playwright and Actor, Dies at 62

By ROBIN POGREBIN

Published: May 15, 2001

Jason Miller, the playwright and actor who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for ''That Championship Season,'' died on Sunday in Scranton, Pa. He was 62 and lived in Scranton.

The cause was a heart attack, said Joseph Brennan, the Lackawanna County coroner.

Mr. Miller also won a Tony Award for ''That Championship Season'' and in the same year was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Father Damien Karras in the horror movie ''The Exorcist.''

''That Championship Season,'' about a reunion of members of a winning basketball team with their coach, set in the Lackawanna Valley, was based on Mr. Miller's experience as a member of the St. Patrick's High School basketball team in the 1950's. The play, directed by A. J. Antoon, who also won a Tony Award for his work, originated at Joseph Papp's Public Theater in 1972 and then moved to the Booth on Broadway. The cast included Charles Durning and Paul Sorvino, who was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance.

Writing in The New York Times, Walter Kerr called ''That Championship Season'' ''rock solid, bitterly funny, painfully shaming.'' Mr. Miller adapted the play into a film, which he also directed. Released in 1982, it featured Robert Mitchum as the coach, Bruce Dern as the mayor and Stacy Keach, Martin Sheen and Mr. Sorvino as members of the team. The play was revived in 1999 at the Second Stage Theater.

Born in Long Island City, Queens, Mr. Miller grew up in Scranton and graduated from St. Patrick's and the Jesuit-run University of Scranton, where he studied English and philosophy, acted and won first prize in the Jesuit Eastern Play Contest. According to The Associated Press, Mr. Miller later earned a master's degree from Catholic University in Washington.

But in a 1974 interview in The Times, Mr. Miller said he was asked to leave the speech and drama department at Catholic University ''for never attending classes, never taking tests and never getting the girls back to their dormitory by 10 o'clock.''

At Catholic University, Mr. Miller met his wife, Linda, Jackie Gleason's daughter, with whom he had three children. Mr. Miller had a fourth child with a girlfriend, Susan Bernard.

To earn money, Mr. Miller worked as a welfare investigator, waiter, truck driver and messenger boy. Along the way he wrote plays, among them ''The Circus Lady,'' ''Perfect Son'' and ''Lou Gehrig Did Not Die of Cancer.'' One of them, ''Nobody Hears a Broken Drum,'' was produced off Broadway in 1970.

Just weeks before ''That Championship Season'' opened in May 1972 at the Public Theater, Mr. Miller was drawing unemployment checks. Mr. Papp knew Mr. Miller from his performance in ''Subject to Fits,'' a Public Theater production.

After ''That Championship Season,'' Mr. Miller went on to act in other projects, including ''The Nickel Ride,'' a 1973 film, and ''The Dain Curse,'' a 1978 CBS mini-series based on the Dashiell Hammett novel. But he remained best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning play and for his role in ''The Exorcist'' as a priest battling a young girl's demons.

Mr. Miller and his family eventually moved from Queens to New Jersey. In the 1974 Times interview, Mr. Miller said he could never leave the New York area for long. ''When I was growing up in Scranton, Pa., New York was the capital of my imagination, the El Dorado of my mind,'' he said. ''As soon as I was able, I started visiting whenever I could, coming with a little money and selling my blood on Delancey Street for a few dollars more, to sit and drink in the Cedar Bar, hoping that Jackson Pollock, Allen Ginsberg or Norman Mailer would drop in.''

''And now that I've lived there and know all the criticisms, I still have a great affection for the city,'' he continued. ''Its rhythm and vitality suit me. I need this element of risk for survival since perhaps it is the city's dangers that force me to creativity. The point is, I went to New York to do something. And I did it.''

Most recently, Mr. Miller was artistic director of the Scranton Public Theater and its summer theater festival. He was to play Oscar Madison in the theater's forthcoming production of ''The Odd Couple.''

According to the Associated Press, Mr. Miller is survived by three sons: Jason Patric, the actor, and Joshua Miller, both of Los Angeles; and Jordan Miller of New York City. He is also survived by a daughter, Jennifer Miller of Los Angeles.

The Associated Press reported that Mr. Miller described his own epitaph last year in an interview with Electric City, a free entertainment weekly, for the Pennsylvania Film Festival: ''On my tombstone I'll put, 'It's all a paper moon.' All the philosophies and all the -isms and all the religions are contained in that. . . . I'd prefer that when I take the bus to another zone, I go further. I'm not interested in coming back.''

Correction: May 16, 2001, Wednesday An obituary of the playwright and actor Jason Miller yesterday referred incompletely to his marriage to Linda Gleason, with whom he had three children. The couple were later divorced.

The New York Times

John Anthony Miller ~ The Stone Step (1969)

A copy of The Stone Step poetry book is for sale. I wanted this since I knew it existed. I can't afford it. I'm miserable as of now. If anyone buys or has a copy, please contact me here. Only 300 copies?! What is wrong with the world?!

Go Irish! The Purgatory Diaries Of Jason Miller

For all those who knew and loved the late great Jason Miller, you must catch the final show of "Go Irish! The Purgatory Diaries of Jason Miller" at TNT, Sunday, 9/16, at 3:00 p.m.. This play is beautifully written by Tom Flannery and superbly acted by Bob Hughes. Hopefully, there will be many more showings of this play, but for now you have one last chance to catch it tomorrow :)

Thanks to Kelly Trygar for the notice! I'm sorry for not mentioning this earlier. All my luck to Tom Flannery, Rodger Jacobs and Bob Hughes!

TICKET INFO HERE

Jason on Karras from Peter Travers' The Story Behind The Exorcist

Sofi's wonderful work again. Thank you!!!

I think Father Karras is a man whose faith is beginning to crumble. He has a great deal of guilt concerning the circumstances of his mother's death since he chose to be a priest instead of supporting his family. I think he is finally on the edge of despair. His foundation is no longer there, the Church has changed. The most difficult part about playing this character, that I can see now, is to remember that he is a human being first and a priest second. You can always play the priest, but it is finding that particular human being who happens to be the priest that is important. Otherwise, you have The Bells of St. Mary's. It's too easy to play priests as perfect. You have to see beyond their broad outlines and find the less appealing qualities that provide humanity.

Excerpt from Peter Travers' The Story Behind the Exorcist

Many thanks to Sofi for taking the time to type this out for me! Hugs and love to you!

According to Blatty, the signing of Jason Miller, the Pulitzer Prize- winning playwright, for the role of Father Karras, was another stumble discovery. "We were kicking around names like Gene Hackman. Billy would say - "Well, you're an idiot and too close to your own work!" I also thought Marlon Brando would be perfect, but Billy resisted him from the very beginning. After I saw The Godfather, I knew that Billy was right. We needed a face that hadn't been seen before. Still, every priest thinks he is Karras, and every actor thinks he can play him." Where Jason Miller was concerned , however, Billy Friedkin seemed more than 100 percent: "This guy is going to explode on film! He has one of the strongest screen presences since Garfield, Clift, and James Dean. He also has all the training and background. I would have to send another actor to Catholic school for at least a year for indoctrination. Jason went to Catholic University and studied with the Jesuits. He knows all the ritual work for the part. I'll tell yo, everyone in Hollywood wanted to name him. Instinctively, I felt it had to be an unknown. I didn't want a guy whose personal life would precede the role. So I started looking for unknowns. I would look at movies on TV, go to off-Broadway plays. I would talk to anyone who was recommended to me. While I was in New York conducting this search, I went by accident to see That Championship Season, and the fellow I was with and his wife knew Jason Miller. They said he was a pretty good actor as well as a playwright, and that he was raised a Catholic. That intrigued me, so I asked the casting director to get hold of him. He came to see me at the Sherry Netherland." Billy paused to show a look of disgust before continuing. "It was a terrible meeting! I was sick and had all these vitamin pills around, and I think he was stoned. I looked at him and thought he was a junkie. He came in, saw all the pills, and must have thought I was some kind of pill freak. We had a very tense meeting and I was not all that impressed with him. I didn't even like him much, but I couldn't find anyone else. He kept gnawing away at my consciousness. So I spoke to him again, gave him the script, and we had a very intelligent discussion. I thought OK, I'll shoot a test of the guy just cause I have nothing better to do. He shot a beautiful scene with Ellen in Hollywood, and that's how he got the part. It was almost like it was meant to happen."

Exorcist III: Legion French lobby cards

Ryan has waited an excruciatingly long few weeks for these gems. I'll add the ones with Jason to the gallery soon. Cheers, mate!

Childhood photo

Your first memories

It would be great to hear from you about your first encounter. Be it through a movie screen, stage or in person. Open invite, don't be shy. Justin, you're welcome to post yours as contributer.

New co-blogger, Justin

I'm happy to announce that the infamous Justin is my new co-blogger. Dunno if he'll post much, but I'm grateful for the help. He'll be in charge when I'm unavailable. What with a death in the family and a long-term illness, I'm touched by the support. Thanks to all. You Keep my chin up.

Words from Michael Blatty

Hi. I just stumbled upon this site while looking up something unrelated. I am the eldest son of William Peter Blatty, and I spent some time in the company of Jason Miller while he was with my dad on the set of "The Exorcist" (I was an undergrad at Georgetown U. at the time.) Thought I would share my impressions of him in brief.
First, I think he was a terrific actor and perfect in the role of Karras. (If you haven't seen him in the made for tv film about F. Scott Fitzgerald you have missed another great performance.) I know that my dad had Richard Burton and then Stacey Keach in mind initially, but no one could have been better or more haunted in the role than Mr. Miller.
When I first met him (at lunch with my dad in The Tombs pub in Geogetown) he was in his priest's garb from the film and I thought he was one of the actual priests advising my dad about exorcisms, etc. His language was pretty salty (to say the least), and afterwards I remarked to my dad, "Gee, I never heard a Catholic priest talk that way before!" My dad looked at me, incredulous, and said, "That's Jason Miller, the actor! He's not a priest!" Embarassing. Several weeks later, in New York City, I was with my dad and Mr. Miller at Elaine's where he absolutely mesmerized me with his brilliant conversation even though it was obvious that he had been drinking more than he should. Sometime later I tried to find a copy of his play, "That Championship Season," but none of my local bookstores carried it. When I next saw him, at my dad's house at Malibu Beach, I asked him rather ungraciously if he would send me a copy since I couldn't find it anywhere (not particularly sensitive of me, but he inspired bluntness of speech.) I gave him my address but didn't really expect him to follow through, as busy a man as he then was. A week later a package arrived at my house. It was a first edition of his play in hardback, inscribed to me:
"Michael! Keep the faith!
Jason Miller, S.J."
That's the sort of considerate person he was.
I never saw him in the flesh again, but when I saw him in my dad's film "Exorcist 3" I felt sad because he looked so run down. Then years later, I saw that he had died. I am glad that he will be preserved forever on film for future generatons and that so many of his friends in Scranton and elsewhere will keep the memory of such a beautiful human being alive.
Thanks for letting me share these brief memories with you on these pages.

Horror Hall Of Fame: The Exorcist

Repost Of RIP Jason Miller

It was six years ago today that the man who played Damien Karras in The Exorcist died. I have only had the pleasure of seeing three of his movies, but he left quite an impression. Having read what I could about him, he seemed to leave an impression on most people; through his movies to most and to the lucky few who actually knew him. (Watch me turn green) I wish I had known him... Not that I could make interesting conversation, but I could listen to him forever. My one true Halloween tradition, since the first time I saw it, is to watch The Exorcist. A great film and the most marvelous acting I have ever seen. He had me mesmerized the whole way through. It was probably the first time I really saw a movie as a story rather than entertainment. His role stuck with me, nudging me to buy the book, leading me to my favorite author , William Peter Blatty, and to his other book Legion. I've read each twice, leading me to want to be a writer. I will be a writer, if my books will be good is another matter altogether. It turns out that a leap for Karras was a leap for me too. So I owe much to this guy who I never met and didn't know existed until he was dead for three years... Funny how things work! Go Irish, Jason, I miss you.

Rare photos from Justin

7 new photos are in the gallery. Hooray!

Wonderful news

I've been lucky enough to find two more great guys who will add their thoughts and memories to this site. John Nasser (of most viewed pic fame) has wonderful stories to tell... Jason lived with him for 2 months. Jason also wrote poems for John's homeless cd for charity. And Pim's ghost was also kind enough to drop a line here. You can go see his 5 Year Memoriam post. I look forward to seeing all the wonderful people yet to come here and share their love of him with others. Take care, all.

Rare Legion photo

I've updated the gallery again too.

Article

Father Karras speaks
reflects on religion, the devil and 'The Exorcist'

Jason miller by Theresa Conroy
Daily News Staff Writer

He snuck in late for the last show Thursday night, sitting in the back of
the SamEric theater Thursday to watch himself - for the first time in 25
years - expel a convulsing, spewing Satan out of little Linda Blair.

Jason Miller's dark hair is streaked with gray now. His chiseled features,
camouflaged by a mustache and goatee.

Nobody in the movie theater recognized Miller as Damien Karras, the young
priest from "The Exorcist." And nobody heard the series of wicked one-liners
he whispered to his friend, restaurateur Joe Varalli.

"To watch it with me is like an exercise in satire," Miller said Friday.

To do anything with Miller is like an exercise in satire. And intellect. And
philosophy. And religion. And all that is weird and scary.

Miller, 60, was raised Roman Catholic - "The IHM nuns for 4th to 12th grade,
the Jesuits, the Dominicans." He is fascinated by the sacred (God, miracles,
religious mysteries) and has an artistic crush on the dark side (evil,
Satan, death).

Does he believe in God? He hesitated, then said that, well, yes, he believes
in gods.

How about the devil? "Oh, yeah," he said immediately. No doubt about it.
Then Miller went on to recount his theory on why Lucifer defied God and was
kicked out of heaven.

This is a little spooky, coming from Father Karras.

But the most disturbing aspect of Father Karras' character, however, was how
very much you wanted to see him in his undershirt. Somehow, Miller made
celibacy seem extremely sexy.

He's still sexy.

He comes by this not only from the fact that he has a striking face and that
great hair, but because he has been blessed with that lady-killer ability to
look deeply into your eyes and see everything in your soul.

He's also a profound writer and an inspired actor.

"The Exorcist," re-released late last month, earned Miller an Academy Award
nomination. It also managed to scare the living daylights out of a
generation while simultaneously throwing evangelist Billy Graham into a
religious frenzy.

Now that it's back, with 11 minutes of additional footage, Miller believes
the movie is likely to scare a whole new generation.

Local theaters have been filled with screaming 18-year-olds and cringing
45-year-olds watching the exorcism of Regan MacNeil.

On opening weekend, Sept. 22-24, "The Exorcist" was sold out at the UA
Riverview, said manager Molly Kohler.

"It's like the younger kids, they laugh at some of the stuff.. . .They find
it amusing, you know, when she's in there with the cross.

"The older crowd is still horrified by it," she said.

All this amuses Miller - to an extent.

A Scranton resident, Miller has spent weekends in Philadelphia since early
last month, acting in "Barrymore's Ghost," a one-man play he wrote. The
play - a haunting combination of Miller's writing and acting talents - runs
through Sunday at Theatre Double, 1619 Walnut St.

Miller, who won a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for his play, "That
Championship Season," is more interested in talking about writing than about
acting. He'd rather dwell on John Barrymore's profile than on the vomit
scene in "The Exorcist."

"I see it in the land of objectivity," Miller said of the movie.

He sees Barrymore, however, a bit more subjectively.

"I thought it was the quintessential representation of a genius destroyed by
his own devices," Miller said of Barrymore's story. "I suppose it's kind of
an intellectual cliche."

In the play, Miller plays Barrymore's ghost, sentenced for eternity to haunt
theaters and face the ghosts of his painful life. It's an achingly vivid
portrayal.

"He did have those satyrs and he did have those demons, which were obviously
liquor and a deep sense of self-distrust," Miller said. "At the height of
his power, he feels himself going into decline."

He said he didn't have to go far for inspiration.

"Of course there's a lot of my life in there, and a lot of the actors I
know."

Miller seems more comfortable fighting Barrymore's ghost than continuing
that old battle with Lucifer. Watching himself in "The Exorcist," Miller
said, made him feel "disembodied."

"Somewhere between delirium and dream."

As the audience screamed and Linda Blair's body convulsed, Miller looked on
with detached amusement, thinking, "What did we have for lunch that day?"
and, "Oh, s---, that's where she flubbed the lines three times."

Until the scene with the crucifix.

"I forgot about the cross," Miller said of the profane scene in which Regan
masturbates with a crucifix.

"The cross, the symbol of everything, and, whammo," he said, simulating the
move Blair made in the film.

It spooked him a bit.

"I think the terror of the film, behind the gestures of the crucifix and the
outrageous and the shocking, you can look at two ways: The priests were very
heroic and sacrificed their lives by taking Satan out of her, or Satan
really wanted the priests and used these two guys," he said.

Miller, who hasn't thought much about demonic possessions since he filmed
"The Exorcist III" in 1990 (and he'd rather not talk about that), was
surprised that the 25-year-old horror flick stood the test of time on the
big screen.

"There are so many imitators," he said. "I was very surprised it didn't get
stale. I thought for sure it may get stale."

No one recognized Miller in the light of day, either, as he sits in the
lobby of the Sofitel hotel, wearing a yellow shirt, baggy pants and beat-up
sneakers.

Arranged on the glass table in front of his overstuffed chair is everything
he needs in the world right now: A pack of Marlboro Lights, an ashtray, a
lovely silver pen, a copybook, a fluted glass of Yuengling Lager and the
script he's writing for Showtime about his ex-father-in-law, Jackie Gleason.
Actor Paul Sorvino is slated to play Gleason, Miller said.

He talked about visiting Barrymore's grave at Mount Vernon Cemetery; the
success of his sons, actor Jason Patric and author Joshua Miller; how
comfortable he feels in Philadelphia; writing; acting; mutual friends;
Ernest Hemingway; and the beauty of a game of shuffleboard.

Finally, Miller turned his head back around to "The Exorcist."

"It enlightens people," he said. "It opens their mind to what is a religious
horror story:

"Why are we in the middle of this tremendous antagonism around the supreme
universal beings, their chess game? It's like Shakespeare says, we are flies
to the wanton gods. They kill us for their sport.

"That contains all the despair of the universe, that line."

Two new pics

They're in the gallery, of course.

Interview with Tom Flannery

Did Jason ever tell you anything regarding his experiences acting in The Ninth Configuration and Legion?

No, he never mentioned either role to me.

What was Jason’s take on The Exorcist controversy was and whether he ever regretted being in the film given its notoriety? I should also like to ask whether he ever had any thoughts about the sequels versus the originals.

He was extremely proud of being part of the film. He never regretted it, that’s for sure. I think he just looked at the notoriety of it all as good for business. In showbiz there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Regarding the 2nd film, he never spoke to me about it, but I’ve yet to meet anybody who doesn’t think it’s embarrassingly bad…..so I suspect he was thrilled to have nothing whatsoever to do with it. Blatty did talk him into doing the 3rd film…from what I hear actually traveling to Scranton to twist his arm personally. According to a friend of mine out in California who worked on the set, Jason was in pretty bad shape during the filming. He was only there for a few days. I doubt he looked at it as anything more than paying some bills.

Did he made a conscious effort to get away from movie acting or whether he felt, like Linda Blair did, that the movie damaged her prospects?

I don’t think so. He certainly made a bunch of films. He was brilliant as Fitzgerald in that TV movie. And onstage, he was mesmerizing. But he was blessed, or cursed, with being great at 2 things. I’ve always considered him a playwright who happened to do some acting. I thought he could have made people say "Arthur or Jason?" when they mentioned "Miller the playwright". Others look at him as an actor who just happened to write a famous play. A juicy role like Karras is a once in a lifetime thing. For whatever reason he never really got the chance to shine on the big screen again. He could’ve been a DeNiro if the cards fell right. I actually heard a rumor from a woman who is currently making a documentary film about Jason. She told me she heard Jason turned down the lead in Taxi Driver. I don’t know if that’s true or not. But history might have been quite different…..

What was he like as a man to just hang out with, away from the Exorcist and all that?

He was an extremely generous man…..funny, incredibly articulate. Had this mammoth dog he named Regan that would practically maul you to death when you went to his apartment. Jason was loyal to his hometown and his friends. Extremely approachable. I remember a bus ride we shared together, coming back to Scranton from Philadelphia. Great stories! Hollywood. Broadway. The craft of acting. The craft of writing. The awards. The highlights and lowlights of it all. As a writer, if I had questions, I could just call up a guy who had been awarded a Pulitizer Prize in Drama. Not a bad number to have in your rolodex.

Was he a practicing Catholic before during and after the filming? If so did he have bull sessions with Blatty about Catholic issues, including possession and exorcism?

He was raised a Catholic……was an altar boy at St. Pat’s grade school. How much he practiced later in life I do not know. Regarding his role as Karras, I know he did a tremendous amount of research for the role.

How exactly did he audition for the part, and how did he learn that Keach had been bounced from the role?

Friedkin saw a performance of "That Championship Season" in New York and approached Jason about the role….intrigued that here was a real Jesuit. He asked him to take a screen test….and gave him a first class ticket to Hollywood. Jason told me he’d never flown first class before, and kept waiting for somebody to tell him he had to go back to coach. I never heard the bit about Keach. I know Ryan O’Neal and Jack Nicholson both tested for the part.

How did he get along with Fr. O’Malley, and what was it like to learn from him "how to act like a priest"?

This I do not know. But for Irish Catholics in Scranton taught by the Jesuits, "acting like a priest" isn’t that hard.

As a creative writer, did he ever entertain thoughts about tackling the supernatural in his plays, etc.?

I don’t think he was that interested in the "supernatural". He was proud of Fr. Karras, but then he moved on. His plays ("Nobody Hears a Broken Drum", "It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie", "Lou Gehrig Did Not Die of Cancer", "That Championship Season") dealt with the flaws and redemption of ordinary people in this world.

What were his thoughts on coming back as Damien Karras/Gemini-Damien Karras/imprisoned Damien Karras? His evaluation of Dourif’s performance? His experience of Blatty’s direction as opposed to Friedkin’s?

I think he did it for the money. The movie didn’t exactly make people forget the original. He used to laugh about Friedkin though. Said he was nuts. Always pushing, keeping actors on edge. Said he’d walk up behind an actor and fire a real gun past their ear.

What were his thoughts about the paranormal? Did he have any experiences?

One story he told in an interview that I write about in the play.

JASON: Oh shit. That reminds me. One night during "The Exorcist" -- after being on the set all day -- I go to my apartment. I’ve got a pet bird there but I can’t stand to lock it in it’s cage so I let the door open. And now the bird’s wings are spread out and nailed to the landing rod … like a crucifixion. The door’s locked…nobody has been in here.

That’s a little too spooky for me.

Which actors did he admire? What was his favorite movie?

I know he loved Helen Hayes. Martin Sheen. Jason and Paul Sorvino were good friends. He loved James Dean. I couldn’t say what his favorite movie was. His tastes were too varied for that.

What jokes did he like to tell?

I can’t tell you that. I promised my Mother I’d never use that type of language.

This is a dumb tabloid question: What sort of music/artist did he like? Did he hang out with you while you were working on songs?

No. The only extended time we spent together was during theater stuff. I couldn’t say what his musical tastes were.

How did he handle being recognized by fans?

He was always extremely gracious. Always had time for a word or two. Or a picture. When he first moved back here it was a real novelty for everyone. He was always getting stopped when he was out. But after a while, he’s just Jason. He never acted like a big shot. Folks say hello. But him a drink. If you were downtown you’d always see him. He’s just your neighbor.

What advice did he give to young writers/actors etc?

He was so generous. When he was directing my play…..we were going through re-writes. He was so conscious of how hard it can be on a writer. Thinking you’ve come up with some brilliant bit, only to see that it’s not working onstage and needs to be cut. He just did it in such a gentle way. "Thomas", he’s say. "It’s just pruning". That’s the word he always used. I’ve used it ever since. I never "cut" anymore. I "prune". Then he’d tell me of his agonies when he’d been forced to cut bits from "Championship Season". I just learned so much from him. He was the perfect director because he was a both a writer and an actor. He understood both mindsets….and knew how to handle each. I can tell you that is a rarity.

What was your first exposure to him before meeting him?

I saw him in the Exorcist when I was a kid. The movie scared me to death and I haven’t watched it since.

What books did he like? Who were his favorite authors and influences?

I think Fitzgerald was his favorite. He also mentioned Hemingway to me as well. And of course Shakespeare. He could quote reams of Shakespeare in his sleep.

How did he take life?

Usually with a chaser.

Can you tell us about the first time you met him?

My Dad and he were friends, and back in the mid 80s my parents had a party for him at the house…..to celebrate the release of Championship Season I think. I was probably 20 or so. That night Notre Dame was on TV, and Jason was watching and he cursed at the screen. My mother yelled at him. "Jason, I don’t allow that kind of language in my house". I thought I was gonna die. He apologized like the perfect Irish gentleman and held his tongue the rest of the night.

What is your fondest memory of him?

Probably watching him work on my play. I never got the feeling that he didn’t care about it as much as I did. He could have mailed in his direction. I was just thrilled to have his name on the damn playbill. But he put the time in. He worked. I’ll never forget that. On the last night both of us were called onto the stage and he gave me a big hug and told me how proud he was of me. That’s a memory I’ll always have. Nobody can take that away. He never acted you he was special, but he always treated you like you were. You couldn’t help but love the guy.

What is the most important thing you learned from him?

That it’s possible. Here was this kid from West Scranton who, if only briefly, made it to the top of 2 worlds. This is a tough city. A lot of grinding goes on here. But he did it. He got out and touched millions. And then he came home. It’s possible.

Pics too big for the gallery

Site news

So, the gallery is pretty well complete. I should still receive some screencaps from Ryan though. I'm also thrilled to say that I've talked to Tom Flannery, Jason's friend, and I'm going to do an interview with him! Now I have to think of good questions... I'm near giddy about it! Here are some touching and heartwarming words from him. Endless thanks for your participation, Tom.

Remembering Jason Miller

Jason Miller was my mentor. He was the first to say that I had the ability to become a successful playwright. Yet when Jason offered support, it was frequently more than verbal....so he offered to direct my play, "The Driveway". During the course of the production, we became good friends, and I'll always remember those days picking up the phone and hearing that gravely, poetic voice..."Thomas", he'd say in a low rumble. "Jason here..." I felt like a child at the foot of the master, which indeed I was. I loved every minute of it.

I remember going out on my front porch and calling for my wife in the yard to tell her that Jason was my director. I was using the porch railing as leverage to jump up and down, higher and higher, until she began to think I was having some sort of bizarre fit. "No", I yelped to her. "Guess who is going to direct my play?" She didn't believe me. She finally got to meet him opening night. As she was setting up the reception area for the post show party, Jason ambled over, introduced himself, and pointed to some filled glasses and asked..."hello Darling. Is this wine?" Perfect.

During rehearsals I remember mentioning how I loved Hal Holbrook's portrayal of Mark Twain in perhaps the greatest one man show in theatrical history, "Mark Twain Tonight". Jason agreed and casually offered to call Holbrook and ask him for any assistance that we may require. I had forgotten that I was dealing with Jason Miller, the only man in history to win a Pulitzer and be nominated for an Academy Award. People with resume's like this are allowed to call Hal Holbrook on the phone. I just stuttered and said..."um, yea, that's good to know."

As it turned out, "The Driveway" was Jason's last production. He died in May of 2001, and when I got the news, I hung my head and sobbed. While those of us who knew him were aware that Jason loved life, we also knew too well the side of him that may have loved it too much. He was in turn a poetic, lovable, disheveled Irish rogue with a twinkle in his eye, who could infuriate and then lift your spirits all while sipping the same drink...and the most down to earth, most generous man I have ever known.

We spent many hours talking, and I remember him telling me about his mother, whom he adored. The burning intensity in his eyes as he described this woman was spellbinding. Tears welled up in his eyes as he told me of her funeral...and how he did not want to let go. His hands had to be literally pried away from her.

Well now I know he is back in her arms again, where I know he feels safe. And we are left with his gorgeous words on paper, and his searing image on screen. But some of us are left with even more than that.

Gallery updates

It's on it's way! Justin set this up for me and I couldn't be happier with it. I'll add pics as soon as I can. And Ryan is going to make screencaps (bigger than mine, too) of Jason. Thanks, guys, you're the best!

Jason Miller interview

This'll go in the video category once I figure out how to do that.

A friend in need is a pest indeed

Ha-ha, that's me. I'm very grateful to Cat (and Rick), Justin, the JM fan group and the good peolpe of Captainhowdy.com for their support and Shout Outs. When this place is great, it'll be thanks to them.

Getting started

I'm starting a Jason Miller tribute site. Mostly because of the encouragement from my new pal, Cat. I was complaining about the lack of a site dedicated to him. She said I should create one, since what I wanted didn't seem to exist. I'm taking her good advice and giving his fans a place to go. From what I hear, he wasn't big on being famous. Whether or not he wanted to be famous, he has fans. I'll do my best with this place. If I post a picture that belongs to you, please tell me and I'll be sure to give you the credit you deserve. I want to share all the pictures of him I have compiled over 3 years of knowing about this wonderful actor. You are more than welcome to contribute your photos, anecdotes, etc. If you knew him as a friend, or only as Father Karras on the silver screen, your memories are also appreciated. By a fan, for the fans, this should be an interesting endeavor. Go Irish!