When character actor Dick Miller died last week, most of the obituary headlines mentioned his roles in Gremlins or The Terminator. But out of his 100+ parts, I'll remember him for his work in Roger Corman's early B-films. He usually showed up in supporting parts (Little Shop of Horrors, The Terror) but I'll remember him best in two starring roles for Corman. In A Bucket of Blood, he plays simpering loser Walter Paisley (above), so desperate to make friends in an arty beatnik crowd that he resorts to murder. With Paisley, Miller created the most well-rounded (and sympathetic) character in any Corman movie I've seen. Miller was also able to play it completely straight in his top-billed role in the Corman SF flick War of the Satellites (below). He actually has less screen time than the villain, Richard Devon, but he is memorable and got to play the hero like he rarely had the chance to. He was always a welcome presence in any film.
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