Early years

Miller was born John Anthony Miller in Long Island City, Queens, the son of Mary Claire Collins, a teacher, and John A. Miller, an electrician. He was Irish-American. His family moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania, where Miller, who went by the name "Howie" through his youth, 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..While at Catholic University, "Jack" Miller taught drama and English at Archbishop Carroll High School 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, and he preferred to work in regional theatre. He starred as Henry Drummond opposite Malachy McCourt as Matt Brady in the Philadelphia production of Inherit The Wind. The show is to date the longest running production in Philadelphia history. He was also co-founder of Scranton Public Theatre. With SPT, Miller directed and starred in various productions including Blithe Spirit, California Suite, Crimes of the Heart and The Lion in Winter.

Miller continued to act occasionally in such films as The Dain Curse (1978), The Ninth Configuration (1980), Toy Soldiers (1984), The Exorcist III (1990) and Rudy (1993), playing a role close to his heart, Notre Dame football coach Ara Parseghian. Miller was a die-hard Fighting Irish fan.

In 1998 he toured the country in his one-man play Barrymore's Ghost, ending the tour with a four-month run Off-Broadway . Miller's last projects included a revival of The Odd Couple for the Pennsylvania Summer Theatre Festival, in which he was appearing in the role of Oscar Madison.In October 2000 he performed "Barrymore's Ghost" in a hugely successful and critically acclaime production directed by Michael Leland at Theatre Double mainstage in Philadelphia.

Personal life

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, in the presence of legendary Scranton barman, Mike Stalter, Miller died of a heart attack at Farley's Pub and Eatery in Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the age of 62.

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. The statue was unveiled in December 2008.