American actor and writer (1939-2001). Born John Anthony Miller in Long Island, New York. Though Miller was an accomplished playwright (he wrote "That Championship Season", among numerous other plays), he is still best known for his movie debut: the tormented and faithless Father Damien Karras in "The Exorcist". Miller was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, but he never enjoyed such popular success again.

In later years, Miller married Linda Gleason, the daughter of Jackie Gleason; they had a son, actor Jason Patric, who went on to moderate success. Miller was the co-artistic director of the Public Theatre in his adopted hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and, shortly before his death, reworked his first play--"Nobody Hears a Broken Drum"--and wrote, directed, and starred in a play called "Barrymore's Ghost". He died on May 13, 2001, of a heart attack.

Much research accomplished through the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com).