George Miller (June 28, 1941 – March 5, 2003), born George Wade Dornberger, was a

stand-up comedian Stand-up comedy is a comedy, comedic performance to a live audience in which the performer addresses the audience directly from the stage. The performer is known as a comedian, a comic or a stand-up. Stand-up comedy consists of One-line joke ...

. Greatly influenced by comedian Mort Sahl, Miller first performed standup at age 21, starting in Seattle and eventually in the late 1960's moving onto Southern California & Los Angeles comedy clubs, making his network television debut on '' The Tonight Show'' in 1976. Thereafter he appeared regularly on TV talk programs, Including The Mike Douglas Show, Dinah Shore and many others. Miller was a guest on NBC's ''

Late Night with David Letterman ''Late Night with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on NBC, the first iteration of the ''Late Night'' franchise. It premiered on February 1, 1982, and was produced by Letterman's production company ...

'' and CBS' ''

Late Show with David Letterman The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the The Late Show (franchise), ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by ...

'' 56 times in two decades. He was a ‘clean comic’ with a sardonic wit. Making references to show business or current events, Miller was a ‘comedian’s comic’, writing what David Letterman described as “very funny, intelligently constructed jokes, rather than comic musings.” PBS in Seattle shot a special called “Funny Business with George Miller,” following the comedian on the road, including to a taping of Letterman. The special was a first to look close-up on a life in the comedy “front lines,” and featured interviews with David Letterman, as well as his mother & long-term partner and manager. He acted as Guest-Host on Fox’s “The Late Show”, with Clint Holmes as a side-kick. He was a fiercely loyal friend to many in the West Coast comedy scene who later enjoyed tremendous success, including

David Letterman David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He hosted late night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982 debut of ''Late Night with David Letterman' ...

, Robin Williams,

Jay Leno James Douglas Muir Leno (; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and actor. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show'' from 1992 to 2009. Beginning in September 2009 ...

and

Jerry Seinfeld Jerome Allen Seinfeld ( ; born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He is best known for playing a Jerry Seinfeld (character), semi-fictionalized version of himself in the sitcom ''Seinfeld'', which he ...

. Miller died in 2003 aged 61 at UCLA Medical Center after a long bout with leukemia, from a blood clot in his brain.

Letterman Letterman may refer to: * Letterman (sports), a classification of high school or college athlete in the United States People * David Letterman (born 1947), American television talk show host ** ''Late Night with David Letterman'', talk show that ...

reportedly paid for Miller's medical expenses throughout his battle with leukemia, including a major donation to UCLA so Miller could be admitted into an experimental treatment program. Letterman also paid for Miller's

funeral A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...

expenses (though was unable to attend due to being hospitalized for a severe case of

shingles Shingles, also known as zoster or herpes zoster, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a localized area. Typically the rash occurs in a single, wide mark either on the left or right side of the body or face. ...

Notes

External links

*
Norm Macdonald and Letterman on their Favorite Comedian: George Miller
1941 births 2003 deaths American stand-up comedians American male comedians 20th-century American comedians 21st-century American comedians Comedians from Washington (state) Deaths from leukemia in California {{US-comedian-stub