Lois Kelly Miller, also spelled Lois Kelly-Miller and formerly known as Lois Kelly-Barrow, (October 15, 1917 – April 8, 2020) was a Jamaican theater and screen actress. She became a household name in Jamaica for her decades-long, professional career in theater and pantomime, particularly with the Little Theatre Movement (LTM) National Pantomime. Kelly Miller was best known to international audiences for her role in the American film '' Meet Joe Black'' (1998) opposite

Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...

and Anthony Hopkins.

Biography

Lois Kelly Miller was born on October 15, 1917, the daughter of businessman Lewis Kelly, who produced "Kelly's"

soft drink A soft drink (see § Terminology for other names) is a drink that usually contains water (often carbonated), a sweetener, and a natural and/or artificial flavoring. The sweetener may be a sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, a su ...

s and syrups. During World War II, Kelly Miller went to London to study music in 1944 and 1945. Upon completion of her studies, Kelly Miller took a trans-Atlantic ship from the United Kingdom to return to Jamaica. However, during the trip, her ship was attacked and

torpedoed A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, su ...

by an enemy vessel. Lois Kelly Miller survived the attack, but suffered serious burns. However, two friends whom she was traveling with were killed, including the sister of Jamaican actress Carmen Lawrence (wife of

Douglas Manley Douglas Ralph Manley (30 May 1922 – 26 July 2013) was a Jamaican politician, Member of Parliament (MP), and Government Minister. He was the son of Jamaican premier Norman Washington Manley and Edna Manley and the older brother of former Jamaica ...

). Kelly Miller was a member of a respected group of Jamaican theater actors who emerged during the 1950s and 1960s. She was particularly known for her work with the Little Theatre Movement (LTM) National Pantomime. She co-wrote three of the LTM's annual theater productions and performed in thirteen pantomimes. She worked alongside some of the most prominent figures in Jamaican theater, including Louise Bennett-Coverley, Charles Hyatt,

Oliver Samuels Oliver Samuels (born 9 November 1948) is a Jamaican comedian and actor. He is often described as the Jamaican "King of Comedy", performing both stand-up and comic theatre. Career Samuels found fame on the popular Jamaica Broadcasting Corporat ...

, and

Ranny Williams Randolph Samuel Williams (October 26, 1912 – August 11, 1980), also known as Mas Ran and Ranny Williams, was a Jamaican comedian and actor. Born in Colón, Panama, he moved to Jamaica with his mother when he was six. He hosted television shows, ...

. For example, Kelly Miller and Bennett-Coverley frequently worked together, starring opposite each other in the 1963, 1966, and 1973 LTM Pantomime productions of ''Queenie's Daughter.'' She and Bennett-Coverley also appeared together in "Pirate's Princess" pantomime. Her television credits included "Win Some Lose Some" on the

Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation The Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) was a public broadcasting company in Jamaica founded in 1959 by premier Norman Manley with the aim of emulating the success of other national broadcasting companies such as the BBC and CBC.Thomas, Pradip ...

(JBC) with

Leonie Forbes Leonie Evadne Forbes OD (14 June 1937 – 25 October 2022) was a Jamaican actress, broadcaster, and producer who was active in theatre, radio, and television. Forbes born and grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. She attended Kingston Senior School be ...

. On screen, Lois Kelly Miller was best known for her role in the 1998

romantic Romantic may refer to: Genres and eras * The Romantic era, an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement of the 18th and 19th centuries ** Romantic music, of that era ** Romantic poetry, of that era ** Romanticism in science, of that e ...

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'' Meet Joe Black''. The role included a lengthy hospital scene opposite

in which both actors conversed in Jamaican Patois. Kelly Miller also appeared in ''Ecstasy'', the debut play by playwright David Heron in 1997. Lois Kelly Miller died at her home in

Gordon Town Gordon Town is a settlement in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica. It has a population of 1,067 as of 2009. Reggae musician Judah Eskender Tafari was born in Gordon Town, as was Henry Arthur Campbell (1873-1953), electrical engineer. In 2019, Gordon T ...

, Saint Andrew Parish, just outside

Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the five most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...

, on April 8, 2020, at the age of 102.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly Miller, Lois 1917 births 2020 deaths 20th-century Jamaican actresses 21st-century Jamaican actresses Jamaican actresses Jamaican centenarians Jamaican expatriates in the United Kingdom Jamaican film actresses Jamaican stage actresses Jamaican television actresses People from Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica Women centenarians