Monday, May 14, 2001
Friends remember Miller for love of area, zest for life
 

By Jennifer Henn Tribune Regional Staff

Though he held a place in the national theater community, local thespians and cultural supporters remember Jason Miller as a man passionately devoted to nurturing Scranton's artistic life.

Mr. Miller, who was raised in Scranton, made his fame and fortune in New York and Hollywood, then came back to the Electric City to give back to his hometown, died of a massive heart attack Sunday afternoon.

"He loved this area. He loved this city and he loved the people," said Ralph Lomma, chairman of the Pennsylvania International Film Festival and a close friend of Mr. Miller's. "He is a treasure that we had here and people will never know how important he was."

Mr. Miller was a member of the film festival's board and had worked with Mr. Lomma on numerous other theatrical productions across Northeastern Pennsylvania.

"He wanted to see theater in this area grow and develop and enrich people," said Bob Shlesinger, Mr. Miller's partner of 16 years in the Scranton Public Theater. "More often than not his attention was on how to give to the arts community, how to get kids and people involved in acting and producing and attending plays."

Mr. Shlesinger is the executive director of the Scranton Public Theater. Mr. Miller was the artistic director.

"He had such a zest for life and a drive. He inspired me," Mr. Shlesinger added. "I will dedicate every show the Public Theater does from here on out to Jason and I will live the rest of my life trying to live up to his standard."

It wasn't just local people who loved Mr. Miller, Mr. Lomma said.

"In the last few days I talked to some new members of the film festival's board, Stacy Keach, Jack Palance and Jerry Orbach. They all wanted me to tell Jason hello."

In addition to his work with local theater projects, Mr. Miller had "several irons in the fire" in Hollywood, Mr. Lomma said. At the time of his death he'd already written a first draft of "The Jackie Gleason Story," a screenplay about his former father-in-law that Paul Sorvino had said he would star in.

"The man was local, he probably ate in every restaurant in town," Mr. Lomma said. "But he was a national star with connections and Hollywood respect and he never stopped working."

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