Tuesday, May 15, 2001

Jason Miller's friends lament loss of unique genius

By Christopher J. Kelly Tribune Staff Writer

He may have been the greatest American playwright, a major talent stunted by his excesses, or anything and everything in between.

But as news of Jason Miller's death spread through the entertainment world Monday, those who worked him all agreed on one thing: He was one of a kind.

"I feel a very great sense of loss," said actor Paul Sorvino, who appeared in Mr. Miller's Pulitzer Prize-winning "That Championship Season." A longtime friend, he was collaborating with Mr. Miller on a film about the playwright's former father-in-law, Jackie Gleason.

"He had the greatest gift of all the American playwrights," Mr. Sorvino said. "His language was extraordinary -- not as lyrical as Tennessee Williams, but every bit of it impeccable prose and very beautiful.

"(Eugene) O'Neill's language was suspect, but with Jason's, you couldn't change a word. He also had more bite than Tennessee Williams or Arthur Miller, and great humor.

"His humor was enormous. When we did 'That Championship Season' on Broadway, the humor brought the house down. Then, of course, we broke their hearts.

"He could make you laugh or cry, and he had that beautiful language. No other playwright had all of these qualities in the past century, at least none that I'm aware of. He had his problems, that was no secret, but we all do. This is a major loss."

Reached in London, Sir Richard Harris said he was deeply saddened by the news. The British actor became friends with Mr. Miller during visits to the city. He briefly taught drama at the University of Scranton.

"I'm very sad, very shocked," he said. "What can you say? He was very young. What was he, 62? Terrible. It's a sad day for the theater and a sad day for Scranton. I know he was very happy living there."

Once a hard drinker of world renown, Mr. Harris found it fitting that Mr. Miller -- whose taste for spirits was arguably as famous as his writing ability -- spent his final moments at a downtown pub. He suffered a heart attack at Farley's on Linden Street, a favorite hangout.

"At least he died the way he wanted to," Mr. Harris said. "In a pub."

Another Irishman and longtime friend, actor and writer Malachy McCourt called Mr. Miller's death a painful -- and far-reaching -- blow.

"It's a bit of thump in the solar plexus for all of us," said Mr. McCourt, who appeared with Mr. Miller in a six-month run of "Inherit the Wind" in Philadelphia.

"It's very hard to digest. He was omnipresent in Scranton, and at the same time omnipresent throughout the culture of theater. He was everywhere, and will be for some time.

"His love of language and his use of it were brilliant. He loved the word. He never of course realized his full potential, but for me, he is to drama and playwriting what Hemingway was to the novel.

"And he had that wacky sense of humor that would come through, even in what seemed like his most serious moments, that Irish eruption would rush through.

"Just wonderful."

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