W. R. Miller
I've worked primarily in the entertainment industry as an animator, writer and storyboard artist, with two Emmy honors on The Simpsons. My articles have been published in Starlog, Comics Scene, Comics Buyer’s Guide, Animation Magazine, Animato! and the online Animation World Magazine. I have just completed the five-volume Batman: The Animated Interviews, published by BearManor Media. Works-in-progress: The Justice Dragon; The Star Wars Historical Sourcebook. Further details are presented at my webpage, https://wrmilleronline.com/about/
Why do Americans like Downton Abbey?
In an interview with Time Magazine, British actor Jim Carter—who plays butler Mr. Carson—is asked why he thinks Downton Abbey appeals so much to Americans. His reply: “Every American film now, particularly the way it’s advertised in England, is a man with a gun. Everything. The posters are always a guy with a gun. The […]
Mark Hamill in the Magic Kingdom, 2014
In June 2014, Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World received a visitor from a galaxy far far away … or in real life, London, where Star Wars Episode VII was in production. Yes, Mark Hamill attended Star Wars Weekends, participating in a motorcade and being interviewed by voice actor James Arnold Taylor, Ben Kenobi […]
Go, Go, Go! Astro Boy!
On my birthday this year, Jerry Beck–animation historian and the new president of ASIFA-Hollywood–surprised me on Facebook with a tribute drawing from a special childhood hero, Astro Boy (known in Japan as Tetsuwan Atom), along with his guardian and mentor, Dr. Elephun, created by Osamu Tezuka. Here’s the Japanese opening to the series: And the […]
Bastian Says “No” to Humdrum Books
Bastian Balthazar Bux, the young hero of Michael Ende’s Die unendliche Geschichte / The Neverending Story, is particularly choosy in the books he likes to read. Here’s why: “Reluctantly Bastian’s thoughts turned back to reality. He was glad the Neverending Story had nothing to do with that. “He didn’t like books in which dull, cranky […]
What keeps Star Wars alive?
Today Steve Sansweet posted a blog entry regarding Disney preparing new Star Wars merchandise for its stores. While reading it, this popped out at me: “With the merchandise being developed, it became the job of Jonathan Storey, a 22-year Disney Store veteran, to prepare the Stores and the Cast Members. It was a task that […]
The Magnificent Dragon Gate
One of the benefits of Facebook is learning from friends who share similar interests. Recently one shared a photo of this exquisite Dragon Gate of Harlech House in Dublin. For details and more gorgeous pictures of the gate, see this article by “Pinar”, “Mythical Dragon Gate Protects Home.”
Harrison Ford in France, September 1977
On September 20, 1977, Gary Kurtz, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford appeared on a French TV show, Spécial Cinéma, hosted by Christian Defaye. On May 16, 2014, Bertha Rand uploaded a video of Ford’s part in the interview. Here it is: http://youtu.be/5SbGxjKc9jU This clip is also available at Les Archives de la Radio Télévision Suisse.
What if AKIRA was live-action?
On May 9, 2014, The Akira Project posted its amazing trailer, a live-action homage to Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira. Who can believe this fan-made effort can be so … professional? Caution: Material is PG-13. From their online posting: The Akira Project is a crowd-sourced, non-profit project meant to create a live action fan trailer of AKIRA, […]
Princess Leia comes to Fairy Tale Land
Yes, Once Upon a Time has a visitor from a galaxy far, far away. Sort of: http://youtu.be/1TFGx4B_HqE
