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/
Reach for the Moon
So Dudley runs all day to get to the other side of the moon. Before he leaves Canada, he runs into Julia and tells her he’s heading for the moon to find his dragon friends. Julia, who suspects Dudley’s in over his head, wants to come. Dudley says no, and repeats Mezmra’s advice: Because dragons […]
Deal with the Devil
“As luck would have it, Dudley came across a mysterious fortune teller.” The Great Mezmra is astonished to see this big green rarity of nature. And he’s delighted. He vigorously shakes Dudley’s right hand (which is interesting, since the body puppet’s right hand is usually dysfunctional). Dudley asks Mezmra if he’s seen another dragon. “I’d […]
The Great Mercer
Peter Williamson and Ira Levy of Breakthrough Films and Television wanted comedian Rick Mercer to host their new TV series, It Seems Like Yesterday. At the time, Mercer had gained a reputation from his stage plays and a CBC TV series, This Hour Has 22 Minutes (1993-2001). Williamson said, “Although Rick’s in his 20s, he […]
Lo, There Shall be … a Villain!
Dudley was the last dragon. Dudley’s quest was to find another dragon. In the world of Dudley the Dragon, this would be an easy accomplishment. The forest was magical. It had Chloe, a fairy godmother. It had at least two wishing wells. Dudley could wish on a shooting star or pick a four-leaf clover. A […]
Dreaming of Dragons
Usually song-and-dance routines, when placed in a drama or comedy, are intrusive. They interrupt the narrative. They suck you right out of the story. The “fourth wall” is broken and viewers become aware that, “Oh, it’s just a TV show.” It’s for good reason they are called “showstoppers.” In Dudley the Dragon, the stories were […]
The Departure
As Dudley begins his quest, Sally calls out to him. He stops, and the two friends share a poignant moment. “It’s good to see you again,” Sally says. Actress Asia Vieira says the words with great sincerity, and warmth. She knows that after five years, this is the last time she’ll be interacting with this […]
Dudley’s Quest
Sally notes the dragon’s sad mood and asks what’s wrong. Dudley is lonely. He wants to find another dragon for companionship. He asks Sally if she knows of any real dragons, like him. “No,” she says, “You’re the only one.” “That’s the prob-a-lem. I don’t want to BE the only one.” Sally asks him if […]
A Reunion with Sally
“Once upon a time there was a dragon. He had many friends and many more adventures.” Thus began the final adventure of Dudley the Dragon. The words came from Dudley’s young friend Sally, the first human he met when he woke up in the 20th century. The series began with Sally narrating from a book, […]
The Last Dudley
For Dudley‘s cast and crew, filming the final episode must have been a sad occasion. For five years they had worked together on a show that brought joy, and education, to millions of youngsters. The actors had honed their roles to a “T,” knowing their characters thoroughly, and how they related to each other. The […]
Laura! What th- ?
“Dudley’s Big Decision” began Season 5. It’s a significant episode, for a couple of reasons. First, it reaffirmed that Laura (Andréanne Benidir) and Dudley were best friends with each other. Second, it dealt with the topics of free will, personal choice and true friendship. Laura was supposed to leave the forest with her family, but […]
