Frank Muller
Encyclopedia
Frank Muller was a stage and television actor, but was most famous as an audiobook narrator.
, the eldest of five children. His family emigrated to the United States
when he was five.
, for which he played the title role in King Henry V, Edmund the Bastard in The History of King Lear
, and the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac
, as well as performing with the Roundabout Theater Company and the New York Shakespeare Festival
among others. He also played supporting roles on television in shows like Law And Order
, Life Goes On
, Harry and the Hendersons
, and All My Children
.
It is as an audiobook narrator, however, that he was most famous. In 1979, Henry Trentman founded Recorded Books and hired Muller as a narrator. The company began by publishing audiobook recordings of public domain works such as Call of the Wild
and A Tale of Two Cities
but later expanded into copyrighted works as audiobooks began to grow in popularity. Muller soon became the narrator of choice for such authors as Stephen King
, John le Carré
, John Grisham
, Elmore Leonard
and many others. Muller won the 2003 Audie Award
for Best Male Narrator for his reading of Elmore Leonard
's Tishomingo Blues
.
, Muller sideswiped a center concrete construction divider. He was thrown from the bike and landed on his head and chest. Although he was wearing a helmet, he suffered severe head trauma and was later diagnosed with diffuse axonal injury
.
Muller was taken to Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center
in Lancaster, California
, where he went into cardiac arrest three times.
Muller had seven surgeries and was in a coma for over a month. From the time of the accident until his death, he was unable to work.
In 2002, Stephen King
, who had also experienced a life-threatening auto accident, organized a benefit for Muller with Pat Conroy
, John Grisham
, and Peter Straub
. King went on to help found the Wavedancer Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping disabled performers, writers, and members of the production community.
, United States
, that was modified specifically for Frank's therapeutic and rehabilitative needs.
He died on June 4, 2008 at Duke University Medical Center.
Early life
Muller was born in The NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, the eldest of five children. His family emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when he was five.
Career
Muller was a classically trained actor who began his career working on stage and doing commercials. He spent many years on the New York stage, where he became a company member of the Riverside Shakespeare CompanyRiverside Shakespeare Company
The Riverside Shakespeare Company of New York City was founded in 1977 as a professional theatre company on the Upper West Side of New York City, by W. Stuart McDowell and Gloria Skurski...
, for which he played the title role in King Henry V, Edmund the Bastard in The History of King Lear
The History of King Lear
The History of King Lear is an adaptation by Nahum Tate of William Shakespeare's King Lear. It first appeared in 1681, some seventy-five years after Shakespeare's version, and is believed to have replaced Shakespeare's version on the English stage in whole or in part until 1838.Unlike Shakespeare's...
, and the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac
Cyrano de Bergerac
Hercule-Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac was a French dramatist and duelist. He is now best remembered for the works of fiction which have been woven, often very loosely, around his life story, most notably the 1897 play by Edmond Rostand...
, as well as performing with the Roundabout Theater Company and the New York Shakespeare Festival
New York Shakespeare Festival
New York Shakespeare Festival is the previous name of the New York City theatrical producing organization now known as the Public Theater. The Festival produced shows at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, as part of its free Shakespeare in the Park series, at the Public Theatre near Astor Place...
among others. He also played supporting roles on television in shows like Law And Order
Law and Order
Law and Order may refer to:In politics:*Law and order , a term common in political debate and discussion, generally indicating support of a strict criminal justice system*Law and Order Offensive Party, a minor German political party...
, Life Goes On
Life Goes On (TV series)
Life Goes On is a television series that aired on ABC from September 12, 1989 to May 23, 1993. The show centers on the Thacher family living in suburban Chicago: Drew, his wife Elizabeth, and their children Paige, Rebecca, and Charles, who is known as Corky...
, Harry and the Hendersons
Harry and the Hendersons
Harry and the Hendersons is a 1987 American comedy film directed and produced by William Dear, and starring John Lithgow, Melinda Dillon, Lainie Kazan and Don Ameche. It is the story of a family's encounter with the cryptozoological creature Bigfoot...
, and All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
.
It is as an audiobook narrator, however, that he was most famous. In 1979, Henry Trentman founded Recorded Books and hired Muller as a narrator. The company began by publishing audiobook recordings of public domain works such as Call of the Wild
Call Of The Wild
-Track listing:All songs written by Ted Nugent, except where indicated:#"Call of the Wild" – 4:51#"Sweet Revenge" – 4:06#"Pony Express" – 5:21#"Ain't It the Truth" – 4:57#"Renegade" – 3:33...
and A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities is a novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. With well over 200 million copies sold, it ranks among the most famous works in the history of fictional literature....
but later expanded into copyrighted works as audiobooks began to grow in popularity. Muller soon became the narrator of choice for such authors as Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
, John le Carré
John le Carré
David John Moore Cornwell , who writes under the name John le Carré, is an author of espionage novels. During the 1950s and the 1960s, Cornwell worked for MI5 and MI6, and began writing novels under the pseudonym "John le Carré"...
, John Grisham
John Grisham
John Ray Grisham, Jr. is an American lawyer and author, best known for his popular legal thrillers.John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981 and practiced criminal law for about a decade...
, Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard
Elmore John Leonard Jr. , better known as Elmore Leonard, is an American novelist and screenwriter. His earliest published novels in the 1950s were westerns, but Leonard went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures.Among his...
and many others. Muller won the 2003 Audie Award
Audie Awards
The Audie Awards are annually bestowed annually in the USA for outstanding audiobooks. The Audies have been granted by the Audio Publishers Association, a not-for-profit trade organization, since 1996. The nominees are announced each year in January, and the winners are announced at a gala banquet...
for Best Male Narrator for his reading of Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard
Elmore John Leonard Jr. , better known as Elmore Leonard, is an American novelist and screenwriter. His earliest published novels in the 1950s were westerns, but Leonard went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures.Among his...
's Tishomingo Blues
Tishomingo Blues (novel)
Tishomingo Blues is a 2002 novel by Elmore Leonard, set in Mississippi, about two fledgling allies, the local Dixie Mafia, and a high-stakes Civil War re-enactment. It happens to be Leonard's favorite book of the books he has written...
.
Motorcycle accident
On November 5, 2001, while riding his motorcycle in Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Muller sideswiped a center concrete construction divider. He was thrown from the bike and landed on his head and chest. Although he was wearing a helmet, he suffered severe head trauma and was later diagnosed with diffuse axonal injury
Diffuse axonal injury
Diffuse axonal injury is one of the most common and devastating types of traumatic brain injury, meaning that damage occurs over a more widespread area than in focal brain injury. DAI, which refers to extensive lesions in white matter tracts, is one of the major causes of unconsciousness and...
.
Muller was taken to Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center
Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center
Antelope Valley Hospital is a public hospital located in Lancaster, California specializing in acute care. It has 420 beds and is accredited by the Joint Commission. In March 2010 AV hospital was declared one of the 14 trauma centers in Los Angeles County.-External links:*...
in Lancaster, California
Lancaster, California
Lancaster is a charter city in northern Los Angeles County, in the high desert, near the Kern County line. Lancaster currently ranks as the 30th largest city in California, and the 148th largest city in the United States. Lancaster is the principal city within the Antelope Valley...
, where he went into cardiac arrest three times.
Muller had seven surgeries and was in a coma for over a month. From the time of the accident until his death, he was unable to work.
In 2002, Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
, who had also experienced a life-threatening auto accident, organized a benefit for Muller with Pat Conroy
Pat Conroy
Pat Conroy , is a New York Times bestselling author who has written several acclaimed novels and memoirs. Two of his novels, The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini, were made into Oscar-nominated films.-Early life:...
, John Grisham
John Grisham
John Ray Grisham, Jr. is an American lawyer and author, best known for his popular legal thrillers.John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981 and practiced criminal law for about a decade...
, and Peter Straub
Peter Straub
Peter Francis Straub is an American author and poet, most famous for his work in the horror genre. His horror fiction has received numerous literary honors such as the Bram Stoker Award, World Fantasy Award, and International Horror Guild Award, placing him among the most-honored horror authors in...
. King went on to help found the Wavedancer Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping disabled performers, writers, and members of the production community.
Personal life
Muller was married to Erika Muller and had two children, Diana and Morgan. In 2003, the Mullers moved to a house outside Raleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, that was modified specifically for Frank's therapeutic and rehabilitative needs.
He died on June 4, 2008 at Duke University Medical Center.