Lillian Miller
Encyclopedia
Lillian Dorothy Miller better known as Miss Miller, was a regular audience member of various American television variety shows from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Miller was first a regular audience member of The Tonight Show
throughout Steve Allen
's and Jack Paar
's tenures as host. Miss Miller was even brought along when the New York City
-based show would go on location
to places such as Havana, Cuba, Hollywood, California, and Niagara Falls
. She became such a fixture on the show that she was forced to join the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
, the TV actors' union.
When Paar left Tonight to start his prime-time Jack Paar Program in 1962, Miss Miller then became a regular on that program, as well as on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
and The Merv Griffin Show
. On at least one Paar program, shown on November 29, 1962, Miss Miller was an on-stage guest alongside Liberace
and Cassius Clay
. Even with numerous network and syndicator
changes, as well as a changing of base from New York to Hollywood, Miss Miller remained a fixture on Griffin
's program throughout its run which ended in 1986. She was sometimes featured in the commercials for Griffin's show. She was also a regular on The Carol Burnett Show
, frequently bantering with Burnett
during the program's opening question-and-answer with the audience.
Miss Miller had a daytime job as a government typist, but retired in 1958 due to eye trouble. She began her audience career with radio programs in 1940, in New York. In 1948 she was living in Hollywood, California
. She first went on stage in 1949, helping Sammy Kaye
lead his band on his radio show So You Want to Lead a Band. In 1950, she moved back East, to New York City, then to Philadelphia
, and then back to New York City.
Miller was first a regular audience member of The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
throughout Steve Allen
Steve Allen
Steve Allen may refer to:*Steve Allen , American musician, comedian, and writer*Steve Allen , presenter on the London-based talk radio station LBC 97.3...
's and Jack Paar
Jack Paar
Jack Harold Paar was an author, American radio and television comedian and talk show host, best known for his stint as host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962...
's tenures as host. Miss Miller was even brought along when the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based show would go on location
On location
On location can refer to:*Filming location, a place where some or all of a film or television series is produced*On Location , a name of an HBO special series*Adobe OnLocation, computer software for direct to disk recording....
to places such as Havana, Cuba, Hollywood, California, and Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
. She became such a fixture on the show that she was forced to join the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is a performers' union that represents a wide variety of talent, including actors in radio and television, as well as radio and television announcers and newspersons, singers and recording artists , promo and voice-over announcers and other...
, the TV actors' union.
When Paar left Tonight to start his prime-time Jack Paar Program in 1962, Miss Miller then became a regular on that program, as well as on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
and The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to September 26, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in...
. On at least one Paar program, shown on November 29, 1962, Miss Miller was an on-stage guest alongside Liberace
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned...
and Cassius Clay
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
. Even with numerous network and syndicator
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
changes, as well as a changing of base from New York to Hollywood, Miss Miller remained a fixture on Griffin
Merv Griffin
Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
's program throughout its run which ended in 1986. She was sometimes featured in the commercials for Griffin's show. She was also a regular on The Carol Burnett Show
The Carol Burnett Show
The Carol Burnett Show is a variety / sketch comedy television show starring Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and Tim Conway. It originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 278 episodes and originated from CBS Television City's Studio 33...
, frequently bantering with Burnett
Carol Burnett
Carol Creighton Burnett is an American actress, comedian, singer, dancer and writer. Burnett started her career in New York. After becoming a hit on Broadway, she made her television debut...
during the program's opening question-and-answer with the audience.
Miss Miller had a daytime job as a government typist, but retired in 1958 due to eye trouble. She began her audience career with radio programs in 1940, in New York. In 1948 she was living in Hollywood, California
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
. She first went on stage in 1949, helping Sammy Kaye
Sammy Kaye
Sammy Kaye , born Samuel Zarnocay, Jr., was an American bandleader and songwriter, whose tag line, "Swing and sway with Sammy Kaye", became one of the most famous of the Big Band Era.-Biography:...
lead his band on his radio show So You Want to Lead a Band. In 1950, she moved back East, to New York City, then to Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, and then back to New York City.