Merlin Miller
Encyclopedia
Merlin L. Miller is an American independent film director, writer, and producer. His works include the 1998 television film A Place to Grow
, starring Gary Morris
, and the 2000 film Jericho
, starring Mark Valley
. During the 2000s, he adopted an increasingly white nationalist political philosophy and founded a Tennessee
-based all-white production company, Americana Pictures. He has also written articles for the Barnes Review
and the Occidental Observer
.
at West Point, New York
. He served in the U. S. Army and at one point commanded two units. Following this, he worked as an Industrial engineering
manager for Michelin Tire Company. In 1985, he graduated from the University of Southern California
with an MFA degree in Cinema/Television.
Miller said that while growing up, he admired Walt Disney
and Davy Crockett
.
movie starring Tag Groat as the title character. In 1991, Miller produced David Heavener
's crime film Prime Target, starring Heavener as policeman John Bloodstone and Isaac Hayes
as Captain Tompkins.
In 1992, Miller co-produced the action film A Mission to Kill, starring William Smith
as a mentally unstable Vietnam veteran, Boris Catuli. Tag Groat, who played the title role in Devil Rider, also appeared in this film.
, which he wrote, directed, and produced. The movie starred country singer Gary Morris
; actors John Beck
and Wilford Brimley
, as well as hobo
music artist Boxcar Willie
, also appeared in it.
In 2000, Miller produced and directed a western movie, Jericho
, with Mark Valley
as the title character. Retired Marine Corps drill instructor R. Lee Ermey
appeared in the movie, as did Buck Taylor
and country artist Lisa Stewart
.
-based traditional values, and replace them with values that debase these traditional values and elevate minorities as paragons of virtue and wisdom....Today’s motion pictures, in concert with other forms of mass media entertainment, are the greatest enemies to the well-being of our progeny and the future of our country." Miller has also accused Hollywood of being under "Jewish-Zionist control"; he cites Kevin MacDonald as influencing this view. He has attacked celebrities such as Quentin Tarantino
and Madonna
, saying that they are "dysfunctional" and "come from traditional Christian or European-American backgrounds but are notorious for spurning those values." He has cited Mel Gibson
and his self-marketed movie The Passion of the Christ
as inspirations.
Miller also spoke at the 2008 national conference of the Council of Conservative Citizens
, an organization he is a member of. Miller has stated that while he does not share all the views of the COfCC members, and rejects "extremist stances", he nonetheless agrees with the group's statement of principles. Miller states that he "doesn't like" interracial marriage
, and that he does not want his daughters to marry "people of other races"; however, he does not support outlawing interracial marriage, either. Miller has denied being anti-Semitic, instead claiming that he merely opposes "favoritism" granted to Jews in the film industry. He also opposes illegal immigration
and what he refers to as "wide open borders" in the United States.
Miller has also appeared as a guest on The Political Cesspool
, a white nationalist radio show affiliated with the COfCC.
, Miller's current home. According to its mission statement, the company aims "to develop, produce and market quality motion pictures, which promote fresh talent and the best of traditional European-American ideals." Americana Pictures' first film will be about the USS Liberty incident
, which he referred to as a "shocking Israeli attack" on the United States. He is also planning to produce The Liberator (which is to be based on the history of Arminius
and the Battle of the Teutoberg Forest).
The movie The Liberator will be filmed in Hermann, Missouri
, a town known for its German-American heritage and which was named after Arminius. This decision caused a controversy among area residents due to Miller's racism.
Ron Paul
. He also served as a delegate for Paul's campaign.
He wrote a favorable review of the Mel Gibson
movie Edge of Darkness.
A Place to Grow
A Place to Grow is a 1998 television drama film written and directed by Merlin Miller.-Plot:Upon his brother's death, a recording artist returns to his hometown to sell the family farm....
, starring Gary Morris
Gary Morris
Gary Gwyn Morris is an American country music artist who charted a string of countrypolitan-styled hit songs throughout the 1980s....
, and the 2000 film Jericho
Jericho (2001 film)
Jericho is a 2001 western film starring Mark Valley and directed by Merlin Miller.-Cast:*Mark Valley as Jericho*Leon Coffee as Joshua*R. Lee Ermey as Marshall*Lisa Stewart as Mary*Mark Collie as Johnny 'O*Morgana Shaw as Mildred Flynn...
, starring Mark Valley
Mark Valley
Mark Thomas Valley is an American film and television actor, known for his role as Brad Chase on the TV drama Boston Legal and Christopher Chance in Fox's action/drama Human Target.-Personal life:...
. During the 2000s, he adopted an increasingly white nationalist political philosophy and founded a Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
-based all-white production company, Americana Pictures. He has also written articles for the Barnes Review
Barnes Review
The Barnes Review is a bi-monthly magazine founded in 1994 by Willis Carto, dedicated to historical revisionism such as Holocaust denial. Willis Carto had earlier founded the Institute for Historical Review in 1979 but lost control of that organization in an internal takeover by former...
and the Occidental Observer
Occidental Observer
The Occidental Observer is an online publication whose mission statement is to "present original content touching on the themes of white identity, white interests, and the culture of the West." The publication claims that there is great need for efforts such as its own because, "overt expressions...
.
Early years
Miller is a graduate of the United States Military AcademyUnited States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
. He served in the U. S. Army and at one point commanded two units. Following this, he worked as an Industrial engineering
Industrial engineering
Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering dealing with the optimization of complex processes or systems. It is concerned with the development, improvement, implementation and evaluation of integrated systems of people, money, knowledge, information, equipment, energy, materials, analysis...
manager for Michelin Tire Company. In 1985, he graduated from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
with an MFA degree in Cinema/Television.
Miller said that while growing up, he admired Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
and Davy Crockett
Davy Crockett
David "Davy" Crockett was a celebrated 19th century American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier and politician. He is commonly referred to in popular culture by the epithet "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S...
.
1989–1992
In 1989, Miller produced and edited Devil Rider, a horrorHorror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
movie starring Tag Groat as the title character. In 1991, Miller produced David Heavener
David Heavener
David Heavener is an American singer, songwriter, director, actor, composer, producer and writer.- Biography :...
's crime film Prime Target, starring Heavener as policeman John Bloodstone and Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an American songwriter, musician, singer and actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the...
as Captain Tompkins.
In 1992, Miller co-produced the action film A Mission to Kill, starring William Smith
William Smith (actor)
William Smith is an American actor who has appeared in almost 300 feature films and television productions.Smith began his acting career at the age of 8 in 1942...
as a mentally unstable Vietnam veteran, Boris Catuli. Tag Groat, who played the title role in Devil Rider, also appeared in this film.
1998–2000
In 1998, Miller returned to the film business with A Place to GrowA Place to Grow
A Place to Grow is a 1998 television drama film written and directed by Merlin Miller.-Plot:Upon his brother's death, a recording artist returns to his hometown to sell the family farm....
, which he wrote, directed, and produced. The movie starred country singer Gary Morris
Gary Morris
Gary Gwyn Morris is an American country music artist who charted a string of countrypolitan-styled hit songs throughout the 1980s....
; actors John Beck
John Beck (actor)
John Beck is an American actor. He grew up in Joliet, Illinois. Renowned as a gritty actor with plenty of presence on set, he is ultimately best-known worldwide for playing the role of Mark Graison in Dallas during the mid-1980s, but is also well-known for several other roles in which he...
and Wilford Brimley
Wilford Brimley
Allen Wilford Brimley is an American actor. He has appeared in such films as The China Syndrome, Cocoon, The Thing and The Firm. He had a recurring role on the 1970s television series The Waltons...
, as well as hobo
Hobo
A hobo is a term which is often applied to a migratory worker or homeless vagabond, often penniless. The term originated in the Western—probably Northwestern—United States during the last decade of the 19th century. Unlike 'tramps', who work only when they are forced to, and 'bums', who do not...
music artist Boxcar Willie
Boxcar Willie
Boxcar Willie, born as Lecil Travis Martin was an American country music singer, who sang in the "old-time hobo" music style, complete with dirty face, overalls, and a floppy hat...
, also appeared in it.
In 2000, Miller produced and directed a western movie, Jericho
Jericho (2001 film)
Jericho is a 2001 western film starring Mark Valley and directed by Merlin Miller.-Cast:*Mark Valley as Jericho*Leon Coffee as Joshua*R. Lee Ermey as Marshall*Lisa Stewart as Mary*Mark Collie as Johnny 'O*Morgana Shaw as Mildred Flynn...
, with Mark Valley
Mark Valley
Mark Thomas Valley is an American film and television actor, known for his role as Brad Chase on the TV drama Boston Legal and Christopher Chance in Fox's action/drama Human Target.-Personal life:...
as the title character. Retired Marine Corps drill instructor R. Lee Ermey
R. Lee Ermey
Ronald Lee Ermey is a retired United States Marine Corps drill instructor and actor.Ermey has often played the roles of authority figures, such as his breakout performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, Mayor Tilman in the Alan Parker film Mississippi Burning, Bill Bowerman in...
appeared in the movie, as did Buck Taylor
Buck Taylor
Walter Clarence "Buck" Taylor, III is an American actor and water color artist best known for his role as gunsmith-turned-deputy Newly O'Brien in 113 episodes during the last eight seasons of CBS's Gunsmoke television series . In recent years, he has painted the portrait of his friend and Gunsmoke...
and country artist Lisa Stewart
Lisa Stewart
-Track listing:#"Somebody's in Love" – 3:31#"Drive Time" – 3:35#"Don't Touch Me" – 3:02#"Under the Light of the Texaco" – 3:42...
.
Shift in philosophy
During the 2000s, Miller began to take on an increasingly white nationalist political stance. He also became harshly critical of Hollywood, claiming that it "surreptitiously seeks to destroy our European-American heritage and our ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
-based traditional values, and replace them with values that debase these traditional values and elevate minorities as paragons of virtue and wisdom....Today’s motion pictures, in concert with other forms of mass media entertainment, are the greatest enemies to the well-being of our progeny and the future of our country." Miller has also accused Hollywood of being under "Jewish-Zionist control"; he cites Kevin MacDonald as influencing this view. He has attacked celebrities such as Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, saying that they are "dysfunctional" and "come from traditional Christian or European-American backgrounds but are notorious for spurning those values." He has cited Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
and his self-marketed movie The Passion of the Christ
The Passion of the Christ
The Passion of the Christ is a 2004 American drama film directed by Mel Gibson and starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus. It depicts the Passion of Jesus largely according to the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John...
as inspirations.
Miller also spoke at the 2008 national conference of the Council of Conservative Citizens
Council of Conservative Citizens
The Council of Conservative Citizens is an American political organization that supports a large variety of conservative and paleoconservative causes in addition to white nationalism, and white separatism...
, an organization he is a member of. Miller has stated that while he does not share all the views of the COfCC members, and rejects "extremist stances", he nonetheless agrees with the group's statement of principles. Miller states that he "doesn't like" interracial marriage
Interracial marriage
Interracial marriage occurs when two people of differing racial groups marry. This is a form of exogamy and can be seen in the broader context of miscegenation .-Legality of interracial marriage:In the Western world certain jurisdictions have had regulations...
, and that he does not want his daughters to marry "people of other races"; however, he does not support outlawing interracial marriage, either. Miller has denied being anti-Semitic, instead claiming that he merely opposes "favoritism" granted to Jews in the film industry. He also opposes illegal immigration
Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
and what he refers to as "wide open borders" in the United States.
Miller has also appeared as a guest on The Political Cesspool
The Political Cesspool
The Political Cesspool is a weekly talk radio show founded by James Edwards, and syndicated by Liberty News Radio Network and Accent Radio Network in the United States...
, a white nationalist radio show affiliated with the COfCC.
Americana Pictures
Miller's shift in views led him to found Americana Pictures, based in Gatlinburg, TennesseeGatlinburg, Tennessee
Gatlinburg is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Gatlinburg had a population of 3,828. The city is a popular vacation resort, as it rests on the border of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park along U.S...
, Miller's current home. According to its mission statement, the company aims "to develop, produce and market quality motion pictures, which promote fresh talent and the best of traditional European-American ideals." Americana Pictures' first film will be about the USS Liberty incident
USS Liberty incident
The USS Liberty incident was an attack on a United States Navy technical research ship, , by Israeli Air Force jet fighter aircraft and Israeli Navy torpedo boats, on June 8, 1967, during the Six-Day War. The combined air and sea attack killed 34 crew members , wounded 170 crew members, and...
, which he referred to as a "shocking Israeli attack" on the United States. He is also planning to produce The Liberator (which is to be based on the history of Arminius
Arminius
Arminius , also known as Armin or Hermann was a chieftain of the Germanic Cherusci who defeated a Roman army in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest...
and the Battle of the Teutoberg Forest).
The movie The Liberator will be filmed in Hermann, Missouri
Hermann, Missouri
Hermann is a city designated in 1842 as the county seat of Gasconade County, Missouri, United States. It is near the center of the Missouri Rhineland and south of the Missouri River. The population was 2,674 at the 2000 census....
, a town known for its German-American heritage and which was named after Arminius. This decision caused a controversy among area residents due to Miller's racism.
Other recent activities
In 2008, Miller contributed $200 to the presidential campaign of RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...
. He also served as a delegate for Paul's campaign.
He wrote a favorable review of the Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
movie Edge of Darkness.