Jason Miller - Did anyone here know him?

[Zenith Transoceanic]

Last night WVIA TV ran their Jason Miller bio, and today Steve Corbett and Sue Henry asked WILK listeners what they thought of it, while Monday-morning quarterbacking the show themselves.

I watched the show, and found it interesting, but I left feeling as if I still didn't come to know the man as a person.
If he spent so much time around Scranton drinking in bars, you'd think people would have had a lot to say about their conversations with him.
I figure chances are that some of the people who frequent this place may have known him fairly well, so if you are someone who did, I ask:

What was he like?
Did he ever tell you something really cool?
Did he go home bombed every night?
Did he talk about his wives and kids?

Nosey people want to know!

 

[mevansrock]

While I didn't "know" the guy, he used to drop by the Daniels and Webster show occasionally when I was still their producer. He even cut a liner for them once -- "Pure madness!" Probably helped that the Times building was two blocks away from his apartment.

The last time he came by was when Warner Bros re-released the director's cut of The Exorcist into theaters (2002 maybe?). He did an interview. Even signed my DVD. Very cordial guy. Absolutely no ego whatsoever. But yeah...toward the end you could tell the drink was really taking its toll.

He will be missed. Jay and John used to refer to him as a "friend of the show."

evans

 

[Zenith Transoceanic]

Thanks mevansrock. I appreciate your taking the time to respond.
I was talking with a friend who unwittingly freaked Jason Miller out, quoting one of the demon lines from Linda Blair while they were drinking.
Jason became quite agitated, and told him never to do it again, saying, in effect, that he felt that he was cursed for having taken part in the movie (The Exorcist).
I guess that for Jason, it was like having the devil sit next to him and mock him at the time.

I'd love to hear what anyone else has to say about their encounters with him.
Thanks again, mevansrock.

 

[kfitz]

Back in the 80's I often DJ ed at Tink's on fri night (back when it was a tiny place). I normally did an oldies night there. Jason would often come in late after 11:30 or 12. He would almost always come up and make a request....Righteous brothers - You Lost That Loving Feeling. I'd play it and he'd come over and thank me and gab for a few moments. He was always a real nice guy to me. I was attending Marywood at the time in the graduate department and friends of mine often met him...he directed a couple of plays there...and spoke very highly of him too. A few times he brought the Marywood crew in with him!

KF

 

[MrRF]

I have a few... One night in the late 90s during a Rock 107 night at Tinks,Jason came in late in the evening. He took a seat at the bar and announced to the bartender that " Your eye is on fire!". No one knew what he meant but he was so revered in Scranton that everyone laughed and sort of watched his every move in amazement. Our reactions further agitated him and he said even louder that " Your eye is on fire!!!"
Again, no one knew what he meant but tried to offer support to whatever he was trying to convey, afterall it was late, in a bar,etc.

All of a sudden people burst in screaming that the neon sign outside was burning. We all ran out and sure enough the "I" in TINKS was engulfed in flames.
He was correct when he said " Your eye is on fire....."

 

[Zenith Transoceanic]

Great stories, MrRF and Kevin Fitzgerald. Thank you for adding them to the collection.
That's the kind of stuff that I would have liked to have seen included in the TV show.