Ben Miller
| Ben Miller | |
|---|---|
 Miller at the 2008 BAFTA Television Awards |
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| Born | Bennet Evan Miller 24 February 1966 London, United Kingdom |
| Education | Natural sciences |
| Alma mater | St Catharine's College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Comedian, director, actor |
| Spouse |
Belinda Stewart-Wilson (Divorced 2011) Jessica Parker - partner (Active) |
| Children | Two sons |
Bennet Evan "Ben" Miller (born 24 February 1966[1]) is an English comedian, actor and director. He is perhaps best known as one half of comedy double act Armstrong and Miller, along with Alexander Armstrong. Together the pair wrote and starred in the Channel 4 sketch show Armstrong and Miller, and the more recent BBC television sketch show The Armstrong and Miller Show. As of 2011, he is starring in the crime drama series Death in Paradise.
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[edit] Early life and education
Miller was born in London, England, and grew up in Nantwich, Cheshire.[2] His paternal grandfather was a Lithuanian-born tailor who lived in London's East End;[3] his father, Michael Miller, was a lecturer in American Literature at the City of Birmingham Polytechnic; and his Welsh mother, Marion, taught English at South Cheshire College.[3] He has two younger sisters, Leah and Bronwen.
He was educated at Malbank School and Sixth Form College, his local comprehensive school in Nantwich, Cheshire. He then studied natural sciences at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he acted with and dated Rachel Weisz.[4][5] He remained at Cambridge to study for a Ph.D. in quantum physics, entitled "Novel quantum effects in low-temperature quasi-zero dimensional mesoscopic electron systems".
Miller's interest in comedy began when a friend asked him to help ferry around the judges of the National Student Drama Festival, which was being held that year in Cambridge.[6] Having already finished his undergraduate degree, he then joined the Footlights in 1989 alongside the likes of Andy Parsons, David Wolstencroft and Sue Perkins and went on to direct a revue.[7]
[edit] Career
Miller decided not to continue his doctorate studies and moved to London to pursue a career in comedy.[8] He was introduced to fellow Cambridge graduate Alexander Armstrong in 1992, at the TBA Sketch Comedy Group, a comedy club which ran at the Gate Theatre Studio, Notting Hill throughout the 1990s. They performed their first full-length show at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1994, and returned in 1996, whereupon they were nominated for the Perrier Comedy Award.[9]
Their success resulted in the commissioning of the television series Armstrong and Miller, which ran for four series in total from 1997 to 2001 – one on the Paramount Comedy Channel, and three on Channel Four. The duo had their own radio show with the same name on BBC Radio 4 in 1998, which featured many of the sketches and characters from their TV series, and a second show, Children's Hour with Armstrong and Miller, later in the same year. After a six-year break, the show was recommissioned for Hattrick Productions as The Armstrong and Miller Show and is currently in its third series.[10]
In 2001, Miller starred in Steve Coogan's first feature film, the British comedy The Parole Officer.[11] In 2003 he played the role of 'Bough', sidekick to Rowan Atkinson's title character in the film Johnny English. In 2004 he co-starred in The Prince and Me. In 2004 and 2005, he starred in two consecutive series of the BBC television series The Worst Week of My Life,[12] alongside Sarah Alexander,[2] followed in 2006 by a three-part Christmas special, The Worst Christmas of My Life. Since 2007 he is starring as James Lester in ITV's sci-fi drama Primeval,[9] and as Mr Jonathan in the Australian film Razzle Dazzle: A Journey Into Dance.[6]
From 2001 until 2007, Miller provided the voice for the ITV Digital and now PG Tips Monkey, in a popular series of television advertisements featuring Johnny Vegas.[13]
In 2008, he appeared in three ITV1 series, as television producer Jonathan Pope in Tony Jordan's series Moving Wallpaper. He also starred in Thank God You're Here.
In 2010 he made his directorial debut with the film Huge.
In 2011 (as revealed by Miller on Twitter), he will reprise his role as James Lester in Primeval.
One of his more recent successes, is starring in the hit BBC TV Series Death in Paradise, where he plays DI Richard Poole.
In November 2011, he was in The Ladykillers at the Gielgud Theatre playing Louis Harvey.
[edit] Production
Miller directed a television pilot, which subsequently became the first episode of Steve Coogan's 2006 British BBC TV Comedy series Saxondale. With Armstrong, he has formed a production company named Toff Media.
[edit] Awards
Miller was awarded a Judges' Commendation for his portrayal of Hamlet at the 1990 National Student Drama Festival. He co-wrote MindGym, winner of the first BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Award for comedy in 1998, with Tim Wright and Adam Gee. He and Armstrong won a BCA Award for The Armstrong and Miller Show. In 2010 they also won a BAFTA for The Armstrong and Miller Show.
[edit] Personal life
Miller was married to Belinda Stewart-Wilson (who guest-starred with him in Series 3 of Primeval), Miller eventually divorcing Stewart-Wilson (2011) after a 2 year separation. The couple lived in Maida Vale. They have a son, Jackson a.k.a Sonny, (born 2006). Miller also has a son, Harrison born late 2011, with his partner, production executive Jessica Parker.[15] .[16]
A talented musician, Miller plays the guitar and drums[2] and likes yoga.[12] At school Miller played in a band called Aquilae which performed Eagles covers translated into Latin.[citation needed] His fictitious school band, Slide Rule, which featured in sketches from the first A&M TV series, is believed to be an affectionate homage to the legendary Section B.[citation needed] At St Catharine's, he played in a band called the Dear Johns, with Andy Edwards and Eoin Patterson.[citation needed] They released one 7 in single, entitled "Shame".[citation needed]
Miller is often mistaken for Rob Brydon,[4][12] with whom he appeared on an episode of QI, first broadcast on 20 February 2009 (Series 6. 9). As a joke, they dressed in similar shirts and shared a narcissistic kiss.[17][18]
[edit] Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Murder Most Horrid | P.C. Watkins | TV series (1 episode: "He Died a Death") |
| 1993 | French and Saunders | TV series (1 episode: "The Silence of the Lambs") | |
| Paul Merton: The Series | Various | TV series (6 episodes) | |
| 1995 | Casualty | Daniel Murdoch | TV series (1 episode: "Trials and Tribulations") |
| Look at the State We're In! | Marty | TV mini-series | |
| Sardines | Simon | TV movie | |
| 1997 | The Jack Docherty Show | Various | TV series |
| The Armstrong and Miller Show | Various Roles | TV series (27 episodes: 1997–2001) | |
| 1999 | Plunkett and Macleane | Dixon | |
| Hunting Venus | Gavin | TV movie | |
| Passion Killers | Nick | TV movie | |
| Coming Soon | Ben | TV movie | |
| The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Daredevils of the Desert | French Officer | Video | |
| 2000 | You Can't Dance | Short | |
| Tip of My Tongue | Dave | Short | |
| Cinderella | Dandini | TV movie | |
| The Blind Date | Joe Maxwell | ||
| There's Only One Jimmy Grimble | Johnny Two Dogs | ||
| 2001 | The Parole Officer | Colin | |
| Birthday Girl | Concierge | ||
| Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible | Rebenor | TV series (1 episode: "Lesbian Vampire Lovers of Lust") | |
| 2002 | Surrealissimo: The Trial of Salvador Dalí | Yoyotte | TV movie |
| The Book Group | Martin Logan | TV series (2 episodes) | |
| Jeffrey Archer: The Truth | Roland Moxley-Nemesis | TV movie | |
| 2003 | Johnny English | Angus Bough | |
| The Actors | Clive | ||
| 2004 | The Prince and Me | Soren | |
| Agatha Christie's Marple | Basil Blake | TV movie | |
| Doc Martin | Stewart James | TV series (1 episode: "The Portwenn Effect") | |
| The Worst Week of My Life | Howard Steel | TV series (17 episodes: 2004–2006) | |
| 2005 | Malice Aforethought | Dr. Edmund Bickleigh | TV movie |
| Starry Night | Short | ||
| Doc Martin | Stewart James | TV series (1 episode: "Out of the Woods") | |
| 2006 | Popetown | The Priest | TV series (10 episodes) |
| Saxondale | Bernard Langley | TV series (1 episode: "Episode #1.6") | |
| 2007 | Razzle Dazzle | Mr Jonathon | |
| The Armstrong and Miller Show | Various Roles | TV series (19 episodes: 2007–2010) | |
| Primeval | James Lester | TV series (30 episodes [credited for 36]: 2007–2011) | |
| 2008 | Moving Wallpaper: The Mole | Jonathan Pope | TV series short (2 episodes: uncredited) |
| Moving Wallpaper | Jonathan Pope | TV series (18 episodes: 2008–2009) | |
| 2009 | Comic Relief 2009 | TV movie | |
| Within the Whirlwind | Krasny | ||
| The Catherine Tate Show | Ghost of Christmas Past | TV series (1 episodeL "Nan's Christmas Carol") | |
| QI | Himself | Comedy Panel Show (1 episode "The Future") | |
| 2010 | 4.3.2.1 | Mr Philips | |
| 2011 | Episodes | Himself | TV series (1 episode) |
| Johnny English Reborn | Angus Bough | Scenes Deleted[19] | |
| Death in Paradise - Series 1 | DI Richard Poole | Series 1, 8 episodes | |
| Felix and Murdo | Various | One-off special on Channel 4 on the 28th December with Alexander Armstrong | |
| 2012 | Death in Paradise - Series 2 | DI Richard Poole | Series 2, 8 episodes (to be aired later in the year) |
[edit] References
- ^ Ben Miller on TV.com TV.com – 12 March 2011
- ^ a b c HOW WE MET: Sarah Alexander & Ben Miller Independent on Sunday – 7 March 2004
- ^ a b Paton, maureen (19 July 2009). "In a Taxi with Ben Miller". You – The Mail on Sunday: 49.
- ^ a b This much I know: Ben Miller The Observer – 24 February 2008
- ^ Rachel's Weisz guy Mail on Sunday – 5 June 2005
- ^ a b Ben dazzles 'em news.com.au – 4 March 2007
- ^ "The Cambridge Footlights: First steps into comedy". independent.co.uk. 28 January 2009. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/features/the-cambridge-footlights-first-steps-in-comedy-1517691.html.
- ^ The Armstrong & Miller Show – Armstrong and Miller BBC Press Office – 12 October 2007
- ^ a b Star of Primeval and The Armstrong and Miller Show cult.tv
- ^ "Ben Miller Twitter post on 2nd series". Twitter. 3 September 2009. http://twitter.com/bennylicious/status/3741389386. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
- ^ Coogan's out on Parole BBC News – 10 August 2001
- ^ a b c The 5-Minute Interview: Ben Miller The Independent – 21 December 2005
- ^ Al and monkey bring back the monkey magic Unilever Press Dept
- ^ Grant, Olly (25 October 2011). "Death in Paradise, Ben Miller on heatstroke, getting divorced and his potato years, interview". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8845898/Death-in-Paradise-Ben-Miller-on-heatstroke-getting-divorced-and-his-Potato-Years-interview.html. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
- ^ Rees, Caroline (11 September 2010). "Ben Miller: My family values". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/sep/11/ben-miller-family-values.
- ^ "My Perfect Weekend: Ben Miller". The Daily Telegraph. 2 October 2009. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebrithttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8845898/Death-in-Paradise-Ben-Miller-on-heatstroke-getting-divorced-and-his-Potato-Years-interview.htmlynews/my-perfect-weekend/6248057/My-Perfect-Weekend-Ben-Miller.html. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ QI. 20 February 2009.
- ^ Series 6: Episode 9 of 12 BBC QI Broadcasts – Accessed 20 May 2010
- ^ Deleted Scenes from Blu-Ray/DVD extras
