Born John Anthony Miller in Long Island City, NY; educated at Catholic University, Washington, DC, and University of Scranton, Scranton, PA. Worked as a waiter, truck driver, and welfare investigator before breaking into playwrighting and acting professionally. He followed the incredible success of his 1971 play That Championship Season (his sentimental tribute to male friendship and high school basketball that won the 1972 Drama Critics Circle Award and the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for Drama), with the role of Father Damien Karras in THE EXORCIST (1973), a role he reprised in THE EXORCIST III (1990), in which he played Patient X. His writing and directing career continued with Miller helming the film version of THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON (1982) starring Bruce Dern and Stacy Keach. In addition, Miller wrote screenplays for TV movies such as REWARD (1980) and A MOTHER'S COURAGE: THE MARY THOMAS STORY (1989). As an actor, he played a variety of roles on the tube and on the screen including the writers F. Scott Fitzgerald and Arthur Miller, in the TV movies "F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood" (1976) and "Marilyn: The Untold Story" (1980), respectively. In 1963, he married Linda Gleason, daughter of Jackie Gleason. They divorced in 1973. Their son is actor Jason Patric. Actor Joshua John Miller is his son from his marriage to actress Sue Bernard. An avid Notre Dame fan, Miller always ended his conversations with "Go Irish!" instead of "Goodbye." He established the Pennsylvania Summer Theater Festival in Scranton, PA. He was in rehearsal for the role of Oscar Madison in a revival of The Odd Couple when he died of a massive heart attack in Scranton, PA, on May 13, 2001.  Nominated for Supporting Actor 1973: THE EXORCIST 1 nomination