Didn't You Used to Be What's His Name?

By Denny Miller

A large format perfect-bound paperback book, extremely well illustrated with interesting photographs. This unique book is part memoir, part anecdotal raconteurism and part philosophy gleaned from... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0975391704
• ISBN13: 9780975391709
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: To Health With You Publishers
• Length: 203 Pages
• Weight: 1.62 lbs.

Customer Reviews

I Remember Who Denny Miller Is!

I had the good fortune of running into Denny "Scott" Miller, and his lovely, supportive wife Nancy, on Sunday, September 18th, at the Weatherford Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona. It was a day full of activities in Flagstaff, and Denny was doing a book signing in the lobby. What a nice, interesting guy he is, and what an interesting book he's written! Who, you may ask, is Denny Miller? He will cheerfully acknowledge that you may not remember him. In fact, the title of his new book is, "Didn't You Used To Be What's His Name?" But I had no trouble remembering who he is. First of all, as an MGM contract player, back when MGM was hitting the skids as a movie studio, he starred in the 2nd worst Tarzan movie ever filmed, 1959's "Tarzan, the Ape Man" (it was the first worst, until Bo Derek came along with her version of the story, and nudged it out of worst place!). This epic used stock footage from 1950's "King Solomon's Mines", as well as black and white footage from the Johnny Weissmuller original, tinted, to make it fit in. But Denny Miller himself is an appealing personality. I'm glad to have this book, both as a Tarzan fan, and as a fan of his. Miller is a great-looking guy with a winning smile, and an engaging personality. Over the years, he's redeemed himself in a series of movie and TV roles, not the least of which was as one of the leads in the series, "Wagon Train". In that series, he called himself "Scott" Miller, in case "Denny" doesn't resonate with "Wagon Train" fans. This book is a rollicking romp through his life, his Hollywood years, and his more recent work as the grizzled Groton seafood skipper (and he's perfect as that character!). It is abundantly illustrated. He has worked with an astonishing number of the biggest names that show business has to offer, and there are revealing shots of many of them. "Wagon Train" had a policy of featuring a different guest star each week. That, and his subsequent movie and TV commercial jobs paired him with many stars, from Lucille Ball, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Katharine Hepburn, to Peter Sellers, Barbara Stanwyck and Frank Sinatra. His dish is delicious. For the most part, he's admiring and generous. But a few big names, like Bette Davis and Charles Bronson, don't come off too well. When I think of the roles he might have played! He'd have made a great Superman, or Flash Gordon. And he'd have had the acting chops to bring them off! Miller is a loyal, sharing friend. He acknowledges and pays tribute to many who have influenced him, and helped him along the way. In spite of all the gunfights, barroom brawls, misfired special effects and dead lions and rhinos in his movie wake, he comes across as an easygoing guy with a great sense of humor, who loves having a good time with friends and family.On top of all this, Miller has packed into his pages a lot of wisdom. He has many important things to say about life, health and physical fitness. It's the teacher in him I guess (another of

Still a Role Model

Denny Miller has had the distinction of playing both Tarzan and Superman, a feat no other actor has matched, though he treats his appearances as the legendary heroes with self-deprecating humor. Indeed, humor is the mainstay of his biography, a good-natured reflection on a long career in movies, TV and commercials with anecdotes about the performers he's worked with along the way, including Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Peter Sellers, Jack Lord and many, many others. There are also reflections on his UCLA basketball career (under legendary coach John Wooden), his time as an infantryman in Germany, and - most surprising of all - his bouts with clinical depression. And, as one might expect from a man who is still in great shape at age 70, there's some solid physical fitness advice. Miller attributes his career more to luck than talent, and seems very grateful to have the life that it's afforded him - a welcome change from the usual gossipy egocentric star bio. With his positive outlook on life and easy good humor, he remains a role model.

Superbly illustrated, organized, and presented autobiography

Didn't You Used To Be What's His Name? is the superbly illustrated, organized, and presented autobiography of Denny Miller -- a man who was a professional actor playing such roles as Tarzan and King Arthur, has portrayed cowboys, surfers, and for fourteen years was the product spokesman for Gorton's Fisherman. Black-and-white photographs, fascinating tales of showbiz, and the sometimes humorous, sometimes touching, always dedicated exploits of a true professional actor makes for an engaging and intrinsically interesting Hollywood life story.