Jeremy Miller

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Jeremy Miller : biography

October 21, 1976 –

Jeremy James Miller (born October 21, 1976) is an American actor and singer best known for his portrayal of Ben Seaver on Growing Pains and its two reunion movies. He also voiced Linus van Pelt in Happy New Year, Charlie Brown along with Chad Allen.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1984 Punky Brewster Jimmy TV series,Season 1,Episode 8:Visit to the Doctor/Go to Sleep
1985 Deceptions Mark Richards TV movie
1985 Growing Pains Ben Seaver TV Series,Season 1,14 Episode

Young Artist Award for Best Young Supporting Actor in a New Television SeriesYoung Artist Award for Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor in a Television Comedy SeriesNominated-Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor Starring in a Television SeriesNominated-Young Artist Award for Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor in a Long Running Series Comedy or Drama

1986 Happy New Year, Charlie Brown Linus van Pelt (voice) TV short
1986 Growing Pains Ben Seaver TV Series,Season 2,22 Episode
1987 Emanon Jason Ballantine
1987 Shalom Sesame Special Guest TV series
1987 Growing Pains Ben Seaver TV Series,Season 3,26 Episode
1988 Snoopy! The Musical Linus van Pelt (voice) TV movie
1988 Growing Pains Ben Seaver TV Series,Season 4,22 Episode
1988 This Is America, Charlie Brown Linus Van Pelt TV mini-series,Season 1,Episode 2:The Birth of the Constitution
1989 Growing Pains Ben Seaver TV Series,Season 5,26 Episode
1990 The Willies Brad
1990 Growing Pains Ben Seaver TV Series,Season 6,24 Episode
1991 Growing Pains Ben Seaver TV Series,Season 7,24 Episode
1992 Ghostwriter Craig Mitchell TV Series,Season 1,Episode 6-9
1993 Based on an Untrue Story Jackie TV movie
2000 The Growing Pains Movie Ben Seaver TV movie
2004 Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers Ben Seaver TV movie
2006 Von’s Room Guest TV Series
2007 Milk and Fashion Jack
2009 Never Have I Ever Glenn Brandis
2010 Ditching Party Jim
2013 Fevered Dreams Jonathan Kemper (rumored) Pre-production
2013 Tar Beach Jed Pre-production

Personal life

Jeremy was born in Covina, California. He is one of three sons born to Sonja (née Morckel) and James Miller; the other two are Joshua (also an actor) and Adam. One of Jeremy’s best friends from childhood is fellow former child star Dustin Diamond; both have been avid martial arts practitioners (in Miller’s case, it was under Chuck Norris).

Career

Miller was cast in a few commercials, then a 1984 guest role in Punky Brewster before landing the role of Ben Seaver, the youngest son on Growing Pains. Miller was supposed to be a part of the cast of the PBS show Ghostwriter. The creator wanted to make him a mentor to the younger Ghostwriter members, but the producers decided it wasn’t a good idea for the show to have an older ghostwriter team member and Miller was not invited back after shooting the pilot. Since there was room for one more character in the show’s budget he was replaced by Todd Alexander’s character Rob. As an actor, probably his most recognizable trademark is the "Ben Seaver Scream", which can be heard and seen in any number of Growing Pains episodes and during the closing credits of the movie Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.

At about age fourteen, Miller received numerous letters from an older male stalker during the run of Growing Pains. The stalker threatened to molest and kill Miller in his letters and even listed the date he planned to come to the set to carry out the fantasy. Miller knew nothing of the letters nor the stalker’s intent. Miller was stunned to find out that the heightened security presence around the set during this time was orchestrated to protect him. In another letter, the stalker was bold enough to actually write down his home address. The FBI arrested the individual shortly thereafter near the Philadelphia area. He was later convicted and sent to prison for his actions.

Since Growing Pains, he has mostly taken a hiatus from acting, although he can be seen in the film Milk and Fashion, in commercials for McDonald’s "Dollar Menunaires" promotion shot as a parody of the VH1 series Best Week Ever and as the star of the 1990 Hanukah episode of Shalom Sesame (an Israeli version of Sesame Street). Amazon.com Retrieved December 21, 2008 He has also been spotted in Boys and Girls Guide To Getting Down. He appeared in a special celebrity team-up episode of Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?; he and his partner got through to the bonus round in the end (but failed to win the big prize). In the Family Guy episode "Not All Dogs Go to Heaven", he appears and tries to convince the other characters to buy him a case of Sudafed, but an animated version of his TV dad Alan Thicke appears, with his neck bobbling rapidly. He tells his son "Be-en! What have I told you about trading sexual favors for Sudafed?" He can be seen in four movies in 2009: Ditching Party, Never Have I Ever, The Fish and Tar Beach. Foxnews.com, December 18, 2008