The movie “42,” much of which was shot in Chattanooga at Engel Stadium, was a launching pad for actor Chadwick Boseman, but it kickstarted to a much smaller degree Gary Miller’s acting career, as well.
Miller, 67, laughs at the very idea of calling it a career, but he has been in nearly two dozen TV and film projects since 2013 when “42” was released.
He had small parts in “Anchorman 2,” “The Hunger Games,” “Insurgent,” “Powers” and “The Phenom,” again as an umpire. He’s also worked on “Captain America: Civil War” and “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” a film about an Iraqi War veteran, starring Steve Martin and Chris Tucker and directed by Ang Lee. Among his more recent bits were “Sully,” directed by Clint Eastwood, and “Dog Years,” starring Burt Reynolds. His most recent role was playing a New York City police captain in “The Watchmen.”
“It’s crazy, but ’42’ started all these great adventures for me,” he said.
The movie made a star of Boseman, who would go on to become a much loved and respected actor and the star of “Black Panther” before dying of cancer last week. AMC Theatres announced this week it would re-release “42,” the Jackie Robinson biopic, in 300 theaters, including several in the Chattanooga area, to honor the late actor.