Warren Miller was a pioneer of outdoor filmmaking, who captured the thrill and beauty of skiing for decades. He was also a skier, surfer, sailor, and storyteller, who inspired generations of adventurers with his films and narration. He died of natural causes at his home on Orcas Island in Washington state on January 24, 2018. He was 93 years old.
Early Life and Career
Warren Miller was born in Hollywood, California on October 15, 1924. He grew up during the Great Depression and learned to ski and surf as a teenager. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and bought his first movie camera with $77 after his discharge in 1946. He and his friend Ward Baker moved to Sun Valley, Idaho, where they lived in a teardrop trailer in the parking lot of the ski resort and worked as ski instructors. They filmed each other skiing and surfing in their spare time, and showed their movies to friends at parties. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Miller founded Warren Miller Entertainment in 1949 and began producing one feature-length ski film per year. He rented halls and theaters to show his films, and charged admission to his audiences. He also narrated his films with his own humorous style, often poking fun at himself and the skiers he featured.
Legacy and Influence
Miller produced, directed, and narrated more than 500 films about various outdoor activities, including skiing, snowboarding, surfing, sailing, kayaking, and mountain biking. His films showcased some of the most spectacular ski destinations and stunts in the world, as well as some of the most famous skiers and snowboarders, such as Stein Eriksen, Jean-Claude Killy, Billy Kidd, Scot Schmidt, Glen Plake, Jonny Moseley, Bode Miller, Lindsey Vonn, and Shaun White. His films also introduced new techniques and trends in skiing and snowboarding, such as freestyle skiing, extreme skiing, heli-skiing, and snowboarding. According to Wikipedia, Miller sold his company to his son Kurt Miller in the late 1980s, who later sold it to Time Inc., which sold it to Bonnier Corporation, which was acquired by Active Interest Media. Warren Miller Entertainment continues to produce ski films every year under the direction of different filmmakers.
Miller was widely recognized and honored for his contributions to the ski industry and culture. He was inducted into the U.S. Ski Hall of Fame in 1978, the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in 1995, and received lifetime achievement awards from the International Skiing History Association in 2004 and the California Ski Industry Association in 2008. He also wrote several books and hundreds of articles about skiing and his life experiences. He was known for his passion for skiing and his philosophy of living adventurously. He often said: “If you don’t do it this year, you’ll be one year older when you do.”
