Ken and I are excited to announce that Retrofan Magazine commissioned us to write an article on Cheryl Miller. Retrofan is a premier print publication covering favorite TV shows. When I noticed they had never written on Daktari, I pitched an article on Cheryl Miller and they accepted. I then immediately reached out to Ken as our resident expert on Daktari to write the article with me.
Although we reached out to Cheryl on two occasions, we were not able to talk with her. However, I did make contact with Ralph Helfer and got quotes and photos from him.
Our intrepid friend Walter found this cool article on a Dodge website:
Late in 1969, there was a changing of the guards at Dodge. The spokesperson for Dodge cars and trucks, Ms. Joan Parker, was leaving the job of promotion to a new woman. Miller was blonde, tall and blue eyed with a killer smile. Her new tag line was “You could be Dodge Material.”During late 1969 and all through 1970, Miller was seen on brochures, print and television ads. The big auto exhibitions used her image to promote new models including the Challenger at the Chicago Car Show. Fans often saw her sharing booths with Sheriff Joe Higgins. Then, as suddenly as she’d arrived, Cheryl Miller was gone. Ever wonder what became of her? We did.
Cheryl Miller was born Feb 4th, 1944 in Sherman Oaks, California. Her father was an architect and her mother worked as an accountant for Sears department store. Cheryl had a typical childhood of the 1950s and graduated from Ulysses S Grant High School, majoring in Science and Music. Miller followed up her musical education by studying at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. Miller seems to have been destined for a life in showbiz. She’d been discovered by Ivan Tors while appearing in an episode of Flipper. By the mid 1960s, things started going into high gear for Miller. March ’65 saw her promoting Home Seamstress cabinets in her local newspaper. In July, she was chosen by Walt Disney as the “Typical American Girl.” A production deal to star in “The Initiates” was struck by Creative Company in the fall.
postcard promo from 1971 with Cheryl Miller.
By late November 1966, Miller was one of 12 Hollywood Deb Stars and got drawn into the vortex of automotive promotion with an appearance at Special Speed Cars show held at Topanga Theatre which was actually in Woodland Hills, California. There were a lot of other emcee, hosting duties and even a hit television series called Daktari from 1967 to 1969. This is probably where most people outside of California had exposure to Miller. Cheryl was married in December 1968 to Stanley G Shapiro, a stockbroker. Usually this would squelch any further show business aspirations but Cheryl continued with a return to her initial interests in the arts. She was developing a nightclub act featuring what she termed as “good music” in January 1969. It is unknown if the revue ever occurred but in August, Miller was tapped by Dodge to replace Joan Parker for the 1970-1971 year.
Here is a strange coincidence; Parker was from the East Coast raised in Warwick, New York. Miller was from the West Coast, raised in Sherman Oaks. Parker was leaving the auto PR business to marry a stock broker in LA. Miller had just married a stock broker and entering the auto PR business. Another weird coincidence is Miller and Shapiro were divorced by 1971 which is the final year of Miller’s car promotion run. You’d be hard pressed to find a matching set of book ends. It’s almost like Vanishing Point but with people instead of cars.
Scene from Dr. Death, Seeker of SoulsScene from The Man from Clover Grove
The big question remains, what happened after the Dodge Material Girl era for Cheryl Miller? If you like the show business world, you keep on working. First, Cheryl got a role in NBC’s soap opera, Bright Promise starring as Samantha Pudding. NBC’s soap effort started in 1969, right about the time Daktari ended its run and Miller was hired by Dodge to replace Ms. Parker. By 1972, Bright Promise was on its last legs and was getting crunched by Edge of Night. Miller entered the movie world with a role in Doctor Death, Seeker of Souls, a 1973 horror flick. Miller was one of five unfortunate ladies to succumb to John Considine’s evil aura. From there it was a role in a mid 70s comedy children’s movie, The Man from Clover Grove. Eventually Cheryl phased herself out of movies and big productions. She gained a family life and had a child in 1980 named Erik Seidenglanz. Today, he is known as a concept artist and was a noted child magician.
Cheryl Lynn Miller was born in Sherman Oaks, CA, one of five children of an architect father and accountant mother (Elsie). As a mere infant she made her movie debut in Casanova Brown (1944). She was destined to become a popular ingenue of the mid-1960’s, in movies and on television, known for her healthy and wholesome beauty.
Early career
She graduated from Ulysses S. Grant High School favoring science and music. She pursued the latter at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music while taking occasional acting roles on series such as Bachelor Father, Our Man Higgins, The Donna Reed Show, My Three Sons, The Farmer’s Daughter, Leave It To Beaver and Perry Mason. She also did some modeling spots.
Breakthrough year
In the year 1965, a series of fortunate breaks eventually landed her as a series regular on Daktari. It began with two guest spots on Flipper (one spot being a three-part episode, “Flipper and the Elephant”). Her work with an elephant and a chimp caught the attention of producer Ivan Tors. He proceeded to cast her in the feature film Clarence, The Cross-Eyed Lion (1965) which became a breakout hit, spawning the TV series, Daktari.
Discovered by Disney
That same year she was discovered by Walt Disney and cast in a supporting role in The Monkey’s Uncle (1965) She was dubbed “The Typical American Girl.”
as Lisa in Disney’s The Monkey’s Uncle
Deb Star and Miss Golden Globe
In November of 1965, she was awarded the title of a Hollywood Deb Star of 1966; the group of a dozen actresses included Melody Patterson, Edy Williams, Peggy Lipton, and Sally Field. A television special, “Hollywood Deb Star Ball of 1966” ensured that January.
She was also named “Miss Golden Globe” in 1966, assisting Andy Williams in the presentation of the Golden Globe Awards.
Series hit
Daktari debuted mid-season in 1966 on CBS and was a surprise hit, achieving top ten status in the ratings by the second season. It spawned an industry of toys, trading cards, comic books, children’s books and the like. It lasted three and one half seasons, finally being cancelled in 1969.
Personal life
Miller was an active, athletic young woman and a bit of a daredevil who relished in making a splash. Blessed with a zest for life and passionate interests, she enjoyed many creative activities (including singing and designing her own dresses) along with sports such as skiing, jogging and horseback riding.
Love life
Cheryl Miller and Lt. Charles Hutter III
In 1966 she became engaged to Lt. Charles Hutter III who was stationed in Colorado in the Air Force. His doctor dad arranged a date between the two after treating Miller for a foot ailment. The two announced their engagement at a party on New Year’s Eve with the intention of marrying the following year. However, they called off the wedding several months later, “substituting friendship for marriage.”
After meeting on a blind date several months before, Miller married stockbroker Stanley Shapiro in December of 1968 wearing a backless white mini-gown. Three days later she broke her ankle and was told that Daktari had been cancelled. She and Shapiro would divorce in 1971.
Movie and TV appearances
Miller was picked up in 1969 by the short-lived daytime drama Bright Promise, playing the role of Samantha Pudding. She also worked regularly throughout the 1970s, mostly in guest starring roles:
Cade’s County
Love, American Style
Emergency!
Barnaby Jones
The Streets of San Francisco
The Wide World of Mystery
Gemini Man
The Six Million Dollar Man
Police Story
Movie appearances included:
Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls, as Sandy
Guardian of the Wilderness (aka Mountain Man) as Kathleen Clark
The Man from Clover Grove, as Millie Swickle
Mr. Too Little, as Carola
Revolution, as Cuffy* (as Miller’s name is common, there is some question about this. Blockbuster’s site listed it)
with Joan Parker as the Dodge “Fever” Girl
Branching out
In 1970-71, Miller took over for Joan Parker as the Dodge “Fever Girl,” appearing in magazine spreads, commercials and national car shows.
For a time she attempted a singing career making two appearances on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson in 1972.
Final appearances
The year 1980 marked her last TV appearance in an episode of The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo. Her last movie appearance was in 1985 with Al Pacino in Revolution* (see above for note).
Oh! And the magazine was on display in Barnes & Noble!
Daktari TV Show 