Jeremy Miller is forever grateful for his TV family.
During a recent interview with Scott Austalosh on the “Youngstown Studios” podcast, Miller, 48, recalled how his “Growing Pains” co-stars Alan Thicke and Kirk Cameron saved him from ending up homeless after the 2008 financial crisis.
“My catering company went under, and I was really struggling,” Miller remembered. “I mean, really struggling, on the brink of homelessness.”
“Things got really bad, and Alan and Kirk were the only two who stepped up to help me,” the actor explained. “Alan set up interviews with all of his restaurateur friends in Santa Barbara and a few other places, and got me connected to different places where I could utilize my chef skills and earn some money to help take care of my family.”
Miller added, “All it took was a phone call to say, ‘Hey, Al, I’m really struggling. Do you know anybody who might…’ and that’s all I had to say. He was on the phone for the next two days, making connections and doing everything he could to try and help me. That was just the kind of guy he was.”
Miller starred on “Growing Pains” as Ben Seaver. Thicke played Ben’s dad, Dr. Jason Seaver, and Cameron played Ben’s older brother, Mike. The cast also included Joanna Kerns, Tracey Gold and Ashley Johnson.
Leonardo DiCaprio later joined the show as a homeless teen who is taken in by the Seaver family.
After the ABC sitcom ended in 1992, Miller’s career transitioned to mostly voice roles before he became a private chef.
On the podcast, Miller called Thicke — who died in 2016 at age 69 — “one of the most amazing men.”
“And he was always so full of life,” Miller shared of his late co-star. “That was why losing him was such a shock. All of us, we really thought he was gonna be the next Dick Clark — 102 and still going. He was so full of life and so full of energy.”
“He was just such a kind, generous and amazing man,” Miller continued. “Him and I would talk probably once a month, once every two months. He would call just to check up on me, make sure everything was good.”
“He really did fill that father role,” Miller said of Thicke. “He was my other dad. As close as I am to my real father, I was almost as close to Alan. He did step into that role in a prominent way.”
