Bio
Mel Miller is a South African stand-up comedian who starred in South Africa's first ever television sitcom, Biltong & Potroast, in 1976.
He began his career as a comedian in 1963 with friend Mel Green, performing as a comedy duo called Mel and Mel. Along with backing guitarist Julian Laxton they cut their first comedy LP and were signed to perform at the Edward Hotel in Durban on a two-year contract, now known as Mel, Mel and Julian.
He also worked as a radio actor on Springbok Radio appearing on such programmes as Jet Jungle, The World of Hammond Innes, Marriage Lines and Squad Cars.
He gradually moved into performing solo stand-up comedy, until one night in 1985 when he was arrested by the security police, taken to the Hillbrow police station and beaten for his anti-government sentiment. His telephone was bugged and his family threatened.
Thereafter he performed mainly corporate comedy gigs, staying out of the limelight, until fellow comedian Joe Parker persuaded him to return to public performance in 1990.
In 1995 he relinquished his job as art director of a publishing firm and returned to comedy fulltime, after an overwhelming reception to his appearance at the 1995 Smirnoff Comedy Festival. Since then he has appeared in most of the annual Smirnoff festivals.
He has also written and performed numerous theatre shows, including Captain Chaos, Captain Chaos Flies Again, Divine Madness and Fat, Fiftyish, Pissed Off and Funny.
Mel is one of the contestant panelists on the SABC2 game show Where Were You?, from August to November, 2008.