Remembering Warren Miller
Friends, family toast the life of legendary ski filmmaker at Vail
VAIL» The heavens dumped damp spring snow and fog shrouded Vail Mountain last Saturday for a celebration of the life of legendary ski filmmaker Warren Miller, who died in January at age 93.
Hundreds of skiers, some carrying large photos of Miller, gathered at the summit and skied down en masse to Sarge’s Shelter at Mid-Vail, where they listened to live music, watched clips from
Miller films and toasted the creator of the genre. One of Miller’s sons, Kurt, wore his father’s original “ski bum hat” that dates back to 1949 and is seen in many black-and-white photos of Warren from the early years.
“It’s amazing,” Kurt Miller said while surrounded by the standing-room crowd that packed Sarge’s. “The opportunity to share this with people that loved him and saw his films, whether they were friends, family or fans, it didn’t really matter. And the ski down, it was so amazing, just the number of people that showed up.”
With some Warren Miller Entertainment crews out in the field working on what will be the 89th annual film dating back to 1950 — one was shooting in Chamonix, France — the festivities at Vail included several cameramen who worked with Miller. Some skiers who have performed in Warren Miller films were there, too, including Colorado’s Chris Anthony, who appeared in more Miller films than any other. Anthony also spent many years touring with the films, appearing on stage to get audiences revved up as Warren had before him.
“I truly believe he was the single-most, largest influence on the industry,” Anthony said. “That name touched millions and millions. Even now, his name will still impact. Thousands of people over my span of 28 years have come up to me and said, ‘Warren Miller changed my life.’ That’s the truth.”
One clip captured Warren reminiscing about a ski trip to Vail with his family when Kurt and his siblings were little tykes.
“In 1947 while I was driving over one of the many passes in Colorado, I drove right by where Vail would be built,” the crowd heard Warren narrate. “Unfortunately I didn’t buy real estate in Vail in 1963 when they only had two double chair lifts and one gondola. But the few people who did were already saying about Vail what we still know to be true — ‘There is no comparison.’ ”
The crowd hooted and cheered, as they did for many of the clips they watched.
“There was something special about his voice, the timing, the music, just capturing and documenting the history of our sport,” Anthony said. “And the most important part of the formula is the audience, mak- ing the audience part of the film. You’re just taking the audience on a trip that you happened to go on, but you wish they were there. The best way to do that is a live performance of the film. It’s really hard to just watch these movies on your TV at home. Even in here, watching with the energy (in the room) changes everything. It’s the people, and he figured that out pretty quick.”
Miller’s first ski film, “Deep and Light,” came out in 1950. In the early days he shot, edited, wrote and narrated his films by himself. He sold the company to Kurt in 1989, and Kurt ran it until 2007. The company has been sold several times since. The current owner of Warren Miller Entertainment, Active Interest Media, is based in Boulder.
Tom Day started with the company in 1984 as a skier, transitioning to dual roles as skier and cameraman. Since 1992 he’s worked solely behind the camera.
“In 1984, Warren Miller was already making ski movies for 35 years, and all of a sudden you get a chance to work with a legend,” Day said. “I just finished shooting a segment (last Thursday for) our 69th annual movie. We’re so blessed and happy that we’re able to carry on his legacy.”
Another cameraman, Gary Nate, worked for the company from 1973-2007.
“I loved him,” Nate said. “It was like a father and son.”
In a VIP celebration at the Colorado Snowsports Museum in Vail Village the night before, 98-year-old Klaus Obermeyer told hilarious stories about Miller from the early days, including one that involved a couple of dead chickens. Obermeyer, a German immigrant, moved to Aspen in 1947 and founded the apparel company Sport Obermeyer.
“He made more skiers in America than any other single person was able to do,” Obermeyer said in his thick Bavarian accent. “He loved people to smile. He got them to laugh and he got them to smile, and he was just the best friend one can have.”