Steve Mills (1957 – June 3, 2023) [1] was an American juggler and unicyclist from Morristown, New Jersey. He was the inventor of the " Mills' Mess" juggling pattern. [2] [3] Mills was taught to juggle by Ron Graham, a juggler and mathematician. [4]
In 1978, Mills married Carol Sue Haines. [5] They began performing a juggling and unicycle act, [6] later accompanied by their children Michelle and Anthony. Together the group became known as The Dazzling Mills Family.
They had performed at venues such as Harlem Globetrotters basketball games, [7] the Arnold Fitness Expo, fairs, [8] and schools. [9] Television appearances included PM Magazine, The Statler Brothers Show, The Penn and Teller Show, Daily Planet, Most Daring, Smoking Gun Presents, and The Shotgun Red Variety Show. [10]
Carol stopped performing in 2004 because of a nerve disorder. [5] Kris Groth, who married Michelle in 2009, [11] joined the group in 2008. [12] In 2011, a baby girl, Chloe, was born to Kris and Michelle. [13] In 2014, the group's web site stopped advertising for the group and was moved to advertising Steve as a solo act. [14] The web site subsequently went dark in late 2017. [15]
Mills was a winner of the International Jugglers' Association Championships in 1975, 1976 and 1978. [16]
Apparently [Ron] Graham experimented with many patterns that crossed hands or changed direction in the Mess way, some of which were likely to be close to the current Mess: Steve studied Ron's patterns, and other jugglers as well, including films of Vaudeville jugglers. From this stew, the Mess emerged. Ron and Steve juggled at the YMCA in Morristown, N.J., when the mess was created, but the name "Mills Mess" was given to this trick some years later on the West coast by Ed Jackman, Barrett Felker, and/or Norm Johnson.
I learned from Ronald Graham, a well known mathmetician [ sic]... in 1972, when Ron continually prodded me to give it a try.
Steve and Carol were married August 5th, 1978 and they began performing straight off the bat doing street shows in New York.
ABSTRACT: Talk story about Steve and Carol Mills, a couple who do professional juggling in Father Demo Square... They entertain between halves of Harlem Globetrotters basketball games
Steve Mills (1957 – June 3, 2023) [1] was an American juggler and unicyclist from Morristown, New Jersey. He was the inventor of the " Mills' Mess" juggling pattern. [2] [3] Mills was taught to juggle by Ron Graham, a juggler and mathematician. [4]
In 1978, Mills married Carol Sue Haines. [5] They began performing a juggling and unicycle act, [6] later accompanied by their children Michelle and Anthony. Together the group became known as The Dazzling Mills Family.
They had performed at venues such as Harlem Globetrotters basketball games, [7] the Arnold Fitness Expo, fairs, [8] and schools. [9] Television appearances included PM Magazine, The Statler Brothers Show, The Penn and Teller Show, Daily Planet, Most Daring, Smoking Gun Presents, and The Shotgun Red Variety Show. [10]
Carol stopped performing in 2004 because of a nerve disorder. [5] Kris Groth, who married Michelle in 2009, [11] joined the group in 2008. [12] In 2011, a baby girl, Chloe, was born to Kris and Michelle. [13] In 2014, the group's web site stopped advertising for the group and was moved to advertising Steve as a solo act. [14] The web site subsequently went dark in late 2017. [15]
Mills was a winner of the International Jugglers' Association Championships in 1975, 1976 and 1978. [16]
Apparently [Ron] Graham experimented with many patterns that crossed hands or changed direction in the Mess way, some of which were likely to be close to the current Mess: Steve studied Ron's patterns, and other jugglers as well, including films of Vaudeville jugglers. From this stew, the Mess emerged. Ron and Steve juggled at the YMCA in Morristown, N.J., when the mess was created, but the name "Mills Mess" was given to this trick some years later on the West coast by Ed Jackman, Barrett Felker, and/or Norm Johnson.
I learned from Ronald Graham, a well known mathmetician [ sic]... in 1972, when Ron continually prodded me to give it a try.
Steve and Carol were married August 5th, 1978 and they began performing straight off the bat doing street shows in New York.
ABSTRACT: Talk story about Steve and Carol Mills, a couple who do professional juggling in Father Demo Square... They entertain between halves of Harlem Globetrotters basketball games