Los Angeles ? George Miller, a stand-up comedian who appeared on David Letterman’s late-night shows more than any other comic, has died. He was 61.

Miller, who had suffered from leukemia for years, died Wednesday at UCLA Medical Center of complications from a blood clot in his brain.

Miller appeared on NBC’s “Late Night with David Letterman” and CBS’ “Late Show with David Letterman” 56 times in two decades.

“George was my oldest friend, and one of the funniest people I ever knew,” Letterman said in a statement. “We are all very sad that he is gone.”

Miller and Letterman met in Los Angeles in the early 1970s when both were emerging comics. Miller “was just content to be a stand-up comedian. He truly wanted to write funny things and say funny things,” said Tom Dreesen, a fellow comic.

The goal for comics was to get a spot on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” and Miller appeared many times on it.

“I was once fired as opening act for Seals and Crofts because I got loaded and introduced them as Arts and Crafts,” one of Miller’s jokes went.

Miller last appeared on Letterman’s show Sept. 4.