I was hoping he grew up to lead Steve Miller band but that one was born a year late to be the right one.
(Also, I was around in the 1970s and would certainly have heard of it.)

To tell you the truth, when I first saw this film on TV, I had assumed that Steve Miller grew up to be Steve ("The Joker") Miller!

This board is quite old but I found it while doing research of my own family. I am a blood relative of Glenn Miller as Irene is my great grandmother. My grandfather who is still alive is Glenn Miller Wolfe. Kind of interesting to see distant family members on the internet.

Helen Burger Miller died at 64 years of age in 1966.
Probably natural causes.

how did helen die and how old was she ?

What a treat to see a relative of Glenn Miller on this board. I'm only 38, but I love Glenn Miller's music. Glad to see you participating!

I am the great-great neice of Glenn Miller.
My grandfather [Ivan Miller] was Glenn's nephew.
Unfortunately for me, my father was adopted, so I share no blood relation with him. Would've been cool though, especially since I'm somewhat gifted at playing the piano.

Tex Beneke was one of the most popular musicians in the band and led the band after Miller's death, but he is not mentioned at all in the film, He continued to play Miller styled music right up to his death in 2000.

Maj. Alton Glenn Miller was only 40 years old when he disappeared. The Iowa-born band leader left behind his wife, Helen, and their two small childrena son, Stevie, adopted in 1942, and a daughter, Jonnie (whom Miller never had a chance to see), adopted in late 1944. Both were adopted from the Cradle Society in Evanston, Ill. Helen died in 1966; the children, who have no personal recollection of their father, have pursued lives outside of music.