Wayne Morris
Born February 17, 1914 (Age: 112)
•
Los Angeles, California, USA
Biography
Wayne Morris (February 17, 1914 – September 14, 1959), born Bert DeWayne Morris in Los Angeles, was an American film and television actor, as well as a decorated World War II fighter ace. He appeared in many notable films, including Paths of Glory (1957), The Bushwackers (1952) and the title role of Kid Galahad in 1937. While filming Flight Angels (1940), Morris became interested in flying and became a pilot. With war in the wind, he joined the Naval Reserve and became a Navy flier in 1942, leaving his film career behind for the duration of the war. Flying the F6F Hellcat off the aircraft carrier USS Essex, Morris shot down seven Japanese planes and contributed to the sinking of five ships. He was awarded four Distinguished Flying Crosses and two Air Medals. Morris was considered by the Navy as physically 'too big' to fly fighters. After being turned down several times as a fighter pilot, he went to his brother in law, Cdr. David McCampbell, imploring him for the chance to fly fighters. Cdr. McCampbell said "Give me a letter." He flew with the VF-15, the famed "McCampbell Heroes." He married Patricia O'Rourke, an Olympic swimmer, and sister to B-movie actress Peggy Stewart. Following the war, Morris returned to films, but his nearly four-year absence had cost him his burgeoning stardom. He continued to act in movies, but the pictures, for the most part, sank in quality. Losing his boyish looks but not demeanor, Morris spent most of the fifties in low-budget westerns. He made an unusual career move in 1957, making his Broadway debut as a washed-up boxing champ in William Saroyan's The Cave Dwellers. He also appeared as a weakling in Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory (1957). Morris suffered a massive heart attack while visiting aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard in San Francisco Bay and was pronounced dead after being transported to Oakland Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. He was 45. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Description above from the Wikipedia article Wayne Morris (American actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
Wayne Morris (February 17, 1914 – September 14, 1959), born Bert DeWayne Morris in Los Angeles, was an American film and television actor, as well as a decorated World War II fighter ace. He appeared in many notable films, including Paths of Glory (1957), The Bushwackers (1952) and the title role of Kid Galahad in 1937. While filming Flight Angels (1940), Morris became interested in flying and became a pilot. With war in the wind, he joined the Naval Reserve and became a Navy flier in 1942, leaving his film career behind for the duration of the war. Flying the F6F Hellcat off the aircraft carrier USS Essex, Morris shot down seven Japanese planes and contributed to the sinking of five ships. He was awarded four Distinguished Flying Crosses and two Air Medals. Morris was considered by the Navy as physically 'too big' to fly fighters. After being turned down several times as a fighter pilot, he went to his brother in law, Cdr. David McCampbell, imploring him for the chance to fly fighters. Cdr. McCampbell said "Give me a letter." He flew with the VF-15, the famed "McCampbell Heroes." He married Patricia O'Rourke, an Olympic swimmer, and sister to B-movie actress Peggy Stewart. Following the war, Morris returned to films, but his nearly four-year absence had cost him his burgeoning stardom. He continued to act in movies, but the pictures, for the most part, sank in quality. Losing his boyish looks but not demeanor, Morris spent most of the fifties in low-budget westerns. He made an unusual career move in 1957, making his Broadway debut as a washed-up boxing champ in William Saroyan's The Cave Dwellers. He also appeared as a weakling in Stanley Kubrick's Paths of Glory (1957). Morris suffered a massive heart attack while visiting aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard in San Francisco Bay and was pronounced dead after being transported to Oakland Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. He was 45. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Wayne Morris (American actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
Read more
Filmography
Buffalo Gun
1961
•
as Roche
•
Age: 47
The Gelignite Gang
1956
•
as Jimmy Baxter
•
Age: 42
Cross Channel
1955
•
as Tex Parker
•
Age: 41
The Lonesome Trail
1955
•
as Dandy Dayton
•
Age: 41
Lord of the Jungle
1955
•
as Jeff Wood
•
Age: 41
Port of Hell
1954
•
as Stanley Povich
•
Age: 40
The Green Buddha
1954
•
as Gary Holden
•
Age: 40
Two Guns and a Badge
1954
•
as Deputy Jim Blake
•
Age: 40
The Master Plan
1954
•
as Major Thomas Brent
•
Age: 40
The Desperado
1954
•
as Sam Garrett
•
Age: 40
Riding Shotgun
1954
•
as Deputy Sheriff Tub Murphy
•
Age: 40
Texas Bad Man
1953
•
as Walt
•
Age: 39
Fighting Lawman
1953
•
as Deputy Marshal Jim Burke
•
Age: 39
The Marksman
1953
•
as Deputy Marshal Mike Martin
•
Age: 39
Star of Texas
1953
•
as Texas Ranger Ed Ryan / Robert Larkin
•
Age: 38
Sierra Passage
1950
•
as Johnny Yorke
•
Age: 36
Stage to Tucson
1950
•
as Barney Broderick
•
Age: 36
The Tougher They Come
1950
•
as Bill Shaw
•
Age: 36
Johnny One-Eye
1950
•
as Dane Cory
•
Age: 36
The Smiling Ghost
1941
•
as Alexander "Lucky" Downing
•
Age: 27
Three Sons o' Guns
1941
•
as Charley Patterson
•
Age: 27
Bad Men of Missouri
1941
•
as Bob Younger
•
Age: 27
I Wanted Wings
1941
•
as Tom Cassidy
•
Age: 27