1914-02-17 Los Angeles, California, USA
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
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Buffalo Gun | Roche | 1961-07-01 |
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The Crooked Sky | Mike Conlin | 1957-03-31 |
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Plunder Road | Commando Munson | 1957-12-05 |
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Paths of Glory | Lt. Roget/Singing man | 1957-10-25 |
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The Gelignite Gang | Jimmy Baxter | 1956-06-20 |
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Cross Channel | Tex Parker | 1955-09-29 |
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The Master Plan | Major Thomas Brent | 1955-09-08 |
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The Lonesome Trail | Dandy Dayton | 1955-07-01 |
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Lord of the Jungle | Jeff Wood | 1955-06-12 |
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Two Guns and a Badge | Deputy Jim Blake | 1954-09-11 |
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The Desperado | Sam Garrett | 1954-06-20 |
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The Green Buddha | Gary Holden | 1954-11-01 |
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Port of Hell | Stanley Povich | 1954-12-05 |
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Riding Shotgun | Deputy Sheriff Tub Murphy | 1954-04-01 |
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Star of Texas | Texas Ranger Ed Ryan / Robert Larkin | 1953-01-11 |
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Texas Bad Man | Walt | 1953-12-20 |
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Fighting Lawman | Deputy Marshal Jim Burke | 1953-09-20 |
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The Marksman | Deputy Marshal Mike Martin | 1953-04-10 |
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Arctic Flight | Mike Wien | 1952-10-19 |
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Desert Pursuit | Ford Smith | 1952-05-10 |
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The Big Gusher | Kenny Blake | 1951-07-01 |
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The Bushwhackers | Marshal John Harding | 1951-12-07 |
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Yellow Fin | Mike Donovan | 1951-10-14 |
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Johnny One-Eye | Dane Cory | 1950-05-05 |
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The Tougher They Come | Bill Shaw | 1950-11-16 |
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Stage to Tucson | Barney Broderick | 1950-12-01 |
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Sierra Passage | Johnny Yorke | 1950-12-31 |
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A Kiss in the Dark | Bruce Arnold | 1949-03-25 |
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The Younger Brothers | Cole Younger | 1949-05-03 |
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John Loves Mary | Lt. Victor O'Leary | 1949-02-04 |
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The House Across the Street | Dave Joslin | 1949-09-10 |
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Breakdowns of 1949 | Self | 1949-12-31 |
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Task Force | McKinney | 1949-08-30 |
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The Time of Your Life | Tom | 1948-09-03 |
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The Big Punch | Chris Thorgenson | 1948-06-26 |
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Blow-Ups of 1947 | Self | 1947-12-31 |
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So You Want to Be in Pictures | Self (uncredited) | 1947-06-07 |
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The Voice of the Turtle | Comm. Ned Burling | 1947-12-25 |
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Deep Valley | Jeff Barker | 1947-07-30 |
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Three Sons o' Guns | Charley Patterson | 1941-08-02 |
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I Wanted Wings | Tom Cassidy | 1941-03-26 |
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Bad Men of Missouri | Bob Younger | 1941-07-26 |
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The Smiling Ghost | Alexander "Lucky" Downing | 1941-09-06 |
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Gambling on the High Seas | Jim Carter | 1940-06-22 |
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Flight Angels | Artie Dixon | 1940-05-18 |
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Double Alibi | Stephen Wayne | 1940-03-01 |
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The Quarterback | Jimmy Jones and Billy Jones | 1940-10-15 |
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Ladies Must Live | Corey Lake | 1940-07-27 |
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An Angel from Texas | Mac McClure | 1940-04-27 |
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Brother Rat and a Baby | Billy Randolph | 1940-01-13 |
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The Return of Doctor X | Walter Wichita Garrett | 1939-11-23 |
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The Kid from Kokomo | Homer Baston | 1939-05-23 |
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The Kid Comes Back | Rush Conway | 1938-02-12 |
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Love, Honor and Behave | Ted Painter | 1938-03-12 |
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Valley of the Giants | Bill Cardigan | 1938-09-17 |
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Brother Rat | Billy Randolph | 1938-10-29 |
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Out Where the Stars Begin | Wayne Morris | 1938-05-28 |
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Men Are Such Fools | Jimmy Hall | 1938-06-15 |
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Kid Galahad | Ward 'Kid Galahad' Guisenberry | 1937-05-29 |
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Under Southern Stars | Dallas | 1937-02-20 |
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Once a Doctor | Sailor on Nirvana | 1937-01-23 |
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Submarine D-1 | "Sock" McGillis | 1937-11-27 |
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Land Beyond the Law | Dave Seymour | 1937-03-13 |
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Smart Blonde | Railroad Information Clerk (uncredited) | 1937-01-02 |
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Polo Joe | Spectator (uncredited) | 1936-11-04 |
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China Clipper | Navigator on Clipper | 1936-08-11 |
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Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1) | Self | 1936-09-11 |
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King of Hockey | Bill "Jumbo" Mullins | 1936-12-19 |
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Here Comes Carter | Bill | 1936-10-24 |
