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Wayne Morris
Actor

Wayne Morris

17 Feb 1914Born
14 Sep 1959Died
45Age at death
75Credits

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.

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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

Known for

Filmography

  1. 1961Buffalo GunFilm: Roche
  2. 1959Bourbon Street BeatSeries (1 episode)
  3. 1959Adventures in ParadiseSeries: Sam Agnew (1 episode)
  4. 1958Bat MastersonSeries: Mace Pomeroy (1 episode)
  5. 1958BroncoSeries (1 episode)
  6. 1958Wanted: Dead or AliveSeries: Mayor Barney Pax (1 episode)
  7. 1957Plunder RoadFilm: Commando Munson
  8. 1957Paths of GloryFilm: Lt. Roget/Singing man
  9. 1957MaverickSeries (1 episode)
  10. 1957The Crooked SkyFilm: Mike Conlin
  11. 1957Official DetectiveSeries (1 episode)
  12. 1956The Gelignite GangFilm: Jimmy Baxter
  13. 1956The Adventures of the Big ManSeries: Bill Pierce (16 episodes)
  14. 1955Alfred Hitchcock PresentsSeries: Bret Johnson (1 episode)
  15. 1955Cross ChannelFilm: Tex Parker
  16. 1955GunsmokeSeries: Nat (1 episode)
  17. 1955The Lonesome TrailFilm: Dandy Dayton
  18. 1955Lord of the JungleFilm: Jeff Wood
  19. 1954Port of HellFilm: Stanley Povich
  20. 1954The Green BuddhaFilm: Gary Holden
  21. 1954Two Guns and a BadgeFilm: Deputy Jim Blake
  22. 1954The Master PlanFilm: Major Thomas Brent
  23. 1954The DesperadoFilm: Sam Garrett
  24. 1954Riding ShotgunFilm: Deputy Sheriff Tub Murphy
  25. 1953Texas Bad ManFilm: Walt
  26. 1953Fighting LawmanFilm: Deputy Marshal Jim Burke
  27. 1953The MarksmanFilm: Deputy Marshal Mike Martin
  28. 1953Star of TexasFilm: Texas Ranger Ed Ryan / Robert Larkin
  29. 1952Arctic FlightFilm: Mike Wien
  30. 1952Desert PursuitFilm: Ford Smith
  31. 1951The BushwhackersFilm: Marshal John Harding
  32. 1951Yellow FinFilm: Mike Donovan
  33. 1951The Big GusherFilm: Kenny Blake
  34. 1950Sierra PassageFilm: Johnny Yorke
  35. 1950Stage to TucsonFilm: Barney Broderick
  36. 1950The Tougher They ComeFilm: Bill Shaw
  37. 1950Johnny One-EyeFilm: Dane Cory
  38. 1949The House Across the StreetFilm: Dave Joslin
  39. 1949Task ForceFilm: McKinney
  40. 1949The Younger BrothersFilm: Cole Younger
  41. 1949A Kiss in the DarkFilm: Bruce Arnold
  42. 1949John Loves MaryFilm: Lt. Victor O'Leary
  43. 1948The Time of Your LifeFilm: Tom
  44. 1948The Big PunchFilm: Chris Thorgenson
  45. 1947The Voice of the TurtleFilm: Comm. Ned Burling
  46. 1947Deep ValleyFilm: Jeff Barker
  47. 1941The Smiling GhostFilm: Alexander "Lucky" Downing
  48. 1941Three Sons o' GunsFilm: Charley Patterson
  49. 1941Bad Men of MissouriFilm: Bob Younger
  50. 1941I Wanted WingsFilm: Tom Cassidy
  51. 1940The QuarterbackFilm: Jimmy Jones and Billy Jones
  52. 1940Ladies Must LiveFilm: Corey Lake
  53. 1940Gambling on the High SeasFilm: Jim Carter
  54. 1940Flight AngelsFilm: Artie Dixon
  55. 1940An Angel from TexasFilm: Mac McClure
  56. 1940Double AlibiFilm: Stephen Wayne
  57. 1940Brother Rat and a BabyFilm: Billy Randolph
  58. 1939The Return of Doctor XFilm: Walter Wichita Garrett
  59. 1939The Kid from KokomoFilm: Homer Baston
  60. 1938Brother RatFilm: Billy Randolph
  61. 1938Valley of the GiantsFilm: Bill Cardigan
  62. 1938Men Are Such FoolsFilm: Jimmy Hall
  63. 1938Out Where the Stars BeginFilm: Wayne Morris
  64. 1938Love, Honor and BehaveFilm: Ted Painter
  65. 1938The Kid Comes BackFilm: Rush Conway
  66. 1937Submarine D-1Film: "Sock" McGillis
  67. 1937Kid GalahadFilm: Ward 'Kid Galahad' Guisenberry
  68. 1937Land Beyond the LawFilm: Dave Seymour
  69. 1937Under Southern StarsFilm: Dallas
  70. 1937Once a DoctorFilm: Sailor on Nirvana
  71. 1937Smart BlondeFilm: Railroad Information Clerk (uncredited)
  72. 1936King of HockeyFilm: Bill "Jumbo" Mullins
  73. 1936Polo JoeFilm: Spectator (uncredited)
  74. 1936Here Comes CarterFilm: Bill
  75. 1936China ClipperFilm: Navigator on Clipper

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.