Wayne Morris
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
Known For
Credits
- 1961 · Buffalo Gun as Roche
- 1959 · Adventures in Paradise as Sam Agnew
- 1959 · Bourbon Street Beat as
- 1958 · Bat Masterson as Mace Pomeroy
- 1958 · Bronco as
- 1958 · Wanted: Dead or Alive as Mayor Barney Pax
- 1957 · Plunder Road as Commando Munson
- 1957 · Paths of Glory as Lt. Roget/Singing man
- 1957 · Maverick as
- 1957 · The Crooked Sky as Mike Conlin
- 1957 · Official Detective as
- 1956 · The Gelignite Gang as Jimmy Baxter
- 1955 · Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Bret Johnson
- 1955 · Cross Channel as Tex Parker
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Nat
- 1955 · The Master Plan as Major Thomas Brent
- 1955 · The Lonesome Trail as Dandy Dayton
- 1955 · Lord of the Jungle as Jeff Wood
- 1954 · Port of Hell as Stanley Povich
- 1954 · The Green Buddha as Gary Holden
- 1954 · Two Guns and a Badge as Deputy Jim Blake
- 1954 · The Desperado as Sam Garrett
- 1954 · Riding Shotgun as Deputy Sheriff Tub Murphy
- 1953 · Texas Bad Man as Walt
- 1953 · Fighting Lawman as Deputy Marshal Jim Burke
- 1953 · The Marksman as Deputy Marshal Mike Martin
- 1953 · Star of Texas as Texas Ranger Ed Ryan / Robert Larkin
- 1952 · Arctic Flight as Mike Wien
- 1952 · Desert Pursuit as Ford Smith
- 1951 · The Bushwhackers as Marshal John Harding
- 1951 · Yellow Fin as Mike Donovan
- 1951 · The Big Gusher as Kenny Blake
- 1950 · Sierra Passage as Johnny Yorke
- 1950 · Stage to Tucson as Barney Broderick
- 1950 · The Tougher They Come as Bill Shaw
- 1950 · Johnny One-Eye as Dane Cory
- 1949 · Breakdowns of 1949 as Self
- 1949 · The House Across the Street as Dave Joslin
- 1949 · Task Force as McKinney
- 1949 · The Younger Brothers as Cole Younger
- 1949 · A Kiss in the Dark as Bruce Arnold
- 1949 · John Loves Mary as Lt. Victor O'Leary
- 1948 · The Time of Your Life as Tom
- 1948 · The Big Punch as Chris Thorgenson
- 1948 · The Ed Sullivan Show as Self
- 1947 · Blow-Ups of 1947 as Self
- 1947 · The Voice of the Turtle as Comm. Ned Burling
- 1947 · Deep Valley as Jeff Barker
- 1947 · So You Want to Be in Pictures as Himself (uncredited)
- 1941 · The Smiling Ghost as Alexander "Lucky" Downing
- 1941 · Three Sons o' Guns as Charley Patterson
- 1941 · Bad Men of Missouri as Bob Younger
- 1941 · I Wanted Wings as Tom Cassidy
- 1940 · The Quarterback as Jimmy Jones and Billy Jones
- 1940 · Ladies Must Live as Corey Lake
- 1940 · Gambling on the High Seas as Jim Carter
- 1940 · Flight Angels as Artie Dixon
- 1940 · An Angel from Texas as Mac McClure
- 1940 · Double Alibi as Stephen Wayne
- 1940 · Brother Rat and a Baby as Billy Randolph
- 1939 · The Return of Doctor X as Walter Wichita Garrett
- 1939 · The Kid from Kokomo as Homer Baston
- 1938 · Brother Rat as Billy Randolph
- 1938 · Valley of the Giants as Bill Cardigan
- 1938 · Men Are Such Fools as Jimmy Hall
- 1938 · Out Where the Stars Begin as Wayne Morris
- 1938 · Love, Honor and Behave as Ted Painter
- 1938 · The Kid Comes Back as Rush Conway
- 1937 · Submarine D-1 as "Sock" McGillis
- 1937 · Kid Galahad as Ward 'Kid Galahad' Guisenberry
- 1937 · Land Beyond the Law as Dave Seymour
- 1937 · Under Southern Stars as Dallas
- 1937 · Once a Doctor as Sailor on Nirvana
- 1937 · Smart Blonde as Railroad Information Clerk (uncredited)
- 1936 · King of Hockey as Bill "Jumbo" Mullins
- 1936 · Polo Joe as Spectator (uncredited)
- 1936 · Here Comes Carter as Bill
- 1936 · Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1) as Self
- 1936 · China Clipper as Navigator on Clipper