Image of Wayne Morris

Wayne Morris

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 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 bio at tmdb | Read bio at Wikipedia
Born:
Feb 17, 1914 In Los Angeles, California, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
73
First Appeared:
In the movie China Clipper 1936-08-11
Latest Project:
Movie Hollywood Without Make-Up 1963-07-01
Known For
Poster of The Gelignite Gang
Poster of The Big Gusher
Poster of Task Force
Filmography
Movie Hollywood Without Make-Up Self (archive footage) 1963-07-01
Movie Buffalo Gun Roche 1961-07-01
Series Adventures in Paradise Unknown 1959-10-05
Series Bat Masterson Unknown 1958-10-08
Series Wanted: Dead or Alive Unknown 1958-09-06
Series Maverick Unknown 1957-09-22
Movie The Crooked Sky Mike Conlin 1957-03-31
Movie Plunder Road Commando Munson 1957-12-05
Movie Paths of Glory Lt. Roget/Singing man 1957-10-25
Movie The Gelignite Gang Jimmy Baxter 1956-06-20
Movie The Master Plan Major Thomas Brent 1955-09-08
Movie The Lonesome Trail Dandy Dayton 1955-07-01
Movie Lord of the Jungle Jeff Wood 1955-06-12
Series Gunsmoke Unknown 1955-09-10
Movie Cross Channel Tex Parker 1955-09-29
Series Alfred Hitchcock Presents Unknown 1955-10-02
Movie Riding Shotgun Deputy Sheriff Tub Murphy 1954-04-01
Movie The Desperado Sam Garrett 1954-06-20
Movie The Green Buddha Gary Holden 1954-11-01
Movie Two Guns and a Badge Deputy Jim Blake 1954-09-11
Movie Port of Hell Stanley Povich 1954-12-05
Movie Star of Texas Texas Ranger Ed Ryan / Robert Larkin 1953-01-11
Movie The Marksman Deputy Marshal Mike Martin 1953-04-10
Movie Texas Bad Man Walt 1953-12-20
Movie Fighting Lawman Deputy Marshal Jim Burke 1953-09-20
Movie Desert Pursuit Ford Smith 1952-05-10
Movie Arctic Flight Mike Wien 1952-10-19
Movie The Big Gusher Kenny Blake 1951-07-01
Movie The Bushwhackers Marshal John Harding 1951-12-07
Movie Johnny One-Eye Dane Cory 1950-05-05
Movie The Tougher They Come Bill Shaw 1950-11-16
Movie Stage to Tucson Barney Broderick 1950-12-01
Movie Sierra Passage Johnny Yorke 1950-12-31
Movie The Younger Brothers Cole Younger 1949-05-03
Movie John Loves Mary Lt. Victor O'Leary 1949-02-04
Movie A Kiss in the Dark Bruce Arnold 1949-03-25
Movie Task Force McKinney 1949-08-30
Movie The House Across the Street Dave Joslin 1949-09-10
Movie The Big Punch Chris Thorgenson 1948-06-26
Movie The Time of Your Life Tom 1948-09-03
Movie Deep Valley Jeff Barker 1947-07-30
Movie So You Want to Be in Pictures Himself (uncredited) 1947-06-07
Movie The Voice of the Turtle Comm. Ned Burling 1947-12-25
Movie Blow-Ups of 1947 Self 1947-12-31
Movie I Wanted Wings Tom Cassidy 1941-03-26
Movie Bad Men of Missouri Bob Younger 1941-07-26
Movie Three Sons o' Guns Charley Patterson 1941-08-02
Movie The Smiling Ghost Alexander "Lucky" Downing 1941-09-06
Movie An Angel from Texas Mac McClure 1940-04-27
Movie Flight Angels Artie Dixon 1940-05-18
Movie Double Alibi Stephen Wayne 1940-03-01
Movie Brother Rat and a Baby Billy Randolph 1940-01-13
Movie Gambling on the High Seas Jim Carter 1940-06-22
Movie The Quarterback Jimmy Jones and Billy Jones 1940-10-15
Movie Ladies Must Live Corey Lake 1940-07-27
Movie The Kid from Kokomo Homer Baston 1939-05-23
Movie The Return of Doctor X Walter Wichita Garrett 1939-11-23
Movie Love, Honor and Behave Ted Painter 1938-03-12
Movie Out Where the Stars Begin Wayne Morris 1938-05-28
Movie The Kid Comes Back Rush Conway 1938-02-12
Movie Men Are Such Fools Jimmy Hall 1938-06-15
Movie Brother Rat Billy Randolph 1938-10-29
Movie Valley of the Giants Bill Cardigan 1938-09-17
Movie Once a Doctor Sailor on Nirvana 1937-01-23
Movie Smart Blonde Railroad Information Clerk (uncredited) 1937-01-02
Movie Under Southern Stars Dallas 1937-02-20
Movie Land Beyond the Law Dave Seymour 1937-03-13
Movie Submarine D-1 "Sock" McGillis 1937-11-27
Movie Kid Galahad Ward 'Kid Galahad' Guisenberry 1937-05-29
Movie China Clipper Navigator on Clipper 1936-08-11
Movie Here Comes Carter Bill 1936-10-24
Movie King of Hockey Bill "Jumbo" Mullins 1936-12-19
Movie Polo Joe Spectator (uncredited) 1936-11-04