WM
Wayne Morris
Actor, Producer
Died September 14, 1959 (45 years)
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
Description above from the Wikipedia article Wayne Morris (American actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
Filmography
| 1961 | Buffalo Gun · as Roche |
| 1959 | Adventures in Paradise (TV Series) · as Sam Agnew |
| 1959 | Bourbon Street Beat (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Bat Masterson (TV Series) · as Mace Pomeroy |
| 1958 | Lawman (TV Series) · as Tod Horgan |
| 1958 | Bronco (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Wanted: Dead or Alive (TV Series) · as Mayor Barney Pax |
| 1957 | Paths of Glory · as Lt. Roget/singing Man |
| 1957 | Plunder Road · as Commando Munson |
| 1957 | Colt .45 (TV Series) · as Jim Girad |
| 1957 | Maverick (TV Series) |
| 1957 | Wagon Train (TV Series) · as Will Hardisty |
| 1957 | The Crooked Sky · as Mike Conlin |
| 1956 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1956 | The Dynamiters · as Jimmy Baxter |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) · as Bret Johnson |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) · as Nat |
| 1955 | Cross Channel · as Tex Parker |
| 1955 | The Lonesome Trail · as Dandy Dayton |
| 1955 | Lord of the Jungle · as Jeff Wood |
| 1955 | Science Fiction Theatre (TV Series) · as Capt. Steve Conway |
| 1954 | Riding Shotgun · as Deputy Sheriff Tub Murphy |
| 1954 | The Green Buddha · as Gary Holden |
| 1954 | The Master Plan · as Major Thomas Brent |
| 1954 | The Desperado · as Sam Garrett |
| 1953 | Texas Bad Man · as Walt |
| 1953 | Fighting Lawman · as Deputy Marshal Jim Burke |
| 1953 | The Marksman · as Deputy Marshal Mike Martin |
| 1952 | Arctic Flight · as Mike Wien |
| 1952 | The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet (TV Series) · as Captain Charlie Hathaway |
| 1952 | Ford Theatre: All Star Theatre (TV Series) · as Lt. Ed Vincent |
| 1952 | Desert Pursuit · as Ford Smith |
| 1951 | The Bushwhackers · as Marshal John Harding |
| 1951 | The Big Gusher · as Kenny Blake |
| 1950 | Sierra Passage · as Johnny Yorke |
| 1950 | Stage to Tucson · as Barney Broderick |
| 1950 | Johnny One-Eye · as Dane Cory |
| 1949 | Task Force · as Mckinney |
| 1949 | The House Across the Street · as Dave Joslin |
| 1949 | John Loves Mary · as Lt. Victor O'leary |
| 1949 | The Younger Brothers · as Cole Younger |
| 1949 | A Kiss in the Dark · as Bruce Arnold |
| 1948 | The Time of Your Life · as Tom |
| 1948 | The Big Punch · as Chris Thorgenson |
| 1947 | The Voice of the Turtle · as Comm. Ned Burling |
| 1947 | Deep Valley · as Jeff Barker |
| 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 | 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 | Love, Honor and Behave · as Ted Painter |
| 1937 | 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 | Once a Doctor · as Sailor On Nirvana |
| 1936 | 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 | China Clipper · as Navigator On Clipper |