William Henry Morris (January 1, 1861 – January 11, 1936) was an American stage and film actor.[1]
William Morris | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Morris in 1904 | |
| Born | William Henry Morris January 1, 1861 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | January 11, 1936 (aged 75) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1875–1935 |
| Spouse | Etta Hawkins |
| Children | 5, including Chester Morris |
Career
editHe began his career as a teenager in the theater, first appearing at the Boston Museum in 1875. He became a star on the Broadway stage, where he spent most of his career. He appeared in popular plays such as 1909's Is Matrimony a Failure? He was a character actor in silent films, usually playing gruff fathers or bad guys.[2]
His appearance in Alice Guy's 1917 silent film The Ocean Waif, from Kino DVD, is an example of Morris's surviving screen work.
Personal life
editHe was married to actress Etta Hawkins,[3] with whom he had five children: screenwriter-actor Gordon Morris (1898–1940), actors Chester Morris (1901–1970) and Adrian Morris (1907–1941), and actress Wilhelmina Morris (1902–1971).[4]: 7, 263 Their first child, Lloyd Morris, died young (1892–1902).[4]: 7
Selected filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | Romeo and Juliet | Abraham | |
| 1930 | Brothers | Dr. Moore | |
| 1931 | The Woman Between | Frederick Weston | |
| The Gang Buster | Andrew Martine |
Selected stage appearances
edit- Men and Women (1890)
- Is Matrimony a Failure? (1909)
- The Concert (1910)
- The Family Cupboard (1913)
- Cheating Cheaters (1916)
References
edit- ^ "William Morris, 75, Veteran Actor, Dies; Father of Chester of the Movies Well Known on Broadway Stage". The New York Times. January 12, 1936. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
- ^ The Chester Morris Web the only Chester Morris website on the internet
- ^ "Obituary: Etta Hawkins Morris". The New York Times. July 15, 1945. p. 15. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
- ^ a b Nollen, Scott Allen; Nollen, Yuyun Yuningsih (2019). Chester Morris : His Life and Career (softcover) (First ed.). Jefferson, NC, and London: McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-7729-3.
External links
edit- William Morris at IMDb
- William Morris at the Internet Broadway Database
- William Morris at Find a Grave
- William Morris(NY Public Library)