Chester Morris
Encyclopedia
Chester Morris was an American actor, who starred in the Boston Blackie
detective series of the 1940s.
, the son of Broadway stage actor William Morris
and the performer Etta Hawkins
. He made his Broadway debut at 17 in Lionel Barrymore
's The Copperhead. At 17, he billed himself as "the youngest leading man in the country". His film career began in 1917 in An Amateur Orphan. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor
for Alibi (1929) directed by Roland West
. He also starred in The Bat Whispers
(1930) and Corsair
(1931), both directed by West.
He starred in the early prison film The Big House (1930
). His career gradually declined in the late 1930
s, with roles in B-movie
s such as Smashing the Rackets with Edward J. Pawley (1938
) and Five Came Back
(1939
). His career revived when from 1941 to 1949 he played the character Boston Blackie
in 14 low-budget movies produced by Columbia Pictures
, starting with Meet Boston Blackie
, and one season of radio shows.
Morris was also well-known as a stage magic enthusiast. He often performed as a magician during the personal appearance tours in theaters promoting his latest films. Unlike many stars who simply greeted audiences with a few words before the screening of their film, Morris was comfortable on stage and presented an entire vaudeville magic act, featuring live animals and larger stage feats such as nearly severing an audience volunteer's head in a prop guillotine. During World War II he performed hundreds of free magic shows for the U.S.O. at army and navy camps, war bond drives and hospitals. In 1944, a B-17 "Flying Fortress" airplane was christened "The Chester and Lili Morris" in honor of him and his wife, and their contributions to the United States war effort. Morris also contributed original tricks to magician's journals and often incorporated magic into his film performances, including "Boston Blackie and The Law" (1946.)
Through the 1950s and 1960s, Morris worked mainly in television, with a recurring role as detective Lieutenant Max Ritter in the CBS
summer replacement series, Diagnosis: Unknown
, which aired from July to September 1960. He also made occasional forays into regional theatre, and a few films, notably a role in the science-fiction film The She Creature
, where he played Dr. Carlo Lombardi. It was reported in Variety that Morris's Brylcreem
expenses exceeded any other item in the film's budget. After his last Boston Blackie movie, he only performed in three more films, including his final role in The Great White Hope
(1970
) which was released after his death.
Morris was dying of cancer when he committed suicide in room 202 at the former Holiday Inn of New Hope by taking an overdose of barbiturates in 1970. At the time of his death, he was appearing in a stage production of The Caine Mutiny Court Martial at the Bucks County Playhouse
in New Hope, Pennsylvania
.
Boston Blackie
Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by author Jack Boyle . Originally a jewel thief and safecracker in Boyle's novels, he became a detective in adaptations for films, radio and television—an "enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend."-Literature:Jack...
detective series of the 1940s.
Career
He was born John Chester Brooks Morris in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the son of Broadway stage actor William Morris
William Morris (actor)
William Morris was an American stage and film actor. He began his career as a teenager in the theater first appearing at the Boston Museum, 1875 and became a star on Broadway. Much theater work where he spent most of his career...
and the performer Etta Hawkins
Etta Hawkins
Etta Hawkins was popular stage comedian during the early 1900s, who gained prestige with her work in the productions of Lord Chumley with E.H...
. He made his Broadway debut at 17 in Lionel Barrymore
Lionel Barrymore
Lionel Barrymore was an American actor of stage, screen and radio. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul...
's The Copperhead. At 17, he billed himself as "the youngest leading man in the country". His film career began in 1917 in An Amateur Orphan. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor
Academy Award for Best Actor
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
for Alibi (1929) directed by Roland West
Roland West
For the basketball player, see Roland West Roland West was a Hollywood director known for his innovative film noir movies of the 1920s and early 1930s.-Biography:...
. He also starred in The Bat Whispers
The Bat Whispers
The Bat Whispers is a mystery film directed by Roland West, produced by Joseph M. Schenck, and released by United Artists.-Plot:A mysterious criminal by the name of "The Bat" eludes police and then finally announces his retirement to the country, while a wealthy Cornelia Van Gorder takes up...
(1930) and Corsair
Corsair (film)
Corsair is a 1931 American film directed by Roland West. The film is based on the novel Corsair by Walton Green.-Cast:*Chester Morris as John Hawks*Thelma Todd as Alison Corning*Fred Kohler as Big John*Ned Sparks as Slim...
(1931), both directed by West.
He starred in the early prison film The Big House (1930
1930 in film
-Events:* November 1: The Big Trail featuring a young John Wayne in his first starring role is released in both 35mm, and a very early form of 70mm film and was the first large scale big-budget film of the sound era costing over $2 million. The film was praised for its aesthetic quality and realism...
). His career gradually declined in the late 1930
1930 in film
-Events:* November 1: The Big Trail featuring a young John Wayne in his first starring role is released in both 35mm, and a very early form of 70mm film and was the first large scale big-budget film of the sound era costing over $2 million. The film was praised for its aesthetic quality and realism...
s, with roles in B-movie
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
s such as Smashing the Rackets with Edward J. Pawley (1938
1938 in film
The year 1938 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*January — MGM announces that Judy Garland would be cast in the role of "Dorothy" in the upcoming Wizard of Oz motion picture. Ray Bolger is cast as the "Tinman" and Buddy Ebsen is cast as the "Scarecrow". At Bolger's insistence,...
) and Five Came Back
Five Came Back
Five Came Back is a 1939 melodrama and a precursor of the disaster film genre. The film was directed by John Farrow, photographed by renowned film noir cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca, and written by Jerry Cady, Dalton Trumbo and Nathanael West....
(1939
1939 in film
The year 1939 in motion pictures can be justified as being called the most outstanding one ever, when it comes to the high quality and high attendance at the large set of the best films that premiered in the year .- Events :Motion picture historians and film often rate...
). His career revived when from 1941 to 1949 he played the character Boston Blackie
Boston Blackie
Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by author Jack Boyle . Originally a jewel thief and safecracker in Boyle's novels, he became a detective in adaptations for films, radio and television—an "enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend."-Literature:Jack...
in 14 low-budget movies produced by Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
, starting with Meet Boston Blackie
Meet Boston Blackie
Meet Boston Blackie is a 1941 crime film starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie, a notorious, but honorable jewel thief. Although the character had been the hero of a number of silent films, this was the first talking picture...
, and one season of radio shows.
Morris was also well-known as a stage magic enthusiast. He often performed as a magician during the personal appearance tours in theaters promoting his latest films. Unlike many stars who simply greeted audiences with a few words before the screening of their film, Morris was comfortable on stage and presented an entire vaudeville magic act, featuring live animals and larger stage feats such as nearly severing an audience volunteer's head in a prop guillotine. During World War II he performed hundreds of free magic shows for the U.S.O. at army and navy camps, war bond drives and hospitals. In 1944, a B-17 "Flying Fortress" airplane was christened "The Chester and Lili Morris" in honor of him and his wife, and their contributions to the United States war effort. Morris also contributed original tricks to magician's journals and often incorporated magic into his film performances, including "Boston Blackie and The Law" (1946.)
Through the 1950s and 1960s, Morris worked mainly in television, with a recurring role as detective Lieutenant Max Ritter in the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
summer replacement series, Diagnosis: Unknown
Diagnosis: Unknown
Diagnosis: Unknown is an American medical drama that aired on CBS from July 5 to September 20, 1960. Produced by Bob Banner, the series aired as a summer replacement for The Garry Moore Show, a variety program.-Synopsis:...
, which aired from July to September 1960. He also made occasional forays into regional theatre, and a few films, notably a role in the science-fiction film The She Creature
The She Creature
The She Creature is a 1956 American black-and-white horror film produced by American International Pictures from a script by Lou Rusoff , produced by Alex Gordon and directed by Edward L. Cahn...
, where he played Dr. Carlo Lombardi. It was reported in Variety that Morris's Brylcreem
Brylcreem
Brylcreem is a brand of hair styling products for men. The first Brylcreem product was a pomade created in 1928 by County Chemicals at the Chemico Works in Bradford Street, Birmingham, England. The pomade is an emulsion of water and mineral oil stabilised with beeswax.Beecham was the longtime...
expenses exceeded any other item in the film's budget. After his last Boston Blackie movie, he only performed in three more films, including his final role in The Great White Hope
The Great White Hope
The Great White Hope is a 1967 play written by Howard Sackler, later adapted in 1970 for a film of the same name. The play was first produced by Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. and debuted on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on October 3, 1968 for a run of 546 performances, directed by Edwin Sherin...
(1970
1970 in film
The year 1970 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 9 - Larry Fine, the second member of The Three Stooges, suffers a massive stroke, therefore ending his career....
) which was released after his death.
Personal life
Morris was married to Suzanne Kilborn from September 30, 1927 to their divorce in November 1939. They had two children, Brooks and Cynthia. He married Lillian Kenton Barker on November 30, 1940. They had a son, Kenton.Morris was dying of cancer when he committed suicide in room 202 at the former Holiday Inn of New Hope by taking an overdose of barbiturates in 1970. At the time of his death, he was appearing in a stage production of The Caine Mutiny Court Martial at the Bucks County Playhouse
Bucks County Playhouse
The Bucks County Playhouse is the State Theater of Pennsylvania, and is located in New Hope, Pennsylvania.When the Hope Mills burnt in 1790, the grist mills were rebuilt as the New Hope Mills by Benjamin Parry. ....
in New Hope, Pennsylvania
New Hope, Pennsylvania
New Hope, formerly known as Coryell's Ferry, is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 2,528 at the 2010 census. The borough lies on the west bank of the Delaware River at its confluence with Aquetong Creek. A two-lane bridge carries automobile and foot traffic across the...
.
Partial filmography
- Alibi (1929)
- Woman TrapWoman TrapWoman Trap is a 1929 American drama film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Evelyn Brent.- Cast :* Hal Skelly as Dan Malone* Chester Morris as Ray Malone* Evelyn Brent as Kitty Evans* William B. Davidson as Watts* Effie Ellsler as Mrs. Malone...
(1929) - She Couldn't Say NoShe Couldn't Say No (1930 film)She Couldn't Say No is a musical drama that stars Winnie Lightner, fresh from her success in Gold Diggers of Broadway . It was adapted from a play by Benjamin M. Kaye...
(1930) - The DivorceeThe DivorceeThe Divorcee is a 1930 American drama film written by Nick Grindé, John Meehan and Zelda Sears, based on the novel Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott. It was directed by Robert Z. Leonard, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director...
(1930) - The Big House (1930)
- The Bat WhispersThe Bat WhispersThe Bat Whispers is a mystery film directed by Roland West, produced by Joseph M. Schenck, and released by United Artists.-Plot:A mysterious criminal by the name of "The Bat" eludes police and then finally announces his retirement to the country, while a wealthy Cornelia Van Gorder takes up...
(1930) - The Case of Sergeant GrischaThe Case of Sergeant Grischa (film)The Case of Sergeant Grischa is a 1930 American drama film directed by Herbert Brenon, based on the German novel of the same name. The film was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Sound Recording .-Cast:...
(1930) - CorsairCorsair (film)Corsair is a 1931 American film directed by Roland West. The film is based on the novel Corsair by Walton Green.-Cast:*Chester Morris as John Hawks*Thelma Todd as Alison Corning*Fred Kohler as Big John*Ned Sparks as Slim...
(1931) - The Miracle ManThe Miracle Man (1932 film)The Miracle Man is a 1932 drama film directed by Norman Z. McLeod, starring Sylvia Sidney and featuring Boris Karloff. It is a remake of the 1919 film of the same name. The film was originally supposed to star Tyrone Power Sr, as the Preacher/Patriarch, but he died before major filming got underway...
(1932) - Red-Headed WomanRed-Headed WomanRed-Headed Woman is a 1932 Pre-Code comedy film, produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, based on a novel by Katherine Brush, and with a screenplay by Anita Loos. It was directed by Jack Conway, and stars Jean Harlow as a woman who uses sex to advance her social position...
(1932) - Blondie JohnsonBlondie JohnsonBlondie Johnson is a 1933 Warner Bros. drama film directed by Ray Enright. It stars Chester Morris and Joan Blondell.-Plot:Set during the Great Depression, Blondie Johnson quits her job after a co-worker sexually harasses her. She next is evicted with her sick mother, but cannot get relief. After...
(1933) - Tomorrow at SevenTomorrow at SevenTomorrow at Seven is a 1933 American film directed by Ray Enright, by M&A Alexander Productions, Inc.- Plot :A man unveils a valuable painting he picked up for $50,000 and is killed. A car with a large black ace is put on his chest. Another “Black Ace” victim...
(1933) - The Gay BrideThe Gay BrideThe Gay Bride is a 1934 black-and-white gangster film starring Carole Lombard as a wisecracking gold-digger and Chester Morris as the poor man she despises...
(1934) - Public Hero No. 1 (1935)
- Three GodfathersThree Godfathers (1936 film)Three Godfathers is a 1936 western film, adapted from the novel of the same name by Peter B. Kyne. Three bank robbers find a newborn baby and his dying mother in the desert...
(1936) - Flight From GloryFlight From GloryFlight From Glory is a 1937 B movie about a run-down air cargo company in South America in the early days of aviation.-Plot:Ellis runs an air service transporting supplies from a tiny, remote outpost over the Andes Mountains to some mines, using worn-out planes and pilots no one else will employ...
(1937) - Smashing The Rackets (1938)
- Blind AlleyBlind Alley (film)Blind Alley is a 1939 crime drama film directed by Charles Vidor.Chester Morris plays a prison escapee who hides out with his gang in the home of a noted psychologist, played by Ralph Bellamy. Though a prisoner, the doctor begins delving into his captor's psyche.The film was adapted from the...
(1939) - Five Came BackFive Came BackFive Came Back is a 1939 melodrama and a precursor of the disaster film genre. The film was directed by John Farrow, photographed by renowned film noir cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca, and written by Jerry Cady, Dalton Trumbo and Nathanael West....
(1939) - Thunder AfloatThunder AfloatThunder Afloat is a 1939 World War I naval film starring Wallace Beery and Chester Morris. The movie was directed by George B. Seitz.-Cast:*Wallace Beery as Pop Thorson*Chester Morris as Rocky Blake*Douglass Dumbrille as District Commander...
(1939) - Pacific Liner (1939)
- Meet Boston BlackieMeet Boston BlackieMeet Boston Blackie is a 1941 crime film starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie, a notorious, but honorable jewel thief. Although the character had been the hero of a number of silent films, this was the first talking picture...
(1941) - Confessions of Boston BlackieConfessions of Boston BlackieConfessions of Boston Blackie is a 1941 American crime film directed by Edward Dmytryk.-Cast:* Chester Morris as Boston Blackie* Harriet Hilliard as Diane Parrish* Richard Lane as Inspector Farraday* George E...
(1941) - No Hands on the ClockNo Hands on the Clock- Cast :*Chester Morris as Detective Humphrey Campbell*Jean Parker as Mrs. Louise Campbell*Rose Hobart as Mrs. Marion West*Dick Purcell as Red Harris*Astrid Allwyn as Gypsy Toland*Rod Cameron as Tom Reed,Ranch Foreman*Lorin Raker as Clyde Copley, the Undertaker...
(1941) - Aerial GunnerAerial GunnerAerial Gunner is a 1943 American war film directed by William H. Pine and starring Chester Morris, Richard Arlen and Jimmy Lydon. Robert Mitchum, Kirk Alyn and Jeff Corey make uncredited appearances...
(1943) - TornadoTornado (1943 film)Tornado is a 1943 film starring Chester Morris and Nancy Kelly. The movie was directed by William A. Berke.-Cast:*Chester Morris as Pete Ramsey*Nancy Kelly as Vactie Kane*William Henry as Bob Ramsey*Gwen Kenyon as Sally Vlochek...
(1943) - The Chance of a LifetimeThe Chance of a LifetimeThe Chance of a Lifetime is a 1943 crime drama starring Chester Morris, Erik Rolf and Jeanne Bates. It is one of 14 films made by Columbia Pictures involving detective Boston Blackie, a criminal-turned-detective. The film is also William Castle's directorial debut.-Plot:Boston Blackie helps the...
(1943) - Gambler's ChoiceGambler's ChoiceGambler's Choice is a 1944 film starring Chester Morris and Nancy Kelly. The movie was directed by Frank McDonald.- Plot summary :Two men and a woman who were close friends as children meet again as adults and an unforeseen rivalry for the woman's attentions ensues.-Cast:*Chester Morris as Ross...
(1944) - Double ExposureDouble Exposure (1944 film)Double Exposure is a 1944 American film directed by William Berke starring Chester Morris and Nancy Kelly.-Plot summary:Pat Marvin is a small town photographer who gets a job offer in New York for a magazine...
(1944) - One Mysterious Night (1944)
- UnchainedUnchained (film)Unchained is a 1955 prison film based on the non-fiction book Prisoners are People by Kenyon J. Scudder. The film is most remembered for its theme song, "Unchained Melody", which was a #1 R&B hit for both Al Hibbler & Roy Hamilton in 1955, with Hibbler's version also reaching #3 on the Billboard...
(1955) - The She CreatureThe She CreatureThe She Creature is a 1956 American black-and-white horror film produced by American International Pictures from a script by Lou Rusoff , produced by Alex Gordon and directed by Edward L. Cahn...
(1957) - The Great White HopeThe Great White Hope (film)The Great White Hope is a 1970 biographical romantic drama film written and adapted from the Howard Sackler play of the same title. The film was directed by Martin Ritt, starring James Earl Jones, Jane Alexander, Chester Morris, Hal Holbrook, Beah Richards and Moses Gunn...
(1970)