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Chester Morris was an American actor who starred in films, television, and radio. He was nominated for an Oscar for Alibi (1929) and was known for playing Boston Blackie, a detective, in the 1940s.
Chester Morris was a versatile and popular actor who starred in silent and sound films, Broadway plays, and TV shows. He was nominated for an Oscar for Alibi (1929) and became famous as the detective Boston Blackie in the 1940s.
- January 1, 1
- New York City, New York, USA
- January 1, 1
- New Hope, Pennsylvania, USA
Chester Morris. Actor: The Divorcee. The Academy Award-nominated film actor Chester Morris, who will forever be associated with the character Boston Blackie, was born John Chester Brooks Morris on February 16 1901 in New York City, the son of actor William Morris and comedienne Etta Hawkins.
- February 16, 1901
- September 11, 1970
- Early life
- Early career
- Film
- Filmography
- Later career
- Television
- Later years
- Personal life
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He was born John Chester Brooks Morris in New York City, February 16, 1901, to a show biz family that produced show biz kids. His father, William Morris (1861-1936), had been on stage since 1875 and made a few film appearances including a brief run as an early 30s character actor (Among other parts he was Ham, old egg, Warren Williams co-conspirato...
Morris actually made his film debut in 1917 as rival suitor to Gladys Leslie in An Amateur Orphan, described at the time as one of Leslies poor little rich girl roles. Morris appeared in a few other silent films, but he really made his first major mark on the legitimate stage. Hes said to have had some training with the Westchester Players, but it ...
In November 1928 he and Regis Toomey were among five Broadway players selected by director Roland West to appear in his adaptation of Broadways Nightstick, soon retitled Alibi for the screen. The film catapulted Chester Morris to fame and secured him his only Academy Award nomination for Best Actor (He lost to Warner Baxter). It also forged a frien...
Alibi immediately established Morris as a star and he continued to impress throughout 1930 when parts included his playing a Russian escaped from a German prison camp in The Case of Sergeant Grischa, a lost film; As Norma Shearers unfaithful husband in The Divorcee, a role that won Shearer her Academy Award in a film that is now considered a pre-Co...
Morris starred in all fourteen Boston Blackie films in addition to playing the part on the radio in 1944. During the war years Morris also kept busy entertaining the troops in hundreds of shows for the U.S.O. His specialty was magic tricks, a passion since his boyhood. He is said to have entertained the troops in hundreds of shows during this perio...
Like many of his peers Morris did a great deal of television work throughout the 1950s when he appeared in several episodes of the various anthology series that were popular at the time: Schlitz Playhouse, Lux Video Theatre, Suspense, Omnibus, Studio One, Playhouse 90, etc. He had a recurring role as a detective in the 1960 series Suspense: Danger ...
Morris also went back to live theater during those last couple of decades of his life. He appeared with the touring company of Detective Story in the early 50s and made it back to Broadway for Joshua Logans Blue Denim in 1958 and then the political thriller Advise and Consent, based on the popular Allen Drury novel, in 1960. He had been appearing a...
Chester Morris was married twice and had three children, a son and a daughter by first wife, Suzanne Kilbourne, to whom he was married from 1926 through 1940. Just days after his divorce was finalized Morris married socialite Lillian Kenton Barker, a former Powers model and the original Chesterfield girl. They had one son.
Learn about the life and career of Chester Morris, an early Academy Award nominee who starred in pre-Code classics and played Boston Blackie in a series of "B" movies. Find out his family background, his roles with famous actresses, his near-miss with Dracula and his later work.
Sep 12, 1970 · Chester Morris, who created the role of Boston Blackie, was found dead of an overdose of barbiturates yesterday in his room at the Holiday Inn in New Hope, Pa. Mr. Morris, who was 69 years...
Here are 10 things you should know about Chester Morris, born on February 16, 1901. Morris enjoyed a successful career in theatre, films, radio and televisio...
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Chester Morris (1901-1970) was a versatile and prolific actor who appeared in films, TV, radio and stage. He was nominated for an Oscar and became famous for playing Boston Blackie, a detective who solved crimes with his wits and humor.
