Producer of recordings by The Primitives.
Morris was the father of three children.
Brother-in-law of actress Peggy Stewart and Buck Young.
Second wife Patricia ORourke was a former Olympic swimmer and the sister of actress Peggy Stewart.
Buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. His brother, Richard, a B-17 pilot shot down during WWII is also resting there.
Former Warner Bros. producer Mark Hellinger , who had started his own independent production unit at Universal-International, wanted Morris to star in his first picture, The Killers . Warners wouldnt loan him out, so Hellinger cast the unknown Burt Lancaster in his first movie. It made him a star.
His first wife, Leonora, later married producer Arthur Hornblow Jr..
During World War II Morris was a Navy fighter pilot assigned to the USS Essex. He flew 57 missions and shot down seven Japanese planes, becoming one of the wars first aces.
Sometimes you have to go big. . . . . . . . . or go home.
