Dorothy Morris facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dorothy Morris
Morris in 1946
Born	Dorothy Ruth Morris (1922-02-23)February 23, 1922 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	November 20, 2011(2011-11-20) (aged 89) Palm Springs, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1940–1972
Spouse(s)	Marvin Moffie ​ ​ (m. 1943; div. 1966)​ Roger E. Miller ​ ​ (m. 1969; div. 1972)​
Children	2

Dorothy Ruth Morris (born February 23, 1922 – died November 20, 2011) was an American actress. She was famous for playing friendly, relatable characters, often called the "girl next door," in movies and TV shows.

Early Life and Acting Dreams

Dorothy Ruth Morris grew up in Hollywood, California. She went to Hollywood High School. While in school, she started acting in plays at the Pasadena Playhouse, a famous theater. She also studied acting at Maria Ouspenskaya's School of Drama.

Dorothy had an older sister named Caren Marsh Doll. Caren later became a dancer and even a stand-in for the famous actress Judy Garland. Dorothy tried out for a main role in the movie The Courtship of Andy Hardy (1942). However, the part went to another actress, Donna Reed.

Becoming a Movie Star

In 1941, Dorothy Morris signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a big movie studio. At first, she appeared in small roles in many successful films. For her movie Cry 'Havoc' (1943), she even used a British accent!

Her next film was a popular drama called The Human Comedy. It had many famous actors like Mickey Rooney and Van Johnson. Dorothy played Mary Arena, the girlfriend of Van Johnson's character.

A big moment in her career came in 1945. She starred as Ingeborg Jensen in the movie Our Vines Have Tender Grapes. This role is often seen as the most important of her career. She also appeared in other movies like Someone to Remember (1943) and None Shall Escape (1944).

Dorothy was also well-known for appearing in short films made by MGM. These included the Pete Smith Specialties and Crime Does Not Pay series. One of the "Crime" shorts was so good that MGM turned it into a full movie called Main Street After Dark (1945).

Later Career and TV Roles

After getting married in 1943, Dorothy took a break from making movies. In the late 1950s, she started appearing on television. She was a guest star on popular TV shows like The Untouchables, The Donna Reed Show, and Rawhide.

She made two more movies in the 1950s: Macabre and The Power of the Resurrection (both from 1958). Her very last movie role was in Seconds (1966), which starred Rock Hudson. Dorothy's final TV appearance was in an episode of Marcus Welby, M.D. in 1971.

Personal Life

Dorothy Morris was married two times. Her first marriage was to Marvin Moffie, a math teacher, in 1943. They had two children together. This marriage ended in 1966. Later, in 1969, she married Roger E. Miller, a church minister. However, this marriage was short and ended in 1972.

Dorothy was a follower of the Methodist faith. She lived in Palm Springs, California for many years. She passed away there on November 20, 2011, at the age of 89. After her death, her body was given to medical science at the University of California Riverside to help with research and learning.

Film Appearances