Garrett Morris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Garrett Morris
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Morris in 2013
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Garrett Isaac Morris
February 1, 1937 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Education | Juilliard School Dillard University (BM) |
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| Years active | 1960–present |
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| Spouse(s) | Freda Morris (m. 1984–2018) |
Garrett Isaac Morris (born February 1, 1937) is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He was one of the first cast members of the famous sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live. He was also the first Black cast member on the show, appearing from 1975 to 1980.
Garrett Morris has played many memorable characters on TV. He was Jimmy on The Jeffersons and Junior "Uncle Junior" King on The Jamie Foxx Show. From 2011 to 2017, he played Earl Washington on the CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls.
He also appeared as Stan Winters on the sitcom Martin. In 2024, Garrett Morris received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is a special honor for people who have made big contributions to entertainment.
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Garrett Morris: Early Life and Training
Garrett Morris was born on February 1, 1937, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He grew up in a neighborhood called Gert Town. From a young age, he sang in a church choir.
He studied music at the Juilliard School of Music and graduated from Dillard University in 1958. Early in his career, he sang with a group called The Belafonte Folk Singers. In 1960, he even recorded songs with famous folk singers like Pete Seeger.
Starring on Saturday Night Live
Garrett Morris joined Saturday Night Live (SNL) after the show's creator, Lorne Michaels, read a play he had written. Michaels liked the play and hired Morris as a writer. Later, after seeing Morris in the film Cooley High, Michaels asked him to join the cast.
On SNL, Morris sometimes sang classical music. He once sang a Mozart song and a Schubert song. These musical moments were a fun part of his performances.
Famous Characters on SNL
One of Morris's most well-known characters on SNL was Chico Escuela. Chico was a baseball player from the Dominican Republic. He spoke very little English, and his famous line was: "Baseball... been berra berra good... to me."
Another popular character was the "News for the Hard of Hearing" translator. During the Weekend Update segment, Morris would shout the news headlines. This was a funny way to make fun of how sign language interpretation was sometimes shown on TV.
Morris was the oldest of the original SNL cast members when the show started in 1975. He is also the oldest surviving member of that first cast.
Garrett Morris's Acting Career
Garrett Morris has had a long and successful career in acting, both in theater and on screen.
Theater Performances
He performed in many Broadway musicals, including Hallelujah, Baby!. In the 1960s, he worked at the Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School in Harlem. This theater was an important place for Black artists.
Television Roles
Morris appeared in the 1975 film Cooley High as a high school teacher. In 1976, he played Slide in the movie Car Wash. He also had roles in TV shows like The Jeffersons, Diff'rent Strokes, and Hill Street Blues.
He was a regular cast member on The Jamie Foxx Show, playing Jamie's uncle, Junior King. In 2011, he began playing Earl in the CBS comedy 2 Broke Girls. He also made guest appearances on shows like Murder, She Wrote, Married... with Children, and Who's the Boss.
In 2006, Morris appeared as himself in an episode of Family Guy. More recently, he has appeared in shows like This Is Us (2018) and A Black Lady Sketch Show (2019). In 2020, he was in the miniseries Self Made.
Film Appearances
In 1985, Morris appeared in the science fiction film The Stuff. He played a character named Chocolate Chip Charlie. In 2015, he had a small role in the Marvel movie Ant-Man. This was a fun nod to an old SNL sketch where he played the Ant-Man character.
Other Work and Honors
Garrett Morris also owned and hosted his own comedy club in Los Angeles called The Downtown Comedy Club. In 2007, the mayor of Los Angeles honored Garrett Morris for his work. The mayor declared February 9, 2007, "Garrett Morris Day."
In 2016, Morris and his family appeared on the game show Celebrity Family Feud. As mentioned earlier, in 2024, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, celebrating his long and impactful career.
Images for kids
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Garrett Morris in 2013
See also
In Spanish: Garrett Morris para niños
