biography
Born Leslie Irving Morrow in New York on January 13, 1907, actor Jeff Morrow took an interest in acting while he was an art student at the Pratt Institute
in New York City. Upon graduation Morrow worked as a commercial artist while studying drama. He proved successful as a stage actor, working on Broadway in a
variety of plays from the early 1930s through the early 1950s. After a stint in the Army during World War II, Morrow also did quite a bit of radio and portrayed the title character in the
Dick Tracy radio series in the late 1940s. As his career was going very well, at age 40 Morrow married actress Anna Karen in 1947, and the couple welcomed a daughter in 1950.
With Vera Miles in a 1960 issue of The Playgoer promoting the off-Broadway production of The Country GirlIn 1950, Morrow began taking guest-star roles in early television series such as Lights Out and Hallmark Hall of Fame. But unlike most actors with his vast experience, Morrow waited until he was in his 40s before tackling a film assignment. His first film was the 20th Century Fox big-budget epic The Robe (1953; with Richard Burton and Victor Mature). He took on supporting roles in several more films including the Paramount drama Flight to Tangier (1953; with Joan Fontaine and Jack Palance) before signing with Universal-International in 1954. His first film for the studio was the adventure Tanganyika (1954; with Van Heflin, Ruth Roman, and Howard Duff). At Universal-International, he starred in costume dramas such as Captain Lightfoot (1954; with Rock Hudson and Barbara Rush) and science fiction films, including This Island Earth (1955; with Rex Reason and Faith Domergue). Although he acted in a variety of genres, today Jeff Morrow is best known for his science fiction films which include The Creature Walks Among Us (1956; with Rex Reason and Gregg Palmer) and The Giant Claw (1957; with Mara Corday and Morris Ankrum). Universal-International dropped nearly all of its contract players in 1956, and Morrow was no exception. |
the films of jeff morrowSign of the Pagan (1954) 
From the Universal-International drama Sign of the Pagan, directed by Douglas Sirk. LEFT: Morrow as General Paulinus. RIGHT: With Jeff ChandlerTanganyika (1954)
From Universal-International's adventure TanganyikaCaptain Lightfoot (1955)  
From Douglas Sirk's romance Captain Lightfoot, released by Universal-International. LEFT and CENTER: Morrow as Captain Thunderbolt. RIGHT: With Rock HudsonThis Island Earth (1955)  
From Universal's science fiction classic This Island Earth. LEFT: Rex Reason and Morrow fight a Mutant. CENTER and RIGHT: With Faith Domergue and Rex Reason in MetalunaThe Creature Walks Among Us (1956)   
From Universal-International's The Creature Walks Among Us, the final film in the Creature of the Black Lagoon trilogy. LEFT: Morrow as Dr. William Barton. CENTER A: With James Rawley, Rex Reason, Maurice Manson, and Gregg Palmer. CENTER B: Morrow puts the moves on creature bait Leigh Snowden. RIGHT: With Rex Reason and Leigh SnowdenWorld in My Corner (1956)
From the Audie Murphy boxing drama World in My CornerThe Giant Claw (1957)
Columbia released the campy sci-fi flick The Giant Claw, one of my favorite 1950s science fiction efforts. Pictured with Jeff Morrow are Mara Corday, Louis Merrill, and Morris AnkrumKronos (1957)
With Barbara Lawrence in the 20th Century Fox science fiction thriller KronosHarbor Lights (1964)
Lobby card from the low-budget 20th Century Fox thriller Harbor LightsTemperatures Rising (1972-1974 ABC TV Series)
Morrow joined the cast of the ABC sit-com Temperatures Rising at the beginning of the second season in 1973. This was one of his final roleslater yearsUpon his exit from Universal-International in 1956, Morrow freelanced at Paramount, Allied Artists, and several other studios throughout the early 1960s. In addition, he starred in the syndicated television series Union Pacific during the 1958-1959 season. When his film career began to falter in the early 1960s, he turned to television, acting in Perry Mason and other popular programs while doing occasional films such as Legacy of Blood (1971; with Faith Domergue, Merry Anders, and John Carradine). He retired from acting in the mid 1970s, following the cancellation of the situation comedy Temperatures Rising, in which he was a regular. Sadly, Jeff Morrow passed away after a long illness on December 26, 1993, at the age of 86. He was survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, actress Anna Karen, and their daughter Lissa. |
|
filmographyFILM
|
jeff morrow trailers now showing |
Click on the logo to go back to Brian's Drive-In Theater
This page premiered June 17, 2004.
Copyright and Disclaimer Information