1. John Chester Brooks Morris was an American stage, film, television, and radio actor.
20 Facts About Chester Morris
1. 2.
Chester Morris had some prestigious film roles early in his career, and received an Academy Award nomination for Alibi.
3.
Chester Morris was born John Chester Brooks Morris in New York City, and was one of five children of Broadway stage actor William Morris and stage comedienne Etta Hawkins.
4.
Chester Morris dropped out of school and began his Broadway career at 15 years old opposite Lionel Barrymore in The Copperhead.
5.
Chester Morris made his film debut in the silent comedy-drama film An Amateur Orphan.
6.
Chester Morris returned to Broadway with roles in The Home Towners and Yellow.
7.
Chester Morris made his sound film debut in the 1929 film Alibi, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
8.
Chester Morris followed with roles in Woman Trap, The Case of Sergeant Grischa and The Divorcee, starring Norma Shearer in 1930.
9.
Later that year, Chester Morris was cast as one of the leads in the MGM prison drama The Big House.
10.
In 1941, Chester Morris' career was revived when he was cast as criminal-turned-detective Boston Blackie.
11.
Chester Morris appeared in a total of 14 Boston Blackie films for Columbia Pictures, beginning with Meet Boston Blackie.
12.
Chester Morris reprised the role of Boston Blackie for the radio series in 1944.
13.
Chester Morris had been practicing magic since the age of 12 and was considered a top amateur magician.
14.
Chester Morris briefly returned to films in 1955 with a role in the prison drama Unchained, followed by a role in the 1956 science-fiction horror film The She-Creature.
15.
The series lasted a year, after which Chester Morris appeared in the NBC television film A String of Beads.
16.
Chester Morris remained with the production until it closed in May 1961.
17.
Chester Morris reprised his role in the play for the touring production in 1966.
18.
Chester Morris's remains were cremated and scattered over a German river.
19.
Chester Morris first married Suzanne Kilbourne on November 8,1926.
20.
On November 30,1940, Chester Morris married socialite Lillian Kenton Barker at the home of actor Frank Morgan.