Madera Tribune, Volume 68, Number 88, 15 September 1959 — Actor Wayne Morris Dies On Carrier At Sea [ARTICLE]

Actor Wayne Morris Dies On Carrier At Sea

SAN FRANCISCO (UPII Actor Wayne Morris died of a heart attack Monday aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific, where —unknown to most of his fans—he played his greatest role during World War 11. Morris, 45, collapsed while watching air operations from the bridge of the carrier USS Bon Homme Richard, which was conducting exercises oft Monterey, Calif., about 100 miles south of here. „ As a carrier pilot during the ■war, the veteran actor was awarded four Distinguished Flying Crosses and two air medals. He shot dowm seven Japanese planes and was credited with sinking an enemy gunboat and a destroyer. Morris was aboard the Bon Homme Richard Monday as a guest of his uncle and wartime squadron leader, Capt. David MeCampbell, skipper of the carrier. Stricken By Coronary He was stricken at 1 p.m. p.d.t. by what the Navy described as a coronary occlusion. His body was taken to Oak Knoll Naval Hospital, at nearby Oakland. Morris was survived by his wife, Patricia, and two daughters, Melinda and Patricia. He also leaves a son by a previous marriage to Bubbles Schinasi. The husky actor was the fifth Hollyw'ood personality to die in the past nine days. The others were Paul Douglas, Edmund Gwinn, Kay Kendall, and dress designer Gilbert Adrian, husband of Janet Gaynor.

Bert DeWayne Morris was bora in Pasadena, Calif., and attended Los Angeles City College where he played fullback on the varsity football team. He later attended the Pasadena Community Playhouse. Became Star In 1987 He became a star in the title role of "Kid Galahad” in 1937 and then had leading parts in a series of action pictures such as "Submarine D-l,” ‘Big Brother,” “Flight Angels,” and “Bad Men of Missouri. Morris completed “The Smiling Ghost” in late 1940 and enlisted in the Navy. He received his wings at Pensacola, Fla., and flew 57 combat missions over MarijuS. Wake, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Bonin Islands. The actor rentrned to featured roles in Hollywood after the war, and then turned his talents to television. He became a western star for Allied Artists, appearing in “Desert Pursuit,” "Riding Shotgun,” and dozens of others. His most recent role in the new NBC-TV series "The Troubleshooters” which is scheduled for release to home viewers on Oct. 2.