James W. Morrison (November 15, 1888 – November 15, 1974) was an American actor and author. He appeared in 187 films between 1911 and 1927.

Biography

Morrison was born in

Mattoon, Illinois Mattoon ( ) is a city in Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 16,870 as of the 2020 census. The city is home to Lake Land College and has close ties with its neighbor, Charleston. Both are principal cities of the Charleston� ...

, United States, on November 15, 1888. He went to the University of Chicago and then the

American Academy of Dramatic Arts The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a private performing arts conservatory with two locations, one in Manhattan and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related art ...

in New York City.

Vitagraph Studios Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907, ...

then hired him for a salary of $25 a week, and he debuted in a 30-minute film of '' A Tale of Two Cities'' released by Vitagraph in February 1911. Morrison was one of the primary actors of Vitagraph from 1911 to 1916. In 1916, Morrison signed a contract with Ivan Abramson's Ivan Film Productions, appearing in seven Ivan melodramas from 1916 and 1918, starting with 1916's ''

The Sex Lure ''The Sex Lure'' is a silent film that was banned in 1916. It was directed by Ivan Abramson Ivan Abramson (1869 – September 15, 1934) was a director of American silent films in the 1910s and 1920s.Klein, Uru (10 December 2009)Cinema in the tim ...

''. '' Enlighten Thy Daughter'' (1917) was the most popular of these films. In 1918, Morrison appeared in Vitagraph's '' Over the Top'', which Morrison later said was one of his favorite films. Morrison continued to play roles into the 1920s, last acting in 1926. He later published two novels, ''Road End'' (1927) and ''April Luck'' (1932). He taught speech and drama classes at Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn for many years. Morrison died in

New York, New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Uni ...

on November 15, 1974, 86 years to the day of his birth. The Redemption of Dave Darcey

Partial filmography

*'' A Tale of Two Cities'' (1911) *''

A Cure for Pokeritis ''A Cure for Pokeritis'' is a 1912 short silent film starring John Bunny and Flora Finch. After Bunny's death in 1915, a re-release was announced with the alternative title ''A Sure Cure for Pokeritis''. The film, a domestic comedy, depicts a wom ...

'' (1912) *''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has b ...

'' (1912) *''

Beau Brummel George Bryan "Beau" Brummell (7 June 1778 – 30 March 1840) was an important figure in Regency England and, for many years, the arbiter of men's fashion. At one time, he was a close friend of the Prince Regent, the future King George IV, but ...

'' (1913) *'' The Battle Cry of Peace'' (1915) *''

The Wheels of Justice ''The Wheels of Justice'' is a 1915 American silent film written by Edward J. Montagne, directed by Theodore Marston, and starring Dorothy Kelly, James Morrison and Louise Beaudet. It premiered in February 1915, before its wide release in Augus ...

'' (1915) *''

(1916) *'' The Enemy'' (1916) *'' Enlighten Thy Daughter'' (1917) *''

One Law for Both ''One Law for Both'' is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Ivan Abramson. Plot Elga Pulsaki (Rita Jolivet) and her brother Ossip (James W. Morrison) emigrate to the United States from Russia to escape persecution. Elga marries Norman ...

'' (1917) * '' Over the Top'' (1918) *'' How Could You, Caroline?'' (1918) *''

The Woman Game ''The Woman Game'' is a 1920 silent film society drama directed by William P. S. Earle and starring Elaine Hammerstein and Jere Austin. It was produced and released by Selznick Pictures Corporation. It is a surviving silent held in the Library o ...

'' (1920) *'' Black Beauty'' (1921) *''

Sowing the Wind Sowing is the process of planting seeds. An area or object that has had seeds planted in it will be described as a sowed or sown area. Plants which are usually sown Among the major field crops, oats, wheat, and rye are sown, grasses and leg ...

'' (1921) *'' A Yankee Go Getter'' (1921) *'' Danger Ahead'' (1921) *'' Shattered Idols'' (1922) *''

Handle with Care A handle is a part of, or attachment to, an object that allows it to be grasped and object manipulation, manipulated by hand. The design of each type of handle involves substantial ergonomics, ergonomic issues, even where these are dealt wit ...

'' (1922) *'' The Little Minister'' (1922) *''

Only a Shop Girl Only may refer to: Music Albums * ''Only'' (album), by Tommy Emmanuel, 2000 * ''The Only'', an EP by Dua Lipa, 2017 Songs * "Only" (Anthrax song), 1993 * "Only" (Nine Inch Nails song), 2005 * "Only" (Nicki Minaj song), 2014 * "The Only", by S ...

'' (1922) *''

The Dangerous Age ''The Dangerous Age'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by John M. Stahl and written by J.G. Hawks, Bess Meredyth, and Lenore Coffee. The film stars Lewis Stone, Cleo Madison, Edith Roberts, Ruth Clifford, Myrtle Stedman, and James ...

'' (1923) * ''

The Little Girl Next Door ''The Little Girl Next Door'' is a 1912 American silent short drama directed by Lucius Henderson and written by Philip Lonergan. The film starred William Garwood and Marguerite Snow in the lead roles. Prints of the film are in the Library of ...

'' (1923) *''

The Nth Commandment ''The Nth Commandment'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Frank Borzage and starring Colleen Moore. It is based on a story, ''The Nth Commandment'', by Fannie Hurst, a well-known novelist of the day. The film's title jests somew ...

'' (1923) * '' The Man Next Door'' (1923) *''

On the Banks of the Wabash "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" was among the best-selling songs of the 19th century, earning over $100,000 from sheet-music revenues. Written and composed by American songwriter Paul Dresser, it was published by the Tin Pan Alley f ...

'' (1923) *'' Captain Blood'' (1924) * ''

Wreckage Wreckage may refer to: * Debris Music * ''Wreckage'' (album), a 2002 album by Overseer * ''Wreckage'' (1969 band), a late 1960s band notable for featuring future Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury as a member * ''Wreckage'', a 1997 EP by the band E ...

'' (1925) * ''

The Pride of the Force ''The Pride of the Force'' is a 1933 British comedy film directed by Norman Lee and starring Leslie Fuller, Patrick Aherne, Faith Bennett and Hal Gordon. The plot concerns a farmworker who inadvertently becomes the pride of the Metropolitan ...

'' (1925) * '' The Impostor'' (1926)

References

External links

* 1888 births 1974 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors Male actors from Illinois People from Mattoon, Illinois University of Chicago alumni 20th-century American male actors {{US-film-actor-1880s-stub