| Dennis Morgan | |
|---|---|
in the trailer for the film The Hard Way (1943) |
|
| Born | Earl Stanley Morner December 20, 1908 Prentice, Wisconsin U.S. |
| Died | September 7, 1994 (aged 85) Fresno, California U.S. |
| Years active | 1936-1980 |
| Spouse | Lillian Vedder (1933-1994, his death) |
Dennis Morgan (December 20, 1908 – September 7, 1994) was an American actor-singer. Born as Earl Stanley Morner, he used the acting pseudonym Richard Stanley before adopting his professional name.
In 1945, he played "Jefferson Jones" in Christmas in Connecticut opposite Barbara Stanwyck and Sydney Greenstreet. He starred in God Is My Co-Pilot, Kitty Foyle, Perfect Strangers and the now rare big budget musical epic The Desert Song.
Morgan was a top leading man with Warner Bros. in the 1940s, starring with best friend Jack Carson in many movies, several of which were "two guys" buddy pictures. His peak years were 1943 to 1949. He appeared in sporadic TV guest roles in the 1950s, including on Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He quietly retired with an occasional spot on TV after 1955.
In 1958 Morgan spearheaded the drive for a new park in La Crescenta, California. He dedicated Two Strike Park on July 4, 1959. The park was named for Morgan's declaration that "a kid with no place to play already has two strikes against him".