Chick Morrison
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, was born April 3, 1878 in Morrison, Colorado
Morrison, Colorado
The historic Town of Morrison is a Home Rule Municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 430 at the 2000 census...
. The grandson of pioneer town founder George Morrison, he was known as "Chick" to many who knew him, a nickname conjunction of his first and middle names. A keen horse rider, he often appeared in riding contests and rodeos throughout the American west. At Morrison he trained horses for trick and fancy riding as well as break in wild horses. In 1909 Essanay Studios
Essanay Studios
The Essanay Film Manufacturing Company was an American motion picture studio. It is best known today for its series of Charlie Chaplin comedies of 1915.-Founding:...
brought one such horse to Morrison to film some of their famous Broncho Billy series of 2-reel thrillers. Morrison got the director's attention through his expert horsemanship, daring maneuvers, as well as his control over the animals, and was used as a double for the lead actor in some of the more dangerous scenes.
Morrison left Colorado that year for California. From that point onward he appeared in feature films, rapidly growing to prominence in the film making industry. Soon he played leads, and his success and experience as an animal trainer, especially with horses, put him in great demand for some of the largest pictures made in his era. Morrison appeared in about 45 films, including ones with Charlotte Burton
Charlotte Burton
Charlotte Burton was an American silent film actress.-Career:Born in San Francisco, Burton was signed by the American Company in 1912 where she worked for several years. She joined Essanay Studio which she sued in 1919 for $25,000 for breach of contract...
in films such as Rose of San Juan
Rose of San Juan
The Rose of San Juan is a 1913 silent era short drama motion picture starring Sydney Ayres, Charlotte Burton, and Louise Lester.Directed by Sydney Ayres for the American Film Manufacturing Company, The Rose of San Juan was distributed by Mutual Film....
, Quicksands
Quicksands
Quicksands is a 1913 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan. The film stars J. Warren Kerrigan, Charlotte Burton, Vivian Rich, George Periolat, Jack Richardson, Louise Lester, and Charles Morrison...
and Calamity Anne, Heroine
Calamity Anne, Heroine
Calamity Anne, Heroine is a 1913 American silent short Western directed by Allan Dwan starring Louise Lester as Calamity Anne. It is the fourth film in the Calamity Anne series.-Other cast:* Charlotte Burton* J. Warren Kerrigan* Jack Richardson...
. During his career he worked for Hal Roach Studios, the Broncho Billy Anderson
Broncho Billy Anderson
Gilbert M. "Broncho Billy" Anderson was an American actor, writer, film director, and film producer, who is best known as the first star of the Western film genre.-Early life:...
and Selig Polyscope Company
Selig Polyscope Company
The Selig Polyscope Company was an American motion picture company founded in 1896 by William Selig in Chicago, Illinois. Selig Polyscope is noted for establishing Southern California's first permanent movie studio, in the historic Edendale district of Los Angeles...
, and Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
.
Chick's career met a tragic end on June 20, 1924. That day while filming at Hal Roach in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Morrison's favorite horse, Young Steamboat, fell backward upon him, killing him instantly at the age of 46. The horse had accompanied Morrison to Hollywood, a horse Chick had often told friends was especially wild and difficult to tame and train.
Chick Morrison was the older brother of another early western film actor, Pete Morrison
Pete Morrison
George D. Morrison, nicknamed Pete, was an American silent western film actor born August 8, 1890 in Westminster, Colorado. During his childhood he lived at Morrison, Colorado and Idaho Springs, and got his early tastes of horsemanship riding with his father Thomas during the summer...
.
Selected filmography
- White EagleWhite Eagle (1922 serial)White Eagle is a 1922 Western film serial directed by Fred Jackman and W. S. Van Dyke. The film is considered to be lost.-Cast:* Ruth Roland - Ruth Randolph* Earl Metcalfe - Phil Stanton* Harry Girard - Jim Loomis* Virginia Ainsworth - Julia Wells...
(19221922 in film-Events:* June 11 - United States première of Robert J. Flaherty's Nanook of the North, the first commercially successful feature length documentary film....
) - A Gamblin' FoolA Gamblin' FoolA Gamblin' Fool is a 1920 short Western film released by Universal Film Mfg. Co. , written by Ford Beebe, directed by Leo D. Maloney and featuring Hoot Gibson....
(19201920 in filmThe year 1920 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* November 27 - The Mark of Zorro, starring Douglas Fairbanks opens.-Top grossing films :-Films released in 1920:U.S.A. unless stated*The $1,000,000 Reward...
) - The Big CatchThe Big CatchThe Big Catch is a 1920 short Western film released by the Universal Film Mfg. Co. , written by Ford Beebe, directed by Leo D. Maloney and starring Hoot Gibson.-Cast:* Hoot Gibson* Dorothy Wood* Jim Corey...
(1920) - The Certainty of ManThe Certainty of ManThe Certainty of Man is a 1914 American silent short drama film starring Charlotte Burton, Sydney Ayres, Charles Morrison, Jack Richardson, Vivian Rich and Harry von Meter.-Cast:* Sydney Ayres as Fred, a cock-sure deputy sheriff...
(19141914 in filmThe year 1914 in film involved some significant events, including the debut of Cecil B. DeMille as a director.-Events:*The 3,300-seat Mark Strand Theatre opens in New York City....
) - A Blowout at Santa BananaA Blowout at Santa BananaA Blowout at Santa Banana is a 1914 American silent comedy-drama short film starring Sydney Ayres, Vivian Rich, and Harry Van Meter.-Cast:* Sydney Ayres* Vivian Rich* Harry Van Meter* Perry Banks* Charlotte Burton* Edith Borella* Caroline Cooke...
(1914) - American BornAmerican BornAmerican Born is a 1913 American silent short film starring Sydney Ayres, Harry Van Meter, Charles Cummings, Jacques Jaccard, Louise Lester, Charles Morrison, Jack Richardson and Vivian Rich....
(19131913 in filmThe year 1913 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* The Squaw Man, the first Hollywood feature film, is made.* December 29, Charlie Chaplin signs a contract with Mack Sennett to begin making films at Keystone Studios.* D. W...
) - Calamity Anne's DreamCalamity Anne's DreamCalamity Anne's Dream is a 1913 American silent short Western directed by Allan Dwan starring Louise Lester as Calamity Anne. The film also stars Harry von Meter, Dorothy Eliason Jacques Jaccard, Charles Morrison, Jack Richardson and Vivian Rich....
(1913) - The Tale of the TickerThe Tale of the TickerThe Tale of the Ticker is a 1913 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan. The film stars J. Warren Kerrigan, Vivian Rich, George Periolat, and Charlotte Burton. Other cast members include James Harrison, Jack Richardson, and Charles Morrison....
(1913) - In the Mountains of VirginiaIn the Mountains of VirginiaIn the Mountains of Virginia is a 1913 American silent short drama film directed by G.P. Hamilton starring Harry Van Meter, Jacques Jaccard, Louise Lester, Charles Morrison, Jack Richardson, and Vivian Rich....
(1913) - Calamity Anne, HeroineCalamity Anne, HeroineCalamity Anne, Heroine is a 1913 American silent short Western directed by Allan Dwan starring Louise Lester as Calamity Anne. It is the fourth film in the Calamity Anne series.-Other cast:* Charlotte Burton* J. Warren Kerrigan* Jack Richardson...
(1913) - Rose of San JuanRose of San JuanThe Rose of San Juan is a 1913 silent era short drama motion picture starring Sydney Ayres, Charlotte Burton, and Louise Lester.Directed by Sydney Ayres for the American Film Manufacturing Company, The Rose of San Juan was distributed by Mutual Film....
(1913)