Howard Morris (born Howard Jerome Morris), nicknamed Howie, was an American director, voice actor, and actor who starred in 50 episodes of the animated television series Beetle Bailey.
Morris is well known for his appearances as “Uncle Goopy” on Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows and Ernest T. Bass on The Andy Griffith Show.
Following WWII, Howard made his Broadway debut in “GI Hamlet.”
Howard Morris Net Worth and Biography
Morris was born in the Bronx, New York, to a Jewish family, the son of Hugo and Elsie (née Theobald) Morris. His father worked for a rubber company. Morris received a theatrical arts scholarship to attend New York University.
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Career
During WWII, Howard was appointed as the First Sergeant to a United States Army Special Services unit.
The company commander was Maurice Evans, while Carl Reiner and Werner Klemperer were soldiers in the unit. The unit, based in Honolulu, entertained American troops around the Pacific.
After leaving the army, Morris went on to star in various ‘Broadway’ plays, including ‘Call Me Mister.’ In 1954, he was chosen to appear on the variety show ‘Your Show of Shows.’
The show lasted 90 minutes and was broadcast on the ‘NBC network. The show’s principal performers were Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. The core cast included Howard Morris, Carl Reiner, and a few others.
It was a show that provided a humorous depiction of human pretensions and idiosyncrasies. It is regarded as one of the best television shows of all time. Morris appeared in the show as ‘Uncle Goopy.’
The character was quirky, and he clung to his nephew to show his adoration. Following the show, he established himself as a comic.
Morris participated in the comedy show ‘The Polly Bergen Show,’ which aired on the ‘NBC’ channel in 1957.
The show had a brief run. He appeared in the romantic comedy film ‘Boys’ Night Out’ in 1962. In the film, he played ‘Howie,’ a man looking for a relationship outside of marriage.
Morris played ‘Mr. Elmer Kelp’ in the 1963 comedy film ‘The Nutty Professor.’ In the same year, he played ‘George P. Hanley in the episode ‘I Dream of Genie’ of ‘The Twilight Zone.’ Morris also appeared in the sitcom ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show.’
From 1963 to 1965, Morris appeared in various episodes of the situation comedy series ‘The Andy Griffith Show.’
It was a popular show that lasted eight seasons. Morris played ‘Ernest T. Bass,’ a popular figure among viewers, in the series.
Howard Morris also had a successful career as a voice actor. He provided the voice for various animated characters. His voice can be heard in various shows produced by ‘Hanna-Barbera Productions.’
Morris provided the voice of ‘Henry Orbit’ in the television series ‘The Jetsons.’ He also appeared in the animated series ‘The Flintstones.’ Morris provided the voice for the cartoon superhero ‘Atom Ant,’ produced by ‘Hanna-Barbera.’
In 1964, Morris played ‘Mr. Pebbles’ in ‘The Magilla Gorilla Show.’ He also voiced characters in animated shows such as ‘The Archie Show,’ ‘Garfield and Friends,’ ‘Winnie the Pooh,’ and ‘Alvin & the Chipmunks.’
Howard Morris was the director of various films, including ‘With Six You Get Eggroll’ and ‘Who’s Minding the Mint?’ He directed a few TV episodes, including ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ and ‘The Andy Griffith Show.’ Morris directed the animated programs ‘Police Academy,’ ‘Richie Rich,’ and ‘Galaxy High.’
Films
- Munro (1961) – narrator
- Boys Night Out (1962) – Howard McIllenny
- 40 Pounds of Trouble (1962) – Julius
- The Nutty Professor (1963) – Elmer Kelp
- Loopy DeLoop (Habit Rabbit) (1963, Short) – Raymond (voice)
- Fluffy (1965) – Sweeney
- Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966, Short) – Gopher (voice)
- Way…Way Out (1966) – Schmidlap
- The Big Mouth (1967) – Cameo Role (uncredited)
Personal life
In 1945, Howard Morris married Mary Helen McGowan. In 1958, they divorced.
Howard married Dolores A Wylie on November 9, 1962. In 1977, the couple divorced.
Howard was the father of four children, three daughters and one son.
In 2010, his son, David Morris, released his debut modern rock album, “Picture An Accident.” It was made in memory of his father.
Death
Morris died of congestive heart failure on May 21, 2005, at the age of 85. The “Uncle Goopy” sketch was shown at his burial, and one of the eulogizers was Carl Reiner, who lauded Morris’s ability to improvise.
He is interred at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California, in the Laurel Gardens Wall crypt.
Net Worth
Howard Morris, the Director of Owens Corning, is believed to have a net worth of $7.17 million. Howard Morris has 39,719 shares of Owens Corning common stock. Howard Morris has sold an estimated $2.11 million in the last 16 years at Owens Corning.
