Chick Morrison
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Charles Pacific Morrison, an American silent film actor, was born April 3, 1878 in Morrison, Colorado. The grandson of pioneer town founder George Morrison, he was known as "Chick" to many who knew him, a nickname conjunction of his 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 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 starred in about 40 films, including with Charlotte Burton in films such as Rose of San Juan, Quicksands and Calamity Anne, Heroine. During his career he worked for Hal Roach Studios, the Broncho Billy Anderson and Selig Polyscope Company, and Universal Studios.
Chick's career met a tragic end on June 20, 1924. That day while filming at Hal Roach in Los Angeles, 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.
[edit] Filmography
- White Eagle (1922) .... Bill Henley
- Duke of Chimney Butte (1921) .... Kerr, the son
- A Gamblin' Fool (1920)
- The Big Catch (1920)
- When the Cougar Called (1920)
- Finger Prints (1920)
- Cyclone Smith's Comeback (1919)
- The Wild Rider (1919)
- Immediate Lee (1916) .... John Masters
... aka Hair Trigger Casey (USA: reissue title)
- Matchin' Jim (1916) (as Charles Morrison)
- Nell Dale's Men Folks (1916)
- The Little House in the Valley (1914) (as Charles Morrison)
- The Certainty of Man (1914) (as Charles Morrison)
- The Cricket on the Hearth (1914/II) (as Charles Morrison)
- A Blowout at Santa Banana (1914) (as Charles Morrison)
- Destinies Fulfilled (1914) (as Charles Morrison)
- American Born (1913) (as Charles Morrison)
- Calamity Anne's Dream (1913) (as Charles Morrison)
- The Tale of the Ticker (1913) (as Charles Morrison)
- In the Mountains of Virginia (1913) (as Charles Morrison)
- Calamity Anne, Heroine (1913) (as Charles Morrison)
- The Scapegoat (1913) (as Charles Morrison)
- Quicksands (1913) (as Charles Morrison)
- Rose of San Juan (1913) (as Charles Morrison)
- The Lucky Card (1911)
- The Sheriff's Chum (1911)
- The Outlaw and the Child (1911)
- The Two Reformations (1911)
- A Cowboy's Vindication (1910)
- A Westerner's Way (1910)
- Pals of the Range (1910)
- The Deputy's Love (1910) .... Stage Driver
... aka The Deputy's Duty (USA)
- Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1910)
- Under Western Skies (1910)
- Broncho Billy's Redemption (1910)
- The Bad Man's Last Deed (1910)
- The Ranchman's Feud (1910)
- The Mexican's Faith (1910) (as Charles Morrison)
- The Cowboy and the Squaw (1910)
- The Best Man Wins (1909)
