Lewis Morrison

Lewis Morrison
Lewis Morrison in 1894
Born
Morris W. Morris

September 4, 1844
Jamaica, British West Indies
DiedAugust 18, 1906 (aged 61)
Yonkers, New York, United States
OccupationActor
Spouse(s)Rose Wood (married 1877–1890)
Florence Roberts (married 1892–1906)
Children3, including Adrienne Morrison

Lewis Morrison (September 4, 1844 – August 18, 1906) was a Jamaican-born American stage actor and theatrical manager, born Moritz (or Morris) W. Morris. He was best known for his portrayal of Mephistopheles in his own production of Faust, which he performed from 1885 to 1906. He was the father of actress Adrienne Morrison, and grandfather of Constance, Barbara and Joan Bennett.

Morrison as Mephistopheles in Faust

Career

Prior to his acting career, Morris W. Morris served as a soldier in the American Civil War As a fresh Jamaican-born immigrant, in 1861, he briefly served as an officer in the Confederate Louisiana militia, with the 1st Louisiana Native Guard (Confederate). He subsequently subsequently served for six weeks in the 1st Louisiana Native Guard (Union). He was unique in that he was of Jewish ancestry, making him both the only black Jewish Confederate officer and the only black Jewish Union officer.

Personal life

Morrison was married first to American actress Rose Wood. He was the father of actresses Rosabel Morrison and Adrienne Morrison; grandfather of actresses Constance, Barbara and Joan Bennett; and great-grandfather of television talk show host Morton Downey Jr.[citation needed]

Morrison and Rose Wood were divorced in 1890. He married the much younger stage actress Florence Roberts in 1892.[citation needed]

References

  1. ↑ Berlin, Ira; Reidy, Joseph P.; Rowland, Leslie S., eds. (1982). Freedom: Series II: The Black Military Experience: A Documentary History of Emancipation, 1861–1867 (Freedom: A Documentary History of Emancipation 1861–1867). New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 310. ISBN 9780521229845.
  2. ↑ Bennett, Joan; Lois Kibbee (1970). The Bennett Playbill. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. ISBN 978-0-03-081840-0. OCLC 100769.
  3. ↑ https://www.civilwarmed.org/the-curious-case-of-morris-w-morris/
  4. ↑ https://www.jewish-history.com/civilwar/morris.html

Sources