Morgan Freeman Biography (1937-)

Born June 1, 1937, in Memphis, TN; son of Grafton Curtis (a barber) and MaymeEdna (maiden name, Revere) Freeman; some sources cite father's name as Morgan Porterfield; married Jeanette Adair Bradshaw, October 22, 1967 (divorced, 1979); married Myrna Colley-Lee (a costume and set designer), June 16, 1984; children: Deena (adopted), Morgana, Alphonso, Saifoulaye. Addresses: Office: Revelations Entertainment, 301 Arizona Ave., Suite 303, Santa Monica, CA 90401.; Agent: Jeff Hunter, William Morris Agency, 1325 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Actor, director, producer
Birth Details: June 1, 1937; Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
Extra, The Pawnbroker, 1965
Afro, Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow? (also known as Barney), Transvue, 1971
Chris, Blade, 1973
Title role, Coriolanus, 1979
Walter, Brubaker, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1980
Lieutenant Black, Eyewitness (also known as The Janitor), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1981
Malcolm X, Death of a Prophet, 1981
Siemanowski, Harry and Son, Orion, 1984
Lewis, Teachers, United Artists, 1984
Charles Traughber, Marie (also known as Marie: A True Story), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1985
Charlie Woods, That Was Then ... This Is Now, Paramount, 1985
Fast Black, Street Smart, Cannon, 1987
Craig, Clean and Sober, Warner Bros., 1988
Hoke Colburn, Driving Miss Daisy, Warner Bros., 1989
Sergeant Major John Rawlins, Glory, TriStar, 1989
Lieutenant A. Z. Drones, Johnny Handsome, TriStar, 1989
"Crazy Joe" Clark, Lean on Me, Warner Bros., 1989
Judge Leonard White, Bonfire of the Vanities, Warner Bros., 1990
Azeem, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Warner Bros., 1991
Narrator, The True Story of "Glory" Continues (documentary), 1991
Geel Piet, The Power of One (also known as La puissance de l'ange), Warner Bros., 1992
Ned Logan, Unforgiven, Warner Bros., 1992
Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding, The Shawshank Redemption (also known asRita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption), Columbia, 1994
Brigadier General Billy Ford, Outbreak, Warner Bros., 1995
Detective William Somerset, Seven (also known as Se7en), New Line Cinema, 1995
Paul Shannon, Chain Reaction, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1996
Hibble, Moll Flanders, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1996
Narrator, The Long Way Home, Seventh Art Releasing, 1996
Narrator, Cosmic Voyage, 1996
Theodore Joadson, Amistad, DreamWorks, 1997
Dr. Alex Cross, Kiss the Girls, Paramount, 1997
A Day No Pigs Would Die, c. 1997
President Tom Beck, Deep Impact, DreamWorks, 1998
Jim, Hard Rain (also known as Flood), Paramount, 1998
Tom Preedy, Water Damage, 1999
Captain Victor Benezet, Under Suspicion (also known as Suspicion), Lions Gate Films, 1999
Charlie, Nurse Betty, USA Films, 2000
Alex Cross, Along Came a Spider (also known as Im Netz der Spinne), Paramount, 2001
Charlie Grimes, High Crimes, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2002
Narrator, Partners of the Heart, Duke Media/Spark Media, 2002
Deputy Chief Inspector William Cabot, The Sum of All Fears, Paramount, 2002
Levity, Columbia, 2003
Colonel Abraham Curtiss, Dreamcatcher, Warner Bros., 2003
God, Bruce Almighty, Universal, 2003
Walter Crewes, The Big Bounce, Warner Bros., 2003
Voice, Tusker, DreamWorks, 2003
Film Work
Executive Producer
Under Suspicion (also known as Suspicion), Lions Gate Films, 1999
Along Came a Spider (also known as Im Netz der Spinne), Paramount, 2001
Levity, Columbia, 2003
Other
Director, Bopha!, Paramount, 1993
Producer and director, A Day No Pigs Would Die, c. 1997
Television Appearances
Series
Easy Reader and other roles, The Electric Company, PBS, 1971-1976
Mailman Jackson, Palmerstown U.S.A., CBS, 1980-1981
Dr. Roy Bingham, Another World (also known as Another World: Bay City), NBC, 1982-1984
Movies
Ralph Simmons (Sweet Talk), Hollow Image, ABC, 1979
Hap Richards, Attica, ABC, 1980
Clarence Collins, The Marva Collins Story, CBS, 1981
Dr. Sherard, Fight for Life, ABC, 1987
Dorsey Pratt, Clinton and Nadine (also known as Blood Money: The Story of Clinton and Nadine and Night Hunt), HBO, 1988
Mutiny, NBC, 1999
Miniseries

Uncle Hammer, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, ABC, 1978
Ben Shelter, The Atlanta Child Murders, CBS, 1985
Voice, The Civil War (documentary; also known as The American Civil War), PBS, 1990
Narrator, The Promised Land, The Discovery Channel, 1995
Episodic
Wonder Woman, ABC, 1976
Marty, "Dealer's Choice," The Twilight Zone, CBS, 1985
Narrator, "The Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry," The American Experience, 1991
Narrator, "Amos, the Story of an Old Dog and His Couch," Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories (animated), Showtime, 1992
Narrator, "Follow the Drinking Gourd," American Heroes and Legends(animated), Showtime, 1992
The Panel, 10 Network (Australia), 2001
Leute heute, 2002
Specials
Messenger, "The Gospel at Colonus," Great Performances, PBS, 1985
Warden Pratt, "The Execution of Raymond Graham," ABC Theatre, ABC,1985
Luther Johnson, "Resting Place," Hallmark Hall of Fame, CBS, 1986
"In Search of the Dream," A&E Premieres, Arts and Entertainment, 1990
Night of 100 Stars III, NBC, 1990
Time Warner Presents the Earth Day Special, ABC, 1990
"To Be Free: The National Literacy Honors from the White House," BellAtlantic Showcase, ABC, 1990
Late Night with David Letterman, 1990
Celebration of Country, ABC, 1991
Story of a People: The Black Road to Hollywood, syndicated, 1991
A User's Guide to Planet Earth: The American Environmental Test, ABC, 1991
AFI Salute to Sidney Poitier (also known as The 20th Annual American Film Institute Life Achievement Award), NBC, 1992
Eastwood and Co. Making "Unforgiven" (also known as Clint Eastwood on Westerns), ABC, 1992
Narrator, "Volga, the Soul of Russia," National Geographic Explorer, TBS, 1993
Concert of the Americas (also known as The Kennedy Center Presents), PBS, 1994
Hollywood Stars: A Century of Cinema (also known as A Century of Cinema), The Discovery Channel, 1995
Voice of Edward G. Robinson, Blacklist: Hollywood on Trial, AMC, 1996
Narrator, National Geographic's Inside the White House (also knownas Inside the White House), PBS, 1996
Warner Bros. Story: No Guts, No Glory--75 Years of Award Winners,TNT, 1998
Warner Bros. Story: No Guts, No Glory--75 Years of Laughter, TNT,1998
Screening, Sundance Channel, 1998
AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Stars, CBS, 1999
Host, Scandalize My Name, Stories from the Blacklist, Black Entertainment Television/Starz!, 1999
The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize Celebrating the Humor of Richard Pryor, Comedy Central, 1999
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1999
A Home for the Holidays, CBS, 1999
(In archive footage) "Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light," American Masters, PBS, 2000
AFI's 100 Years, 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies, CBS, 2000
Acapulco Black Film Festival, 2000
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 2000
The Great American History Quiz: The Presidents, History Channel,2000
Narrator, Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows, PBS, 2000
Canned Ham: Nurse Betty, Comedy Central, 2000
AFI's 100 Years, 100 Thrills: America's Most Heart-Pounding Movies, CBS, 2001
Shawshank: The Redeeming Feature, Channel 4 (England), 2001
Independence Day 2001, ABC, 2001
Awards Presentations
The 44th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1990
Presenter, The 48th Annual Golden Globe Awards, TBS, 1991
Presenter, The 62nd Annual Academy Awards Presentations, ABC, 1992
Presenter, The Walt Disney Company Presents the American Teacher Awards, The Disney Channel, 1992
Presenter, The 65th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1993
Presenter, The 51st Annual Golden Globe Awards, TBS, 1994
Presenter, Jim Thorpe Pro Sports Awards, ABC, 1994
The Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, UPN, 1996
Presenter, The Screen Actors Guild Awards, NBC, 1997
Presenter, The 29th NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1998
Presenter, The 30th NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1999
Presenter, The 72nd Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 2000
Presenter, The 73rd Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2001
The Essence Awards 2001, Fox, 2001
Television Work
Movies
Executive producer, Mutiny, NBC, 1999
Stage Appearances
Creampuff, The Nigger-Lovers, Orpheum Theatre, New York City, 1967
(Broadway Debut) Rudolph, Hello, Dolly, St. James Theatre, New York City, 1967
Boston Baboon, Jungle of Cities, Charles Street Playhouse, Boston,MA, 1969
Sergeant, The Recruiting Officer, Theatre of the Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA, 1969
Foxtrot, Scuba-Duba, New York City, 1969
Title role, Purlie, American National Theatre and Academy, New York City, 1970
Nate, "Gettin' Together," in Black Visions, Public Theatre, New York City, 1972
Sisyphus, Sisyphus and the Blue-eyed Cyclops, Martinique Theatre,New York City, 1975
Samson, Cockfight, American Place Theatre, New York City, 1977
Zeke, The Last Street Play, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City,1977, then produced as The Mighty Gents, Ambassador Theatre, New YorkCity, 1978
Winston, White Pelicans, Theatre De Lys, New York City, 1978
Title role, Coriolanus, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, 1979
Casca, Julius Caesar, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, 1979
Chaplin, Mother Courage and Her Children, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, 1980
Fred Milly, Buck, American Place Theatre, 1982
Title role, Othello, Dallas Shakespeare Festival, Dallas, TX, 1982
Duke of Florence, All's Well That Ends Well, Dallas Shakespeare Festival, 1982
The World of Ben Caldwell, New Federal Theatre, New York City, 1982
Messenger, The Gospel at Colonus, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, NY, 1983, then Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 1985, later Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1988
Winston Crews, M.D., Medea and the Doll, Samuel Beckett Theatre, New York City, 1984
Hoke Colburn, Driving Miss Daisy, Playwrights Horizon Theatre, then John Houseman Theatre, New York City, 1987
Petruchio, The Taming of the Shrew, New York Shakespeare Festival,Delacorte Theatre, Public Theatre, New York City, 1990
Night of 100 Stars III, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1990
Also appeared in Trials of Daniel Boone, Robert Redford Workshop,and in productions of The Connection, The Exhibition, Ostrich Feathers, The Pawnbroker, and The Threepenny Opera.
Major Tours
Understudy and member of chorus, Royal Hunt of the Sun, U.S. cities, 1967
RECORDINGS
Videos
Casca, Julius Caesar, 1979
The Directors: Clint Eastwood (also known as AFI's the Directors: Clint Eastwood), 2000
Appeared in the music video "Waitin' on Joe" by Steve Azar, 2002.
Taped Readings
Narrator, The Savior Is Born (book with audio cassette), Rabbit Ears Books, 1992

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 20, Gale, 1998
International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 3: Actors and Actresses, St. James Press, 1996
Notable Black American Men, Gale, 1998

Periodicals

Empire, October, 1997, p. 193; March, 1998, pp. 66-70
Entertainment Weekly, April 20, 2001, pp. 38-40
FHM, February, 2001, p. 80; October, 2002, p. 100
Interview, June, 1996, pp. 74-81
Jet, August 12, 1996, p. 24
NEA Today, January, 1998, p. 42
People Weekly, April 4, 1998, p. 89
Radio Times, September 21, 2002, p. 61
Urban Cinefile, August 16, 2001
US, May, 1997, pp. 82-84
Variety, September 1, 1997, p. 40
Venice, May, 2002, pp. 58-67

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