To most, he was Ernest T. Bass, a recurring character on The Andy Griffith Show whose appearance was a sure sign that trouble was afoot. But to viewers of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, he was Atom Ant, Jet Screamer, Mr. Peebles, and many more. Morris actually did voices for several animation studios, from Filmation to Nickelodeon, but it was his relationship with Bill and Joe that cemented him into the halls of great cartoon voice actors. While he had many disagreements and falling-outs with the duo (this is why Don Messick succeeded him as the voice of Atom and Peebles), he remained with the company until its very end, even being among the few voice actors from HB's early years to work on their Cartoon Network original series. For the unaware, he voiced Flem, one of the bully characters, on Cow and Chicken.
Even after the studio shut its doors, Morris continued to be heard in various animated series. His last performance was as a doctor in a 2004 episode of the Nicktoon All Grown Up. The following year, on May 21st, 2005, Morris passed away due to heart failure. He was 85 years old at the time of his death. Whether he was in front of the camera, behind it, or simply one voice among many, Howie Morris was sure to leave audiences laughing, and remains an icon of classic television.
As I mentioned earlier, when most think of Howie Morris, the focus tends to be on his live-action credits, not so much his animated ones. That isn't to say he never discussed his voice work in interviews, however. Below is an interview with Morris that appeared in the September 15th, 1985 edition of The Tennessean Sun. In it, he reflects on his voice-acting career, his acting journey, and his many forrays into directing. An all-around great piece about an equally great performer!
Howard Morris Good For A Million Laughs
By KEN BECK
Talented Howard Morris has made millions of people laugh during his 50-year career, and yet most would never recognize the funnyman's name or face.
Why? For the simple reason that Morris is one of Hollywood's top voice actors. His vocals have been heard in the past on "The Jetsons." "Atom Ant," "Magilla Gorilla," "Peter Potamus," "The Archie Show," and "The Groovie Goolies" to name just a few of his credits. Now, hundreds of voices later, he returns to the Hanna-Barbera cartoon corral with a new character, Trembly Paw, on "The Paw Paws," which debuts this morning (9:30, Ch. 30), as part of "The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera."
"He's a coward, a kind of a Don Knotts type, this Trembly Paw," Morris said of his latest vocal creation. "He can show bravado—suggesting some real great heroic action—and then his voice crumbles mid-sentence.
"He's a blow-hard who blows really soft."
Morris began doing voices in 1959 when he talked for more than 20 characters in a 10-minute cartoon, "Monroe." It won an Academy Award for Best Cartoon. Perhaps his most recognizable voice is the koala bear in the Qantas Airlines commercials. He's filled that role for 19 years.
He's also done Grandpa and Jet Screamer on "The Jetsons," as well as filling multiple roles on "The Flintstones" and "Scooby-Doo."
"It's mostly luck," the voice veteran says, about coming up with the right voice for the right character. "You get a look at the cartoon. The script tells you what's going on. You try voices out. You work fast.
"It's a highly competitive field," he said of voice actors. "It's a small group of people who know what to do and do it fast. Maybe a group of 50 who do the bulk of it."
But the career of Howard Morris spans much more than just a couple of hundred cartoon voices. He's an all-round entertainer who has acted and directed in everything from the Golden Era of television in the 1950s to feature films and award-winning commercials of the '70s and '80s.
"When I was five my mother took me to this silent movie theater where she played organ," the New York native recalled. "I would sit in the front row and stare up at that huge silver screen. I think that's where it all began."
Morris acted in the dramatic club in high school, and then he earned a scholarship to New York University in dramatic arts. That led to membership in the Washington Square Players, which spawned the careers of Jimmy Steward and Henry Fonda. Morris worked his way through classical repertory including "all kinds of Shakespeare."
Then World War II broke out and Morris was drafted into the Army for four years. After the service, he returned to the Big Apple and worked in plays until television beckoned. On the tube, he displayed his comedic genius on "Your Show of Shows" swapping wit with such greats as Sid Caesar, Imogene Coco, and Carl Reiner.
Throughout the 1950s and into the '60s, the comedian continued to act on a multitude of television comedies but he also began to direct and produce. His directing credits include the pilot episode of "Get Smart," dozens of "Hogan's Heroes," a dozen "Love Boats," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," " Laredo," and many more TV sit-coms.
Morris also directed four feature films: "Who's Minding the Mint," "With SIx You Get Egg Roll," "Don't Drink the Water," and "Going Coconuts."
He began directing commercials in the 1970s and has done hundreds including award-winning ones for McDonald's and Kelloggs. His next directing assignment will be an episode of "Trapper John, M.D."
In reminiscing over his years in show biz, Morris acknowledged that a crazy hillbilly character he played in "The Andy Griffith Show" might be his most recognizable. "That Ernest T. Bass," he remembered, laughing, "the guy was such a nut, you had to love him. He was a Southern cuckoo."
Morris is presently working on a book he's titled It's a Living. It will be full of anecdotes from his career. "Some funny and some kind of sad," he said.
One of the actor/director's most recent roles was a small part as a professor in the feature film "Splash," which was directed by Griffith Show alumnus Ron Howard.
"Ron was so sweet to me," Morris said. "He called me for the part. We embraced and talked about the old days. I read the script. Then I left. I was walking across the parking lot when I heard, 'Howie, Howie, Wait up. Could you do the part?' It was Ron. It was a lovely sweet thing to do."
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