Garrett Morris

Garrett Morris was born on February 1, 1937, in New Orleans, Louisiana. His early life involved singing in a church choir, which led to classical vocal training at the Juilliard School of Music, and he later graduated from Dillard University in 1958. Morris’s career began in the 1960s, performing with The Belafonte Folk Singers and appearing in Broadway musicals such as “Hallelujah, Baby!” and “Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death.” His involvement in the Black Arts Movement, working alongside figures like Amiri Baraka and Sun Ra, underscored his early commitment to impactful artistic and social engagement. In 1960, he also collaborated with Pete Seeger and Guy Carawan on the album “South African Freedom Songs.”

Morris achieved widespread recognition as an original cast member of “Saturday Night Live” from 1975 to 1980, becoming the show’s first Black cast member. During his tenure, he created memorable characters like Chico Escuela, the Dominican baseball player, and the “News for the Hard of Hearing” translator on “Weekend Update.” While on SNL, he also showcased his vocal talents by performing classical music. After his time on SNL, Morris transitioned into numerous television and film roles. He played Jimmy on “The Jeffersons” (1983–1984), Arnold “Sporty” James on “Hunter” (1986–1989), and Stan Winters on “Martin” (1992–1995), a role that famously integrated his real-life recovery from a shooting into the storyline. He was a regular on “The Jamie Foxx Show” as Uncle Junior King from 1996 to 2001 and portrayed Earl Washington on “2 Broke Girls” from 2011 to 2017.

His film credits include “Cooley High” (1975), “Car Wash” (1976), “Coneheads” (1993), “How High” (2001), and a cameo in Marvel’s “Ant-Man” (2015), referencing his SNL portrayal of the character. Beyond acting, Morris opened The Downtown Comedy Club in Los Angeles, which was recognized by then-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as the official comedy club of Los Angeles in 2007. In 2024, Morris was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, celebrating his extensive and versatile contributions to the entertainment industry.