Biography
In films, writer Richard Morris had his greatest success with
Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), starring
Julie Andrews and
Carol Channing. The story earned Morris a Writers Guild Award for Best American Musical. Following military service during WWII, Morris took drama classes. Though trained as an actor, Morris started out writing comedy sketches. In the mid-'50s, Morris turned to television writing. By 1955, he had become the head writer for
The Loretta Young Show and at one point earned an Emmy nomination. In 1960, Morris wrote the libretto for the Unsinkable Molly Brown; in 1964, the Broadway hit became a popular movie. Morris focused on movies and television after the mid-'60s. Some of his other well-known film efforts include
Change of Habit (1969), starring
Elvis Presley and
Mary Tyler Moore, and
If a Man Answers (1962). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide