Ernest Fredric Morrison (December 20, 1912 â€" July 24, 1989) was an
American child actor, comedian, vaudevillian and dancer who also
performed under the stage name Sunshine Sammy Morrison and was the
only black member of the East Side Kids, and also was an original
performer in the Our Gang short film series franchise (the 1920s
silent film series). A sidekick to Harold Lloyd and Snub Pollard.Born
in 1912 in New Orleans, Morrison was the brother of Florence Morrison
and stage and screen actress Dorothy Morrison, he fell into show
business because a child actor being used for a film could not be
persuaded to do anything but howl. One of the crew members asked
Morrison's father Ernest Morrison Sr. to bring in his newborn son, and
since the newest member of the Morrison clan gave the film crew what
they needed, they decided to christen him "Sunshine," since he did not
cry. Morrison's father added "Sammy" to his son's moniker to create
his stage name of Sunshine SammyMorrison ultimately appeared in
two-reel silent comedies opposite both Harold Lloyd and Snub Pollard,
two of the era's biggest comedians. He was the first African American
actor to be signed to a long-term contract, signing with studio
executive and comedy producer Hal Roach in 1919. When Roach conceived
his Our Gang series, featuring child actors in a natural juvenile
setting in 1921, Sammy was the first child recruited. Morrison left
the series in 1924 to work in vaudeville, where his talents were
featured on the same bills with such up-and-coming acts as Abbott and
Costello and Jack Benny.After touring in Australia with partner Sleepy
Williams, Morrison returned to the United States and was chosen by Sam
Katzman to be one of the East Side Kids. From the beginning, Morrison
tapped into his experiences growing up on the East Side of New York
City to shape the character of "Scruno." He spent three years with the
gang before leaving to pursue other opportunities, often doing
promotional stints with Huntz Hall and Bobby Jordan. Morrison left the
Kids when he was offered an opportunity to work with the Step Brothers
act, a prominent black stage and film dance act. He was drafted into
the army during World War II. After being discharged, he was offered a
part in The Bowery Boys series that was just being launched, but he
declined the offer. Morrison made mention of this in interviews,
saying he "didn't like the setup."
American child actor, comedian, vaudevillian and dancer who also
performed under the stage name Sunshine Sammy Morrison and was the
only black member of the East Side Kids, and also was an original
performer in the Our Gang short film series franchise (the 1920s
silent film series). A sidekick to Harold Lloyd and Snub Pollard.Born
in 1912 in New Orleans, Morrison was the brother of Florence Morrison
and stage and screen actress Dorothy Morrison, he fell into show
business because a child actor being used for a film could not be
persuaded to do anything but howl. One of the crew members asked
Morrison's father Ernest Morrison Sr. to bring in his newborn son, and
since the newest member of the Morrison clan gave the film crew what
they needed, they decided to christen him "Sunshine," since he did not
cry. Morrison's father added "Sammy" to his son's moniker to create
his stage name of Sunshine SammyMorrison ultimately appeared in
two-reel silent comedies opposite both Harold Lloyd and Snub Pollard,
two of the era's biggest comedians. He was the first African American
actor to be signed to a long-term contract, signing with studio
executive and comedy producer Hal Roach in 1919. When Roach conceived
his Our Gang series, featuring child actors in a natural juvenile
setting in 1921, Sammy was the first child recruited. Morrison left
the series in 1924 to work in vaudeville, where his talents were
featured on the same bills with such up-and-coming acts as Abbott and
Costello and Jack Benny.After touring in Australia with partner Sleepy
Williams, Morrison returned to the United States and was chosen by Sam
Katzman to be one of the East Side Kids. From the beginning, Morrison
tapped into his experiences growing up on the East Side of New York
City to shape the character of "Scruno." He spent three years with the
gang before leaving to pursue other opportunities, often doing
promotional stints with Huntz Hall and Bobby Jordan. Morrison left the
Kids when he was offered an opportunity to work with the Step Brothers
act, a prominent black stage and film dance act. He was drafted into
the army during World War II. After being discharged, he was offered a
part in The Bowery Boys series that was just being launched, but he
declined the offer. Morrison made mention of this in interviews,
saying he "didn't like the setup."
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