SNL Original
A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame honoring original “Saturday Night Live'' cast member Garrett Morris was unveiled today on his 87th birthday.
Tichina Arnold and Jennifer Coolidge joined Morris in speaking at the 11:30 a.m. ceremony at 6411 Hollywood Blvd., between Cahuenga Boulevard and Wilcox Avenue.
Morris and Arnold were castmates for the first two seasons of the 1992-97 Fox comedy “Martin.'' Morris and Coolidge were castmates on the 2011-17 CBS comedy, “2 Broke Girls.''
Morris is the fourth original “Saturday Night Live'' cast member with a star on the Walk of Fame, joining John Belushi, Chevy Chase and Gilda Radner. Morris was a member of the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players'' from 1975-80 and is best remembered for his portrayal of retired baseball player turned “Weekend Update'' sportscaster Chico Escuela, whose catchphrase was
“Beisbol been berry, berry good to me.''
In addition to being a cast member on “Martin,'' “2 Broke Girls,'' the 1996-2001 The CW comedy, “The Jamie Foxx Show,'' and the 1995 The CW comedy, “Cleghorne!,'' Morris' other post-”Saturday Night Live'' television credits include recurring roles on the 1984-91 NBC crime drama “Hunter,'' the 1991-94 Fox comedy “Roc'' and the 1975-85 CBS comedy “The Jeffersons.''
Morris' guest-starring appearances include “Hill Street Blues,” “Married ... With Children,'' “Murder, She Wrote'' and “ER.'' Morris was born Feb. 1, 1937, in New Orleans and was raised by his grandparents in the city's poverty-stricken Gert Town neighborhood. After graduating from Dillard University in New Orleans, Morris performed with The Harry Belafonte Folk Singers, including appearing on the CBS variety series, “The Ed Sullivan Show.''
Morris was among the singers on the 1960 anti-apartheid album, “South African Freedom Songs,'' along with Pete Seeger and Guy Carawan.
Morris made his television debut in 1960, starring in the “CBS TV Workshop'' production of the folk drama with music,”`The Bible Salesman.'' He was a cast member of the CBS Army comedy “Roll Out,'' which ran for 12 episodes in the 1973-74 season.
Morris made his Broadway debut in 1967 in “Hallelujah, Baby!'' the 1968 Tony Award winner for best musical. Morris appeared in four other Broadway productions between 1968 and 1974, “I'm Solomon,'' “Operation Sidewinder,'' “Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death'' and “What the Wine-Sellers Buy.''
Morris' film debut came in the 1970 George Segal-starring comedy “Where's Poppa?'' His best-remembered pre-”Saturday Night Live'' film was “Cooley High,'' in which he played the history teacher of Leroy “Preach'' Jackson (Glynn Turman) and Richard “Cochise'' Morris (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs).
