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Howard Morris, 85, Comic Actor and Voiceover Artist (Ernest T. Bass!)
NY Sun ^
| 5/23/05
| STEPHEN MILLER
Posted on 05/23/2005 9:13:43 AM PDT by Borges
Howard Morris, who died Saturday at 85, was an actor and voiceover artist who became a familiar figure to television viewers of the early 1950s as one of the regulars on "Your Show of Shows," the Sid Caesar variety series that launched some of the biggest names in American comedy.
While his face was less known to later generations, Morris's voice popped up all over the airwaves. He could be heard in cartoons, as Fred Flintstone's boss, Mr. Slate, and as Jughead Jones in various televised versions of the "Archie" comic strip, as well as the title character in the animated series "The Atom Ant Show." Morris could also be heard in hundreds of advertisements, as the voice of the Qantas Airways koala ("I hate Qantas"), and as the Hamburglar, burbling "Robble Robble" while making off with Mayor McCheese's lunch in spots for McDonald's. "I have a beach house at Malibu with arches on top of it," he once claimed.
Sporting a list of show-business credits even more varied than his list of marriages - there were six in all - Morris directed such film comedies as "With Six You Get Eggroll" (1968) and "Don't Drink the Water" (1969), as well as episodes of "Hogan's Heroes," "Bewitched," and the original pilot of "Get Smart."
As an actor, he made appearances on "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and "The Twilight Zone," and he attained continuing celebrity for a series of appearances as Ernest T. Bass, a rock-throwing, doggerel-spouting hillbilly on "The Andy Griffith Show." A sample of Bass's poetry, written by Morris: "If I knew you was coming, I know what I'd do, I'd a rose both arms, and I'd a wove at you!"
(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: ernesttbass; howardmorris; obituary
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R.I.P. Ernest T. Bass
1
posted on
05/23/2005 9:13:44 AM PDT
by
Borges
To: Borges
"It's me, it's me, it's Earnest T!"
2
posted on
05/23/2005 9:15:05 AM PDT
by
Bloody Sam Roberts
(If you only knew the powerrrrr of the Tagline.)
To: Borges
Wow, Fred Flintston (II) and Mr. Slate in one weekend?
Definite bummer.
TS
3
posted on
05/23/2005 9:16:02 AM PDT
by
Tanniker Smith
(I didn't know she was a liberal when I married her.)
To: Borges
"It's me, it's me, it's Ernest T." sad ping
4
posted on
05/23/2005 9:16:42 AM PDT
by
BipolarBob
(Yes I backed over the vampire, but I swear I didn't see it in my rearview mirror.)
To: Constitution Day
5
posted on
05/23/2005 9:16:53 AM PDT
by
martin_fierro
(_____oooo_( ° ¿ ° )_oooo_____)
To: Borges
Howard Morris was the producer of The Andy Griffith Show for a number of seasons.
6
posted on
05/23/2005 9:16:53 AM PDT
by
newgeezer
(Just my opinion, of course. Your mileage may vary.)
To: Borges
Sorry to hear about that. Remember viewing "The Andy Griffith" reruns with Ernest T. Bass and his "Romina". He just loved to throw rocks and listened to the windows break.
7
posted on
05/23/2005 9:17:27 AM PDT
by
lilylangtree
(Veni, Vidi, Vici)
To: Bloody Sam Roberts
8
posted on
05/23/2005 9:20:23 AM PDT
by
N. Theknow
(BXVI - The cafeteria is closed.)
To: Borges
9
posted on
05/23/2005 9:21:45 AM PDT
by
bigsigh
To: lilylangtree
Was "Romina" Sam Darling's daughter?
Those were some of the funniest episodes of Andy Griffith.
The "boys" were totally expressionless, all the time.
10
posted on
05/23/2005 9:21:54 AM PDT
by
sinkspur
(If you want unconditional love with skin, and hair and a warm nose, get a shelter dog.)
To: martin_fierro; Borges
To: Borges
He was also very close to Mel Brooks and played Dr. Littleoldman in one of those take-off movies, High Anxiety, I believe.
To: Borges
. . . and as the Hamburglar, burbling "Robble Robble" while making off with Mayor McCheese's lunch in spots for McDonald's.
To: Borges; All
He was also the voice of Wade the Duck on Garfield and Friends...
14
posted on
05/23/2005 9:28:53 AM PDT
by
KevinDavis
(Let the meek inherit the Earth, the rest of us will explore the stars!)
To: Borges
Like Frank Gorshin who also passed away last week, a fine impressionist and unique talent...
Rest in Peace, Howard.
15
posted on
05/23/2005 9:31:35 AM PDT
by
mikrofon
(Hehehee!)
To: sinkspur
No, the Darlings daughter was Charlene. She married a private who did his tour of duty in Spokane, WA.
16
posted on
05/23/2005 9:39:03 AM PDT
by
lilylangtree
(Veni, Vidi, Vici)
To: lilylangtree
He just loved to throw rocks and listened to the windows break. Who doesn't?
17
posted on
05/23/2005 9:41:52 AM PDT
by
Graybeard58
(Remember and pray for Spec.4 Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
To: Graybeard58
But how many warm, charming and "down at the home" sheriffs willing to put up with that nonsense to try and stop the rock throwing without putting the little rock-thrower in jail? Can't think of a one.
18
posted on
05/23/2005 9:44:47 AM PDT
by
lilylangtree
(Veni, Vidi, Vici)
To: sinkspur
The "boys" were totally expressionless, all the time. The pickin' and singin' they did was from the group, "The Dillards"
19
posted on
05/23/2005 9:44:58 AM PDT
by
Graybeard58
(Remember and pray for Spec.4 Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
To: Borges
A sad day for TV Land, indeed.
...But I must make one correction, and perhaps it's an oversight on the part of Mr. Miller: John Stephenson provided the voice for Mr. Slate, Fred Flintstone's boss. On the television series. In addition to providing the voice of Atom Ant, Mr. Morris also provided the voice of Mush Mouse on 'Mush Mouse and Pumpkin Puss', one of the segments of the 'Peter Potamus and Friends' Show.
-Regards, T.
20
posted on
05/23/2005 10:04:10 AM PDT
by
T Lady
(G.W. Bush to Kerry & the MSM: "I've come to settle the Family Business.")
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