Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman, born on June 1, 1937, in Memphis, Tennessee, is a highly acclaimed American actor, filmmaker, and narrator renowned for his rich and resonant voice. Over a career spanning more than five decades, he has earned widespread recognition and numerous awards for his contributions to film, television, and theater.
Raised in Mississippi, Freeman discovered his passion for acting at a young age and began honing his skills through participation in school plays. He later pursued formal training in theater arts in Los Angeles and embarked on his professional acting career, initially appearing in stage productions.


Freeman gained prominence in the 1970s with his role in the children's television series "The Electric Company." His talent and versatility were further showcased in Shakespearean plays such as "Coriolanus" and "Julius Caesar," earning him critical acclaim and an Obie Award for his performance in the former.
In 1978, Freeman received a Tony Award nomination for his role in the Richard Wesley play "The Mighty Gents." Throughout the following decades, he solidified his reputation as one of Hollywood's most esteemed actors with a wide range of memorable performances across various genres.
One of Freeman's most notable achievements came with his Academy Award-winning portrayal of Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris in Clint Eastwood's sports drama "Million Dollar Baby" (2004), for which he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. He received additional Oscar nominations for his roles in "Street Smart" (1987), "Driving Miss Daisy" (1989), "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994), and "Invictus" (2009).


Freeman's impressive filmography includes acclaimed films such as "Glory" (1989), "Lean on Me" (1989), "Unforgiven" (1992), "Se7en" (1995), "Amistad" (1997), "Gone Baby Gone" (2007), and "The Bucket List" (2007). He also portrayed Lucius Fox in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Trilogy" and starred in action films like "Wanted" (2008), "Red" (2010), "Oblivion" (2013), "Now You See Me" (2013), and "Lucy" (2014).
Beyond his work in front of the camera, Freeman is celebrated for his distinctive narration style, lending his voice to numerous documentary projects, including "March of the Penguins" (2005) and "The Story of God with Morgan Freeman" (2016–2019). He made his directorial debut with the drama "Bopha!" (1993) and co-founded the film production company Revelations Entertainment with Lori McCreary in 1996, producing various projects, including the political drama series "Madam Secretary" (2014–2019).


Throughout his illustrious career, Morgan Freeman has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, earning accolades, admiration, and a lasting legacy as one of the most respected figures in film and television.
Morgan Freeman, born on June 1, 1937, in Memphis, Tennessee, is the son of Mamie Edna (née Revere), a teacher, and Morgan Porterfield Freeman, a barber. Sadly, his father passed away from cirrhosis in 1961. Freeman has three older siblings. His ancestry includes enslaved individuals who migrated from North Carolina to Mississippi. He also discovered that his white maternal great-great-grandfather lived with and was buried beside his black great-great-grandmother in the segregated South.


As a child, Freeman was sent to live with his paternal grandmother in Charleston, Mississippi, and he moved frequently during his upbringing, residing in Greenwood, Mississippi; Gary, Indiana; and finally settling in Chicago, Illinois. He made his acting debut at the age of nine in a school play and attended Broad Street High School in Greenwood, Mississippi. At age 12, he won a statewide drama competition, igniting his passion for music and theater.
Freeman graduated from high school in 1955 but declined a partial drama scholarship from Jackson State University. Instead, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving as an Automatic Tracking Radar repairman and rising to the rank of airman first class during his service from 1955 to 1959. Following his military tenure, Freeman moved to Los Angeles, California, where he pursued acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse and studied theater arts at Los Angeles City College, where he received encouragement to explore a dance career.


Morgan Freeman's career journey saw him transitioning between various roles and platforms, including dance, theater, television, and film. After working as a dancer at the 1964 World's Fair and being part of the Opera Ring musical theater group in San Francisco, Freeman began to focus more on acting. He made appearances as an extra in Sidney Lumet's film "The Pawnbroker" and acted in touring theater productions like "The Royal Hunt of the Sun."
Freeman's career gained traction in the late 1960s and early 1970s with Off-Broadway and Broadway performances, including in productions such as "The Niggerlovers" and an all-black version of "Hello, Dolly!" His television breakthrough came in 1971 when he starred in the PBS children's show "The Electric Company," which provided him with financial stability but was not a personally fulfilling experience. Nevertheless, Freeman's work on the show earned him recognition among American audiences.


In the 1980s, Freeman continued to diversify his acting portfolio, appearing in theater, television, and film. Notable roles during this time included performances in Shakespearean tragedies like "Coriolanus" and "Julius Caesar," as well as in television soap operas like "Another World." He also began accepting prominent supporting roles in feature films, earning praise for his wise and fatherly character portrayals.
Freeman's breakout film role came in 1987 with "Street Smart," where he played a violent street hustler. His performance earned critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. This marked a turning point in his career, leading to more substantial film roles and cementing his reputation as a versatile and talented actor. Subsequent performances in films like "Clean and Sober" further showcased his acting prowess and garnered him additional awards and recognition, including Obie Awards for his stage roles.
Overall, Freeman's journey from dance and theater to television and film reflects his dedication to his craft and his ability to excel in various artistic mediums, solidifying his status as one of Hollywood's most respected and acclaimed actors.

References

1.  "12/09/2008". The Film Programme. September 12, 2008. BBC Radio 4. Archived from the original on February 4, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
2. a b Ross, Harold Wallace; White, Katharine Sergeant Angell (July 3, 1978). "Interview with Morgan Freeman". The New Yorker. [My grandmother] had been married to Morgan Herbert Freeman, and my father was Morgan Porterfield Freeman, but they forgot to give me a middle name. Archived from the original on March 20, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
3. ^ Steinbeiser, Andrew (June 1, 2015). "Happy Birthday! Morgan Freeman Turns 78 Today". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on June 1, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
4. a b "Morgan Freeman profile". African American Lives 2. PBS. Archived from the original on August 14, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
5. a b c Tracy, Kathleen (2006). Morgan Freeman : a biography. Fort Lee, N.J.: Barricade Books. pp. 7–9, 14. ISBN 978-1-56980-307-3. OCLC 69672088. Archived from the original on March 20, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
6. ^ DeAngelis, Gina (2000). Morgan Freeman. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers. p. 12. ISBN 0-7910-4963-9. OCLC 40862074. Archived from the original on March 20, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
7. ^ Gates, Henry L. Jr. (2009). In Search of Our Roots: How 19 Extraordinary African Americans Reclaimed Their Past. Crown. ISBN 9780307409737. Archived from the original on March 20, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2020.