Morgan+Freeman


 * [[image:http://mdstnyc.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/morganfreeman1.jpg?w=215&h=312 width="149" height="216"]]

Background Information**

Morgan Freeman was born on June 1st, 1937, in Memphis Tennessee.His parents are Morgan Porterfield Freeman, Sr.- a barber, and Mayme Edna - a teacher. His father died in 1961 due to liver cirrhosis. He has three older siblings, and two younger. His parents worked extra shifts at a hospital to make ends meet, since the family was fairly large, and it was hard for the family to be supported. Freeman's parents were too pridefull to be on welfare, so they did whatever they could do to make ends meet. When Freeman was still an infant, his parents moved to Chicago to find better work in the factories. Consequently, he and his siblings were raised in Mississippi by his dedicated grandparents. Freeman would spend most of his summers in Chicago with his parents.

When Freeman was young, he loved going to the movies. But his family didn't have the money, so he would search for empty bottles to cash in. He never was really interested in school, neither with academics nor with extra curriculars. However, he remembers loving attention and wanting to act. “I was 12 and there was this girl in school that I really liked; very well-dressed, beautiful curls. To get her attention, I pulled a chair out from under her when she was about to sit down. She fell on the floor and ran to our English teacher. I thought: Oh, Lord, that’s it. But instead of bringing me to the principal’s office, she took me to another class that needed performers for a school play. And for this performance I got my first acting award.’’ As punishment for playing that prank, he was forced to play a role in the school's play. He was awarded the best actor, and that's how his acting career began.


 * Career**

Despite his brief acting success, Freeman joined the US Air Force in hopes of accomplishing his dream: being a jet fighter pilot. However, because of segregation, his duties were limited only to a mechanic and radar technician.Freeman was not happy with the position he was given in the Army, and he knew he was given a job that wasn't that good because he was black. After five years, Freeman left the Army and enrolled at [|Los Angeles Community College]. Afterwards, he learned to act at the [|Pasadena Playhouse]. “I went to Hollywood straight away. I got a good running start but the wall was brick. So when I bounced, I bounced all the way to New York and got onto the stage and stayed there’’, he explains. He did a lot of theatre work, acting in plays, but what he really wanted was to be a hollywood star. In 1967, Freeman married Jeanette Adair Bradshaw, with whom he had two children. In 1979 they divorced.

In the early 1980's, Freeman's popularity began declining. He had no more roles to play because no one wanted him. Just when Freeman was about to get his taxi licence, he got a call to have a part in the soap-opera "Another World". Freeman really started getting popular after that, especially after marrying Myrna Colley-Lee in 1984. He raised two daughters with her. In 1987, Freeman starred in //Street Smart// (1987), in which he earned his first Oscar nomination. He was also nominated in the films //Driving Miss Daisy// (1989), in which he won a Golden Globe. He was in //The Shawshank Redemption//, //Million Dollar Baby//, and the recent movie //[|Invictus],// in which he won and was nominated in numerous awards. As of now, Freeman has played a role in 60 movies, and is currently in the procces of playing in another. He has performed in many plays before his major success in the movie industry. In plays and musicals, he was always very energetic and lively, but as he got older, his demeanor became much more calm and wise. However, in the recent movie //Invictus//, we can experience his vibrant attitude once again, and it truly is remarkable.

A major influence in Morgan Freeman's life was Martin Luther King Jr. Freeman's values about racism and segregation were reinforced by MLK's speech and beliefs. For example, there were instances when Freeman was given the opportunity to play a part as a degraded black man. However, he rejected these offers, despite needing the money. Freeman feels strongly about his African American heritage, and he expresses that in an [|interview] with Mike Wallace in "60 Minutes". Another major influence Freeman encountered was the Army. He developed a serious yet rich attitude that he maintains today because of it. However much he wanted to be a jet fighter pilot, he wasn't given the opportunity right away, mainly because he was African American. This experience fueled his desire for the end of racism, and he exhibits it in the "60 Minutes" interview.

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This is a famous part in the movie //Shawshank Redemption//

During the times of hurricane Katrina, Freeman hosted an online disaster releif auction to benefit the American Red Cross. He has also donated money to various organizations. Also, the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) will award him with a top honor this year for "significant contributions to advancing the art of filmmaking". The most important lesson he taught was was that in time, you can do whatever you want, as long as you really want to do it. Freeman always wanted to fly, but he didn't have the chance to when he was in the Army. But when he was 64, he took flying lessons and passed, and so he has fulfilled his dreams. Another example would be his acting career. He started out pretty slow, only doing minor performances in the theatre. However, when he became much older he really began to shine. He says that he was always blooming, it's just that people didn't bother to notice before. This goes to show us that although we have strengths, just because others don't take them into account doesn't mean they are useless. Also, he explained that although there still is some racism today, the only way to get rid of it is to stop talking about it. We have to stop labeling each other as "black" or "white". Lastly, Freeman expressed his view on why there shouldn't be a Black History month, because he said "Black History is American History" (see [|interview])
 * Contribution to our Society**

Freeman has hobbies outside of his work. He is an avid pilot, sailor and co-owns a blues club and a restaurant. He also enjoys golfing and riding his horses.
 * Leisure**



"Morgan Freeman on Life, Death, Success, and Everything". 7 Feb 2008. Times Online. 1 Mar 2010 <[]>

"Morgan Freeman Biography". 2006. The Biography Channel. 1 Mar 2010 <[]>

"Morgan Freeman to Receive Top Honour From ASC". 25 Feb 2010. One India. 1 Mar 2010 <[]>

Willis, Dominic. "Morgan Freeman Biography." 2009. Talk Talk. 28 Feb 2010 <[]>.

"Morgan Freeman Biography". 2005. Hello Magazine. 28 Feb 2010. <[]>