behp0296-ray-morse-summary

SIDE ONE

Born 1907, Mile End Road, London. Doesn’t appear to have had any real formal education. Family emigrated to Canada after the 1914-1918 war. In school vacation went to stay with an uncle who lived in Los Angeles, where he worked on several three-minute silent films. He describes this period. Returned to the UK, worked as a commercial artist then worked on ‘Prologues’ for the Astoria circuit, then became a make-up artist working at Gainsborough. Then he talks about working on the Gloria Swanson Perfect Understanding. Worked in the Theatre, working on revues as a dancer, singer etc. Model maker for many trailers for big pictures. He talks about making models for Scientific Films in Kensington and also for GB Instructional.

SIDE TWO

He talks about his service in the RAF Film Unit, where (again) he made models. He was invalided out; when he recovered his health, he moved back to Vancouver, then he moved to Florida where he made ‘Pops’ [?] and painted pictures.

[Alan Lawson writes] Ray Morse is a man of many talents but unfortunately, he has forgotten dates and a lot of details about the many pictures he worked on. His first job was as a paper-boy, then a child actor, commercial artist, costume designer, set designer, portrait mask maker, film and stage actor, make-up artist, singer, dancer, film prop maker, potter, water-colour artist, portrait painter, photographer, writer, song writer.