Morris, Milt, 1906-1994

John Milton Morris (1906-1994), also known as Milt Morris, was an American cartoonist.

John Milt Morris was born in Santa Barbara, California in 1906. As a teenager, Morris was involved in an accident that left him in bed for an extended period of time. During his recovery, Morris spent his time drawing.

Morris’ first job after high school was in the morgue at the Los Angeles Herald Express . Morris pursued art classes at night and was able to transfer to the art department. At age 23, Morris moved to New York City, where he struggled to find a job during the Great Depression until being hired at the New York Journal American . Five years later in 1935, Morris began working for the Associated Press.

In the 1940s, Morris filled in for editorial cartoonist Henry "Hank" Barrow and when Barrow left the Associated Press in July 1949, Morris replaced him. During his career as an editorial cartoonist, Morris traveled to Washington D.C., often with other cartoonists, to draw caricatures of the president currently in office. Morris spent over 50 years with the Associated Press.

In addition to editorial cartoons, Morris also drew Oscar Hitt’s panel cartoon, Neighborly Neighbors and he worked on the comic strip Scorchy Smith . Morris was a member of the National Cartoonists Society and he won the 1956 National Headliners Club Award.

John Milt Morris died on May 1, 1994 from pneumonia.

From the guide to the John Milt Morris Cartoons., 1960-1968., (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)