David Morse: Remembering Dr. Morrison

David Morse as Dr. Jack Morrison in the medical drama "St. Elsewhere".

Source: https://abriefingwithmichael.wordpress.com/tag/david-morse/

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He always seemed so intense, like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Maybe you would too, if your wife died.

Dr. Jack Morrison was one of the doctors at St. Eligius Hospital on the drama “St. Elsewhere”, and he was my introduction to actor David Morse.

Recently, I saw an older, grayer David Morse playing the father of Bradley Jackson, one of the leads on the Apple-TV show “The Morning Show”.

It brought back memories of Dr. Morrison.

Big break
David Morse got his breakout role in 1982 when he was cast as Dr. Jack “Boomer” Morrison in “St. Elsewhere”.

Dr. Morrison was soft-spoken, compassionate and would get over-involved in his patients’ cases. He was a first-year resident when the show began, and struggled balancing his career with his wife and young son.

Then, early in the second season, Dr. Morrison’s wife died, and he was forced to be a single parent on top of all the stresses at the hospital.

He would eventually begin to date another woman, played by a very young Helen Hunt, but I stopped watching the show around that time.

Still, my overriding impression of Dr. Morrison was he was quiet, intense, cared way too much, and always seemed to be carrying a massive weight around with him.

That’s good acting.

The years after
David Morse would have a solid career in movies, including roles in “12 Monkeys” in 1995; “The Rock” in 1996; “The Green Mile” in 1999, where he was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture; and “The Hurt Locker” in 2009.

He also appeared in a lot of TV shows as a guest star including “Homicide: Life on the Street”; “The Langoliers”; “Hack”; “House”; “John Adams”; “Medium”; “True Detective”; and much more.

He continues acting to this day.

Parting thoughts
Over the past few months three actors from “St. Elsewhere” have inspired posts on this blog. First Howie Mandel then Ed Begley Junior, now David Morse.

It shows their talent and longevity to still be acting 40 years after “St. Elsewhere” debuted on NBC in the States, and Channel 7 on the peasant vision dial.

David Morse was a big part of that, and he still continues to act. Even now in his turn on “The Morning Show”, he still carries that quiet, intense foreboding look.

It is reminiscent of Dr. Jack Morrison.