This is my first post on the revamped site! I think the timing is interesting because today, May 21st, has tremendous significance. It was seven years ago today that the world lost my father and best friend, the great Howard Morris. It’s truly a somber moment for many folks, but it’s also a time to reflect and call upon so many wonderful memories.
From this standpoint, my dad’s fans are his extended family. That’s right, I said “are.” I’d like to welcome all of you to the new and improved site. The site was recently overhauled by the great Allan Newsome and I think he did a terrific job. I’ll be visiting and checking in often, sometimes I’ll post messages (you can post in “comments” below plus read my replys) and definitely check out the new offerings we’ve made available at our new store where you can buy t-shirts and other fun items https://ernestt.com/bass/store/
Until my second post, sincerely,
David Morris
Dear David,
I was so surprised, and excited to see your email this morning!
Your father was so very talented. He directed so many of the Andy Griffith shows, and personally, I thought he was a gorgeous hunk after Andy transformed him into “Mr. Gossage”. He definitely was NOT a Creachture!!
Ha haaa! Thanks for the kind words, Bobbi. Because he was my dad, I can’t really comment on him as “hunky,” but he was handsome. That was a great moment on the show. -David
Dear David,
I just want to say just how much we enjoyed your dad’s work on TAGS! Not just as “Ernest T” but also in the other small parts he had!
We got to see your dad twice at Mayberry Days. We have a dvd we did of some of the Colonel Tims show where your dad took part. We saw you twice at Mayberry Days and so we thought we’d make you a copy to give you at the next Mayberry Days. However, you did not attend. We would like to send it to you if you’d like to have it. Just let us know where to send it, unless you will be at Mayberry Days. I’m glad to see you’re keeping up a site for your dad.
Kathy Hinkley
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for the kind words! Howard was one of the first cast members from the show to appear at Mayberry related events. He loved meeting fans combined with the carachter. I’m glad you got to see him. I’d really enjoy seeing that DVD. If you could, please send a brief email to dm@morrismovies.com and I’ll have a mailing address sent to you. Thanks so much for wanting to do this 🙂
-David
Just a quick followup for Kathy, I received/watched the DVD you sent and it’s just great! Howard was really funny. So nice to finally get to see that 2001 performance.
Thanks again for doing this.
Very best wishes,
David
Hi David,
Was just wondering today if you had gotten the dvd we sent!!
So glad you enjoyed it!!
Your Dad was truly a great talent!!
Kathy Hinkley
I cannot begin to tell you how much laughter your dad brought to my whole family.wnen the Andy Griffith Show came on we Were glued to the tv to see Ernest and Barney go at it ! I have seen all of your dads episodes over and over.My favorite was when he was going in the army and was gonna get him a uniform so he could get him a gurlfriend ! I still YouTube your dads specific episodes today just so I can watch him only ! Thankyou for Ernest T Bass website i. I love your dad ! God Bless ! Gene Ellis,professional Rock Thrower
Thanks Gene! My father used to say “We don’t got much without laughter.” He was right. I’m glad you like the site! Keep throwing them rocks!
-David
I don’t like the site , I Love it ! And if anybody sez, diferent, let me know, I got my favorite rock with me . Haha thanks again David, God Bless You
David: Thank you so much for this website honoring your dad. I absolutely love every Episode your dad was in. Your dad was the most talented actor/director there has ever been. He was a genius. Every time The Andy show comes on I look to see if your dad is in it. One thing not mentioned- he appeared in the show as a surveyor. God bless you, your dad and Barney! Maybe they are both in heaven- Barney in the wedding dress and Ernest T chasing him!! Always a fan, Ken , Indiane
Hey Ken, those are some strong words about my father. I couldn’t agree more! One of the shows my father directed (“Andy and Helen Have Their Day”) he played a funny TV repairman named George. That was almost 50 years ago. Amazing how a couple silly moments have became so memorable…but that was Howard’s mastery. Here’s a link to a portion of the episode on YouTube. George enters at the 8 minute mark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGZaIaedNKw
Thanks again for the kind words 🙂
-David
David: It is great to hear from you. Thank you so much for the clip. Your dad looked so young in it! There will Never be someone like him. He is one of a kind. Thanks again and take care. Ken
David,
You know how I feel about your Dad and you. It was always such a joy to just spend time with you both. Howard treated me as a fellow actor and you both treated me as a friend. I look back now and it is almost unreal that I had the opportunity to be on stage with this master. The facts are, I did get to do it, he was my friend and in a way, just as Don Knotts was, a mentor. I will never forget him.
BTW: Allan Newsome is just great at these new fangled electronal marvels and he’s done it again with this site.
David Browning/The Mayberry Deputy
Thank you, David! My father loved you (and so do I!). I remember my father telling me on my first trip with him: “Wait until you see how good this Browning guy is. You won’t believe it.” He was right.
-David
Years ago at Mayberry Days, I drank a lot of iced tea at the Thursday night banquet and had to go to the bathroom. The only other person in there was your father!!! I was terrified to say a word—I often wonder what he thought of that. Howard Morris was in everything—I love that he appeared with the Three Stooges in a commercial urging people to invest in employee savings funds, if I remember correctly.
Ha haaa! Knowing my dad he probably thought it was too quiet in there! Here’s a link to info on the Stooges short film on the U.S. Savings Bonds. http://threestooges.net/filmography/episode/230 The producer/director of this was the great Norman Maurer, married to Moe Howard’s daughter, Joan Maurer. Joan is a close friend, and Norman and my dad were buddies. A year prior to this stooges short, my father had teamed up with Norman and they made a wonderful picture called “Who’s Minding the Mint?” Take a look at that cast.. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062490/
Hi David, just wanted to let you know that I am so happy to see this site and thanks to Allan Newsome for his work to set it up. Your Dad was hilarious..”My Fair Ernest T” is one of my favorite episodes. His pronunciation of “Romeena” is a classic ! I also saw him in the movie “The Munsters Revenge”. He was very talented; his acting ability combined with his sense of humor seemed so effortless; like it was a God-given talent that he had which didn’t necessitate the need to “overact”. God bless you !
Sheryl
Thanks for the comments, Sheryl! All I can say is I agree with you. He made something that is extremely difficult (comedy) appear as being effortless. He was born with a tremendous amount of talent…and just kept building upon that.
Easy? No! -David
My husband and I finally got to attend Mayberry Days last September. It was on by bucket list for a long time and we finally made it! I wish I could have gone to the early ones when so many of the cast members attended but I didn’t get to. Your dad is one of my favorite Mayberry characters and I know he acted and directed many other things throughout his long career in show business. Thanks for the site and I will be visiting it often to get updates and see all the comments and tributes to your dad. I want to go back to Mt. Airy again. It is a wonderful place and the fans of TAGSRWC are the best!
Thanks for the kind words, Janet!
Best wishes, David
Hope I’m not being a pestilence, but I can’t say enough about Howard Morris—the actor in the man!! He was stationed here in North Carolina just a few months in World War II, but he got the Unusual Character of North Carolina (most people here sound like everybody else) down so pat that—-well, eight years ago there was a delivery driver for Lowes Home Improvement’s Thomasville custom door factory that was an exact duplicate of Ernest T. Bass!!! I thought he was doing it to be funny, but he seemed ignorant of the Andy Griffith Show. When I rejected a big custom door with a broken window, he started throwing a tantrum just exactly like E. T. Bass!!!!
Terry, I couldn’t agree more. My father was very strong on using reality to craft his carachters. A great example of this revolves around facial expressions. If you watch any of the Ernest T episodes, keep your eyes on ETs facial reactions to what the other actors are saying. You’ll begin to realize the amount sheer detail that Howard built into this amazing carachter. Frankly, I think Ernest T is one of the most brilliant carachters ever created, but obviously, I’m heavily biased 🙂
-David
So glad to see the new website, David. I’ll always be a fan of your dad’s!
Thank you, Karen!
-David
Hi David,
I loved watching your Dad. He was and is my favorite actor of all time. May 21st is my birthday and also a somber day for me as well because of your Dad’s passing.
I always remember him in my prayers.
He will live on forever thanks to Mayberry!
Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Thank you for sharing these thoughts. We will never forget him. I hope you had a great birthday!
Very best wishes,
-David
Have always enjoyed ernest t. On andy’s show. Saw the mrs wylie/roweena one today and decided to google your dad. I had no idea all the things he did in his lifetime or how talented he really was. We are so lucky to be able to see his work all these years later and til the end of time. May God bless and keep you.
David,
I really couldn’t say anything about your dad that hasn’t already been said, other than
he’s still one of the great ones! A comic genius, although you wouldn’t have heard that
from your dad. I can’t look at him without smiling.
On your collectables page, could you see about getting some foam rocks, as I’ve never
had an Earnest T. moment, but if I had an official Earnest T Bass foam rock, then I
could have that moment, and still not hurt anything. If you get some, e-mail me, and
I’ll get at least one!
Thanks, Rick