William Charles Morris, II

Political Cartoonist

The following biography, submitted July 2019, is from Marvin Lee, who is the grandson of William Charles Morris II. His father was William Charles Morris Sr., the son of William Vaughan Morris. He wrote: "This is a brief outline of his career."

William Charles Morris II, born in Salt Lake City in 1874 and died April 10, 1940 in New York, was a cartoonist for national magazines and newspapers in the early-to mid-1900s. His career as a cartoonist began with his job at the Spokane, Washington Spokesman Review, and later included a move to New York where his cartoons were published in newspapers and magazines such as the Literary Digest, Harper's Weekly Independent, New York Evening Mail, New York Tribune, and The Republican National Committee's publication, The Trumpeter.

Morris, a member of the publicity staff of the Republican National Committee, was hired by this organization to do all the drawings for the latter publication during the presidential campaign of Alfred M. Landon in 1936. His cartoons were syndicated by the George Matthew Adams Service, and, as such, they appeared in daily newspapers throughout the United States and Canada.

W.C. Morris is best known for his political cartoons. Both Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt sent him letters complimenting him on his cartoons of them.

Morris also did freelance work for Puck, Life, Colliers, Judge, The Spectator and The Great Northern Railway. His publications include three books: Spokesman Review Cartoons, The Spokane Book, and One Hundred Men of Rockland County.

In addition to producing still cartoons, W. C. Morris was an early exponent in animated cartoon work, drawing the first animated cartoons for Bray Studios and was on the staff of Pathe' Moving Picture.

The following biography, submitted May 2010, is from Dorrie Lee, whose husband is the grandson of William Charles Morris II. His father was William Charles Morris Sr., the son of William Vaughan Morris. She wrote: "This is a brief outline of his career."

 William Charles Morris II, born in Salt Lake City in 1874, was a cartoonist for national magazines and newspapers in the early-to mid-1900s.  His career as a cartoonist began with his job at the Spokane, Washington Spokesman Review, and later included a move to New York where his cartoons were published in newspapers and magazines such as the Literary Digest, Harper's Weekly Independent, New York Evening Mail, New York Tribune, and The Republican National Committee's publication, The Trumpeter.   Morris, a member of the publicity staff of the Republican National Committee, was hired by this organization to do all the drawings for the latter publication during the presidential campaign of Alfred M. Landon in 1936.  His cartoons were syndicated by the George Matthew Adams Service, and, as such, they appeared in daily newspapers throughout the United States and Canada. 

W.C. Morris is best known for his political cartoons. Both Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt sent him letters complimenting him on his cartoons of them. Morris also did freelance work for Puck, Life, Colliers, Judge, The Spectator and The Great Northern Railway. His publications include three books: Spokesman Review Cartoons, The Spokane Book, and One Hundred Men of Rockland County. In addition to producing still cartoons, W. C. Morris was an early exponent in animated cartoon work, drawing the first animated cartoons for Bray Studios and was on the staff of Pathe' Moving Picture.