Hamilton Morse

born: 24 March 1858 Wisconsin, United States of America

died: 30 July 1937 Los Angeles, California, United States of America (chronic myocarditis, age 79)

Elderly American character actor who claimed to be the last descendent of the Morse family who were identified with the development of the telegraph in the 19th century. His entry in the 1860 U.S. Census (6 Jun) -- the earliest findable record for him -- gives his age as 2 years old and his birthplace as Wisconsin; the Morse family is residing in Boonville, Missouri. If we indeed go by the 24 March birth date given on his death certificate, then his year of birth should be 1858. The 1880 U.S. Census (10 Jun) and the 1900 U.S. Census (1 Jun) both also give his birthplace as Wisconsin, with the former also suggesting 1858 as his year of birth; the latter explicitly gives his birth date as Mar 1859. His death certificate gives his year of birth as 1856, and his birthplace as Boonville, Missouri, the Morse family's residence in 1860.

Real name: Fred Henry Morse

Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography.

3

1923 Frozen Hearts Dignitary 1924 Tire Trouble Doctor 1927 A One-Mama Man Party guest Acknowledgements: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHZ5-46L (1860 Census) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M66N-QGX (1880 Census) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M5-H211 (1889 marriage) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FD6Q-G4X (1889 marriage) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9LN-B6T (1900 Census) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHQN-C94 (1920 Census) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCJB-YMB (1930 Census) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKS9-Z76H (CA Death Index) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP75-1CYV (death certificate) https://archive.org/details/HollywoodConfessionsJune1923/page/n4/mode/1up?q=%22hamilton+morse%22&view=theater (Hollywood Confessions, Jun 1923 -- credited as posing in photo illustration) https://archive.org/details/HollywoodConfessionsJune1923/page/n91/mode/1up?view=theater (Hollywood Confessions, Jun 1923 -- photo #1) https://archive.org/details/HollywoodConfessionsJune1923/page/n92/mode/1up?view=theater (Hollywood Confessions, Jun 1923 -- photo #2) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/717536136/ (Hollywood Citizen-News, 30 Jul 1937) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/717536186/ (Hollywood Citizen-News, 31 Jul 1937) Jesse Brisson (bio notes and research; identification in Frozen Hearts, A One-Mama Man, Tire Troubles) This page was last updated on: 05 October 2025