Anita Morris

Anita Rose Morris (March 14, 1943 – March 2, 1994) was an American actress, singer, and dancer born in Durham, North Carolina, one of three children of Eloise (née Chappell) Morris, who was involved in theatrical production, and Dr. James Badgett Morris, a physician. She began her professional training at the American Mime Theatre before building a career that spanned Broadway, film, and television.

Morris made her Broadway debut in 1971 and remained active on the New York stage through 1982. Her credits included Jesus Christ Superstar, Seesaw, The Magic Show, Rachael Lily Rosenbloom and Don't You Ever Forget It, Sugar Babies, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Nine. In Sugar Babies she served as a replacement for Ann Jillian in the role of the Soubrette. Her most celebrated stage work came with the musical Nine, in which she played Carla opposite Raul Julia. The role featured two notable numbers: "A Call from the Vatican" and "Simple." Morris was scheduled to perform "A Call from the Vatican" at the 1982 Tony Awards, but television censors objected to her costume. She received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for the role, ultimately losing to Liliane Montevecchi, who was also in Nine. That same year, Morris won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.

Her film career began with The Happy Hooker in 1975 and expanded considerably through the 1980s and early 1990s. She played Rhonda Ray, Rob Lowe's lover, in The Hotel New Hampshire (1984), and appeared in Maria's Lovers (1984), Absolute Beginners (1986) alongside David Bowie, Blue City (1986) with Judd Nelson, and Ruthless People (1986), in which she portrayed Carol Dodsworth, the mistress of Danny DeVito's character, opposite Bette Midler. Additional film credits included Aria (1987), 18 Again! (1988) with George Burns, Bloodhounds of Broadway (1989) with Madonna and Matt Dillon, A Sinful Life (1989), Martians Go Home (1989) with Randy Quaid, Off and Running (1991) with Cyndi Lauper, Little Miss Millions (1993) with Jennifer Love Hewitt, Me and the Kid (1993), and Radioland Murders (1994), which was her final film role. In 1984 she also appeared in The Rolling Stones' music video for "She Was Hot."

On television, Morris held leading roles in two short-lived series: the NBC prime-time soap opera Berrenger's in 1985 and the Fox sitcom Down and Out in Beverly Hills in 1987. She also made guest appearances on Miami Vice, Who's the Boss?, Murder She Wrote, Cheers, Melrose Place, Matlock, Tales from the Crypt, Murphy Brown, and A Different World.

Morris married choreographer and director Grover Dale in 1973; their son is actor James Badge Dale. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1980 and was given five years to live, but survived for fourteen more years. She died on March 2, 1994, and was buried at Maplewood Cemetery in Durham, North Carolina. She was survived by her husband, her son, her parents, and her siblings, Dr. Jon Byron Morris and Dr. James Douglas Morris.