Wuppermann had only one play produced on Broadway, The Triumph of X which opened at the Comedy Theater in New York City on August 24, 1921,[8] but ran for only 30 performances. Like most popular character actors of the studio era, Morgan was sought out for numerous supporting roles. Frank Morgan (1 June 1890 – 18 September 1949), born Francis Wupperman, was the actor who portrayed several related roles in MGM 's 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. This background led him into conflict with the movie's director, Victor Fleming. W. C. Fields was originally chosen for the role of the Wizard, but the studio ran out of patience after protracted haggling over his fee. List of actors with Academy Award nominations, "Frank Morgan, Local Property Owner, Dies", "Pop Culture History: Wizard of Oz televised (1950s)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frank_Morgan&oldid=972697050, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with CANTIC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with Trove identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Academy Award nomination - Best Supporting Actor, This page was last edited on 13 August 2020, at 11:35. His career expanded when talkies began, his most stereotypical role being that of a befuddled but good hearted middle-aged man. The latter film was also directed by Victor Fleming. Victor Fleming once asked Morgan to "get back on your champagne kick so we can live together.")[1]. Check out some of the IMDb editors' favorites movies and shows to round out your Watchlist. Morgan campaigned for the role vigorously, however. Morgan died of a heart attack on September 18, 1949, while filming Annie Get Your Gun. Morgan was nominated for two Academy Awards, one for Best Actor in The Affairs of Cellini (1934) and one for Best Supporting Actor in Tortilla Flat (1942). Morgan's star was in the ascendant, but he made the important decision to switch to movie acting. These roles included Professor Marvel, the Doorman, Cabby, Guard, and, most notably, the Wizard of Oz. An actor with a wide range, Morgan was equally effective playing comical, befuddled men such as Jesse Kiffmeyer in Saratoga (1937) and Mr. Ferris in Casanova Brown (1944), as he was with more serious, troubled characters like Hugo Matuschek in The Shop Around the Corner (1940), Professor Roth in The Mortal Storm (1940) and Willie Grogan in The Human Comedy (1943). Also in the production for his first Broadway outing was Robert Keith, father of actor Brian Keith and one-time husband of Theater Guild actress Peg Entwistle.[9]. Morgan protested this type of control by Fleming, repeatedly and loudly, throughout the shooting of the picture. In 1936 Morgan played alongside Shirley Temple as Professor Appleby in Dimples. Jovial, somewhat flamboyant Frank Morgan (born Francis Wuppermann) will forever be remembered as the title character in The Wizard of Oz (1939), but he was a veteran and respected actor long before he played that part, and turned in outstanding performances both before and after that film. He was replaced by Louis Calhern for the film. John Fricke, Jay Scarfone, William Stillman. The family earned their wealth distributing Angostura bitters, allowing Wuppermann to attend Cornell University and join Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and the Glee Club.[5][6]. "[2], Morgan died in his sleep on September 18 1949 at the age of 59. The production starred Morgan, and also featured Helen Menken as the female lead. When Brice left to star in her own program in 1944, Morgan continued solo for a year with The Frank Morgan Show. (Morgan was normally a gentle individual, though he became short-tempered when he was trying to stop drinking.