Trivia

Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz (1939), said that whenever she saw the scene where Frank Morgan, as the Wizard, is giving Dorothy's friends gifts from his "black bag" (a diploma for the Scarecrow, a ticking heart for the Tin Man, and a medal for the Cowardly Lion), she got teary eyed, because "Frank Morgan was just like that in real life - very generous".

Of his ten brothers and sisters, he was closest to brother Carlos Domaso Siegert Wuppermann (aka Carlyle Morgan) (1887-1919) whose death while serving in the United States Army's Corps of Intelligence Police in Germany was initially deemed a suicide. It was later learned he was murdered by a fellow soldier. Carlyle was a writer, poet, playwright and actor. Frank appeared in his deceased brother's play "The Triumph of X" in 1921 on Broadway.

Was cast in the role of Buffalo Bill Cody in the MGM film Annie Get Your Gun (1950) but died in his sleep of a heart attack after shooting only the opening scene. He was replaced by MGM contract player Louis Calhern.

W.C. Fields was originally considered for Morgan's role in The Wizard of Oz (1939). However, Fields haggled endlessly over salary, and the role was given to Morgan.

A boy soprano in church, some of his early pre-acting jobs included selling toothbrushes, soliciting advertisements, and bronco busting.

Was a member of the famous "Irish mafia" (even though he wasn't Irish), which also included fellow Hollywood actors James Cagney, Spencer Tracy, Frank McHugh, and Pat O'Brien.

Honorary pallbearers at his funeral included Clark Gable and Pat O'Brien. Irish tenor Dennis Day sang.

Morgan owned a 550-acre ranch in Hemet Valley, California, and raised cattle. He also owned yachts, one of them winning a race from Los Angeles to Honolulu in 1947.

Was considered a heavy drinker but kept his imbibing in the dressing room and seldom let it interfere with his professionalism and jovial manner on the set.

He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 1708 Vine Street and for Radio at 6700 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

Was involved in a serious car accident in New Mexico in December, 1939. Frank and his son George Morgan were not hurt, his wife Alma reinjured an already bad knee that often left her incapacitated, but their chauffeur/house servant was killed.

His father was born in Venezuela and was of Spanish and German descent. His mother was born in the United States and was of English descent.

Born, with his elder brother actor Ralph Morgan, into a well-to-do family that formerly distributed in the United States the universally-known condiment "Angostura Aromatic Bitters".

Youngest of eleven children (six boys and five girls) of the co-founder of the Angostura-Wuppermann Corporation which marketed bitters used in drinks and cocktails.

He did not live to see The Wizard of Oz (1939) become one of the most famous films ever made through its annual network telecasts.

Was a lifelong member of the Lambs Club, the theater's oldest professional club.

Was in four Oscar Best Picture nominees: Naughty Marietta (1935), The Wizard of Oz (1939), The Great Ziegfeld (1936), and The Human Comedy (1943), with The Great Ziegfeld winning in 1936.

Hobby -- boat enthusiast who participated in yacht races.

Member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity.

His son was George Morgan (1916 - 2003).

Wife Alma Muller (1895-1970) was the daughter of a New York real estate magnate and a woman suffragette. They eloped in 1914.

In her autobiography, child star, Shirley Temple remembered being warned that Frank Morgan was an inveterate 'scene-stealer' and was advised on ways to counteract the practice during her movie scenes with him.

Morgan was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Tortilla Flat (1942).

Was a deeply conservative Republican.

Character actor best remembered as Professor Marvel/The Wizard in The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Interred at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York, USA, in section #168, plot #14447.

Uncle of actress Claudia Morgan.

Brother-in-law of Grace Arnold.

Alumnus of the AADA (American Academy of Dramatic Arts), Class of 1914.

He has appeared in two films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: The Wizard of Oz (1939) & The Shop Around the Corner (1940).