Byron Albert Morgan

Background

Byron Albert Morgan was born on February 3, 1921 in Los Angeles, California, United States; the son of Albert Byron, a writer and Gladys Ruth (McIntosh) Morgan.

Education

Byron Morgan received a Bachelor of Science from Loyola Marymount University in 1949 and a Master of Arts from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1959.

Career

Byron Morgan served as a U.S. Navy pilot during World War II; his valor, including a stint in a Siberian prison camp, earned him an Air Medal. Morgan returned to the air as a combat pilot over Korea, then became a scriptwriter for the Naval Photographic Center. That experience led him to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, where he worked as documentary film producer, director, and writer until 1965, when he established his own production company. Morgan's documentaries about the American space program, from Sputnik to Apollo, educated and inspired hundreds of millions of school children over the years, and his eyewitness coverage of mission launches and other publicity events graced American television sets for years.

Morgan made at least 150 documentary films for various military and government agencies and for public television. He was a consultant for the popular television miniseries Space and the feature film The Right Stuff. His writings include Dance of the Green Monkey, October Days, a play based on his experiences as a Russian prisoner of war, and his memoir, Escape the Red Bear: A Navy Pilot's Odyssey—Hollywood to Siberia and Back.

Achievements

• Byron Albert Morgan has been listed as a notable Filmmaker, writer by Marquis Who's Who. His own films earned Morgan nearly fifty national and international awards, including several CINE Gold Eagles from the Council on International Nontheatrical Events.

Membership

Byron Morgan was a member of Dramatists Guild. Screen Actors Guild, Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights, Los Angeles Tennis Club and Knights of St. John of Jerusalem.

Interests

• tennis, swimming, golf, theater

Connections

Byron Albert Morgan married Patricia Ann McLaughlin on February 27, 1954. They divorced on January 10, 1981. Byron married Dell Verlon on August 30, 1991. He had ten children - Melissa, Marya, Patricia. Heather, Laura, Byron, John, Peter, Jonathan and Mark.

Father:

Albert Byron Morgan

Mother:

Gladys Ruth (McIntosh) Morgan

Spouse:

Dell Verlon

child:

Marya Morgan

child:

Byron Junior Morgan

child:

Heather Morgan

child:

Patricia Morgan

child:

Laura Morgan

child:

Mark Morgan

child:

Peter Morgan

child:

John Morgan

child:

Melissa Morgan

child:

Jonathan Morgan

ex-spouse:

Patricia Ann McLaughlin