Born, but not raised in Iowa City, Iowa, Phil Morris is the middle child and only son of Greg Morris, and Leona Keys. Phil was brought up in Los Angeles, California along with his two talented sisters, Iona and Linda Morris. Phil’s father, Greg Morris, starred in the ground-breaking 70’s spy drama, Mission: Impossible as electronics wizard, Barney Collier.
After a couple of years on the stages of Los Angeles, Phil was hired to play the multi-dimensional, acclaimed role of Tyrone Jackson on the highly-rated, iconic day-time drama, The Young & The Restless (Y&R). Comedy came calling for Phil soon after Y&R, with his role of Jerry Stockton in the ABC farce, Marblehead Manor, which also starred a future acting playmate, Michael Richards as Rick the Gardner.
Phil went on to star in the show that made his father a world-wide sensation: Mission: Impossible, playing the son of Barney Collier, Grant. The New Mission: Impossible was shot entirely on location in Australia for two seasons and aired on ABC. Upon returning from Australia, Phil found his way into the CBS ensemble newsroom drama, W.IOU., starring John Shea, Helen Shaver and Harris Yulin. Phil played the conniving, yet ultimately charming, Eddie Bock.
Returning to Australia, in 1992, Phil starred as Marshall “Major” Taylor in the four-hour mini-series, Tracks of Glory with Richard Roxburgh and Cameron Daddo. Phil also cherishes his relationship with best-selling author, Jackie Collins, which began when Ms. Collins cast Phil in both of her mini-series, Lucky/Chances, starring Nicolette Sheridan, and Lady Boss, starring Kim Delaney. Jackie saw Phil as the quintessential Steven Dimes, the half-brother of her mega-heroine, Lucky Santangelo.
Again finding his “funny”, Phil got cast as Jackie Chiles, the uber-lawyer in the “show about nothing”, Seinfeld. Jackie Chiles is a character that has imprinted itself on the popular culture. Phil has also written, produced and starred in Funny or Die videos as Jackie Chiles, and is continually sought after to promote many products and big name brands. Using his love of comics in his art, Phil got the chance to play the beloved DC Comics character, John Jones, “The Martian Manhunter” in the long-running series, Smallville.
On the big screen, Phil has played opposite Vince Vaughn, Joaquin Phoenix, and Janeane Garofolo in the black-comedy, Clay Pigeons, Carmen Electra, Diedrich Bader, Method Man and others in Meet the Spartans, and brought justice to “the man” in Black Dynamite starring Michael-Jai White and Tommy Davidson, just to name a few.
Add to this the variety of voice-overs that he has done over the years including The Justice League, Secret Saturdays, The Legion of Superheroes, The Amazing Spider-Man, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and you have one of the most versatile, and accomplished performers in the industry. Phil even stepped in for Eddie Murphy as the voice of Thurgood Stubbs, in the Imagine produced The P.J.’s. In a role he is more than familiar with, Phil plays the father of teen sensation Zendaya Coleman in the top-rated Disney show, Shake it Up.
Now with his newest project, LOVE THAT GIRL on TV One, Phil finds himself working with one of the brightest and most talented group of young actors around with Bresha Webb, Alphonso McCauley, Regan Gomez, Mark Adair-Rios and Peter Oldring. On LOVE THAT GIRL Phil is once again working with Bentley Kyle Evans, the producer of Martin and The Jamie Foxx Show Martin Lawrence is also a producer, along with musical genius Raphael Saddiq and the prolific Jeff Franklin.
Phil is also very proud of his dedication to the Wing Chun system of kung-fu, and has been a devoted student of the extraordinary Master Hawkins Cheung of Los Angeles for the past 30 years. Phil lives with his wife Carla, and has two grown children, Jordan and Rachel, whom he loves more than words are capable of expressing.
TELL US: Show Your Love For Phil’s LOVE THAT GIRL Character Delroy Jones!
