Byron Morrow

Chicagoan Byron Morrow enjoyed a long career as a character actor. A World War II veteran who spent his service in the Pacific, Morrow often portrayed figures of authority, perhaps most notably the judge on the famous courtroom drama "Perry Mason." After a brief stint as a semi-professional basketball player, Morrow worked as a puppeteer and a radio announcer before becoming an actor. He's well known for his roles in crime and police dramas in such series as "Dragnet 1967," "Mannix," and "Vegas," among many others. Despite his reputation as a hardnosed, authoritative character actor, Morrow was able to branch out into comedy from time to time, with credits on the spy farce "Get Smart," sitcoms "Bewitched" and "I Dream of Jeannie," and "The Andy Griffith Show" and its various spinoffs. He was also an alumnus of the original "Star Trek" series, portraying the first Admiral ever introduced onscreen. Though primarily a TV actor, Morrow appeared in quite a few films as well, including the 1971 war drama "Johnny Got His Gun" and several made-for-TV movies. His final credit came in 1991 on an episode of "Father Dowling Mysteries" where, fittingly, he played a judge. He retired to the Motion Picture and Television Country House and Hospital, where he died in 2006.