Tom Morris Jr. is an American television host and producer. He was a producer on America's Most Wanted (AMW) for three years, then became an on-air correspondent on the show through 2011. In 2016, he was hired as one of the original co-hosts of Live PD, which became the most successful show in A&E's history.[1]

Early life

Morris is the son of Dr. Eleanor Morris of Burgess, Virginia and the late Rev. T. Wright Morris. He graduated from Northumberland High School, in Heathsville, Virginia, in 1975. He earned his bachelor's degree in mass communications from Norfolk State University.[2]

Career

Morris' first job in television came while he was still in college, as an intern news writer in Norfolk, Virginia. After college, he worked as a courier with the White House press corps, and worked his way up to cameraman.[3]

Morris left the press corps in the 1980s and took a job as an economic development specialist with Prince George's County in Maryland.[4] In 1987, he joined the U.S. State Department's newly formed antiterrorism Embassy Task Group.[5] He was assigned to Mogadishu, Somalia.[4]

In 1993, Morris began working as a producer for America's Most Wanted. After three years of working on the show, the executive producer of the show assigned him to be an on-air correspondent for a murder case. He continued his on-air work for the show through 2011.[3]

In 2016, Morris was contacted by the producers of Live PD to be a co-host alongside Dan Abrams. He worked on the show for the entirety of its run.[3]

Morris' experience on AMW led to Live PD regularly featuring a "Wanted" segment during its episodes, starting in the first season. During season 2, Morris worked with Angeline Hartmann (who had also worked at AMW) at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to produce a regular "Missing" segment within the show as well. As Live PD grew in popularity, it spawned a number of spin-offs; one of those, Live PD: Wanted, was hosted by Morris solo.[3]

Other endeavors

In 2019, Morris was added to the board of directors of the American Red Cross in greater New York.[5][6]

References

  1. ^ Flint, Joe (24 July 2020). "A&E Has Lost Half Its Viewers Since Dropping 'Live PD'". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  2. ^ Hinton-Valdrighi, Lisa (25 July 2018). "Exposing crime: Morris on LIVE PD | Rappahannock Record". Rappahannock Record. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Bozek, Rachel (16 October 2019). "Tom Morris Jr. on His Journey from 'America's Most Wanted' to 'Live PD' and Beyond". A&E. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  4. ^ a b Koenig, Bryan (26 March 2007). "'Most Wanted' reporter savors catching criminals". The Eagle. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  5. ^ a b "American Red Cross in Greater NY Welcomes Tom Morris Jr to its Board of Directors". American Red Cross. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Regional Leadership". www.redcross.org.
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