Date of Birth 9 December 1933, Los Angeles, California, USA

Date of Death 12 March 2001, Los Angeles, California, USA (lung cancer and respiratory problems)

Birth Name Sean Morton Downey Jr.

Nickname Mort the Mouth

Height 5' 8½" (1.74 m)

Mini Bio (2) Talk-show host and songwriter ("Because We're Young", "Hearts Are Wild"), composer, author, actor and singer, educated at New York University (BS) and a two-year Law School student. He was a program director and announcer at WPOP in Hartford, Connecticut, and later made several records under his birth name. Joining ASCAP in 1960, his other popular-song compositions include "Now I Lay Me Down to Cry", "Ballad of Billy Brown", "Flattery", and "Don't Mention My Name".

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Hup234!

However, it would not be until the late 1980's when Morton Downey, Jr. truly became a household name. "The Morton Downey, Jr. Show" was launched in syndication in 1987, carried by many independent television stations. The show generated such controversy that many stations aired numerous disclaimers before and after the show. The controversy arose from debates between guests that often turned physical (as a broadcast at the Apollo theater later proved). The show created a legion of fans and made Downeyisms like "Zip it!" and "Loudmouth" a part of 80's American pop culture.

Downey's popularity began to wane in 1989, after he appeared on his show in dark glasses and cropped hair, due to what he claimed to be an attack by Nazi Skinheads in San Francisco. No evidence was found by police to substantiate the claim, and in 1992, Downey admitted the attack was a hoax. His show was canceled later that year.

Downey finally quit his trademark chain-smoking in 1996 when he was diagnosed with lung cancer, eventually leading to the removal of his left lung. The disease finally killed him in March of 2001 at the age of 67.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: radiohawk@hotmail.com

Lori Krebs (20 March 1993 - 12 March 2001) (his death)

Kim Cotten (18 March 1978 - 1989) (divorced)

Joan Tyrrell (1962 - 1978) (divorced) (2 children)

Helen (1954 - 1961) (divorced) (1 child)

Chain-smoking talk show host

Saying "Zip it!" to unruly guests on the show

Son of singer Morton Downey and dancer Barbara Bennett

Nephew of actresses Constance Bennett & Joan Bennett.

He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1996, and had part of his right lung removed. The remainder of the lung was removed in March 1998 with the discovery of a small tumor.

Part owner of ABA (American Basketball Association) team New Orleans Buccaneers.

Planned in 1974 to start the World Baseball League in 32 worldwide cities with franchises selling for $150,000. Plans never got off the ground.

Grandson of Richard Bennett and Adrienne Morrison.

Cousin of Melinda Markey, Lorinda Roland and Gyl Roland.

Was the oldest in a family of four children.

Father of Kelli Downey Cornwell.

Personal Quotes (10)

Baseball as presently played and structured is a bore.

[on his downfall in the late 1980's] I think I must have looked like one paranoid man totally out of control with my personal life. I stepped into my own manure.

I am not a talk-show host. I am an advocate.

I know I have a spark that sometimes ignites my brain before the fuse of my tongue has had the opportunity to go out. But that happens to me in regular life, too.

[on his notorious 1980's talk show] It got out of control because the producers wanted me to top myself every night. If I did something outlandish on Monday night, on Tuesday night, we'd have to think of something even more outlandish. And after awhile, you work yourself toward the edge of the trampoline and you fall off. I fell off a number of times and I found it very displeasing.

[on his acting career in which he basically played himself] I keep getting all these "bad acting of the year" awards, but it's not really acting.

[from a 1998 interview] Everyone says, "Well, Springer's [Jerry Springer] doing your show now." That's not true. I didn't do sleaze. There were times that I did things that were a little sleazy, but I didn't do shows on my neighbor's collie dog having sex with my neighbor's wife.

[on fans of his talk-show] It isn't the rich people who come up and say, "Oh Mort, you're just great." It's the blacks and the ethnics and the blue collars, those guys with too much hair on their shoulder blades. They want some answers.

[on his longtime friend Lloyd Schoonmaker] He knows me, he knows my inner self. When I say we've done everything in life together, I mean it: Eat together, drink together, laugh together ... we've done everything together but have sex.

[on preparing for his 1980's talk-show] Fifteen minutes before the show, I turn on rock'n'roll music as loud as I can, and I dance behind the set, and get myself into a lather and get myself perspiring and out of breath.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0235968/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm