Sir Howard Leslie MorrisonOBE (18 August 1935 – 24 September 2009) was a New Zealand entertainer. From 1964 until his death in 2009, he was one of New Zealand's leading television and concert performers.
Early life
Of Māori (Te Arawa), Irish, and Scottish descent,[1] Morrison was born to Temuera Leslie Morrison, a Māori All Black who worked for the Māori Affairs Department, and Kahurangi Morrison (née Gertrude Harete Davidson) who was known for her work in culture and entertainment.[2]
After leaving school he had a variety of manual jobs including survey chainman, electricity meter reader and storeman at the Whakatu freezing works.
Family
Morrison and his three surviving sisters, Judy Tapsell, Rene Mitchell and Linda Morrison, lost their oldest brother Laurie in 1974. Another brother, Charlie, died in infancy and youngest sister Atareta Maxwell died suddenly in January 2007 from a heart attack. Their mother Kahurangi died in 1995, and their father Temuera when they were young.
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In 1955, Morrison assembled vocal groups to entertain at Rotorua rugby club socials. In 1956, he was a member of the successful Aotearoa Concert Party that toured Australia. In this group was Gerry Merito who with Morrison formed the Ohinemutu Quartet which was later renamed the Howard Morrison Quartet. Other original members of the quartet were Morrison's brother Laurie and his cousin John, but they left and were replaced by Wi Wharekura and Noel Kingi[7] who were fixtures in the quartet at its heights. In 1966 he appeared in the John O'Shea film Don't Let It Get You. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s he was the spokesman for Bic products such as lighters and pens, appearing in many television commercials for the brand.
The hymn "How Great Thou Art" became Morrison's de facto theme song for the latter part of his career, after a recording of it by Morrison became one of the country's biggest selling singles.
Honours and achievements
The Civic Theatre in Rotorua was renamed the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre
On 14 October 2009, Morrison was selected by Te Aute College to be a part of its 1st XV leaders group at a function at Te Papa in Wellington. The honour is given to former pupils over the age of 55 who have made a significant contribution to Māori society. Morrison attended Te Aute College from 1949 to 1952.[13][14]
Morrison died in his sleep from a heart attack and was found by one of his grandchildren on taking him his morning cup of tea. He died in Ohinemutu and lay in state in Tamatekapua, the premier meeting house of Te Arawa at Te Papaiouru Marae in Rotorua.[15]
He was survived by his wife Rangiwhata Ann Manahi (born 1937,[16] married 1957) known as Lady Kuia, two sons and a daughter Donna Mariana Grant, Richard Te Tau Morrison and Howard Morrison Jr.[17] He was also uncle to movie actor Temuera Morrison and kapa haka performerTaini Morrison.
^Morrison, Howard; Pujji, Jasmine; Wilcox, Julian; Harawira, Wena. Once in a Lifetime: He kotuku rerenga tahi (DVD). Auckland, New Zealand: Rajon Music.
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