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Jovial, somewhat flamboyant Frank Morgan (born Francis Wuppermann) will forever be remembered as the title character in The Wizard of Oz (1939), but he was a veteran and respected actor long before he played that part, and turned in outstanding performances both before and after that film. One of 11 children of a wealthy manufacturer, Morgan followed his older brother, Ralph Morgan (born Raphael Wuppermann) into the acting profession, making his Broadway debut in 1914 and his film debut two years later. Morgan specialized in playing courtly, sometimes eccentric or befuddled but ultimately sympathetic characters, such as the alcoholic telegraph operator in The Human Comedy (1943) or the shop owner in The Shop Around the Corner (1940). He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for The Affairs of Cellini (1934). Frank Morgan died at age 59 of a heart attack on September 18, 1949 in Beverly Hills, California.- Born April 9, 1908 in Chico, California, Norman Nevills was a pioneer in professional river running. Norman's early life was largely spent in Oakland, CA, where he graduated University High School in 1925. He spent that summer in Utah and returned to briefly attend Stockton's College of the Pacific, ostensibly as a geology major (by all accounts he was far more interested in acting classes). He had a rebellious streak and felt that college was a total waste of time and dropped out after the second semester. Norman took a series of dead-end jobs that ultimately led him back to Utah, where his father owned an oil rig that eventually failed. Father and son next built Nevills Mexican Hat Lodge, which formally opened in 1933. In the meantime, Norman became interested with the nearby Monument Valley and began mapping the area (somewhat creatively). Het met and later married 19-year old Doris Drown, whose family was vacationing in Arizona (the couple's children were Joan, born in 1936, and Sandra, who would arrive in 1941). He led a guided trip on the Utah's San Juan River in 1936 for a photographic expedition of Rainbow Natural Bridge (the Rainbow Bridge/Monument Valley Expedition). In 1938 he made what is believed to be the first commercial run down the Colorado River and it garnered considerable media attention, encouraging him to go into the business on a full time basis. While a stickler for safety he nevertheless drew harsh criticism for being a shameless self-promoter, telling tall stories and having a habit of re-naming Colorado River landmarks as he saw fit. Nevills Expeditions used 1000-lb wooden hulled rowboats of his design which he called Cataract boats, and required passengers to wear life jackets in addition to recommending prior physical preparation for each trip. He was unexpectedly given a draft exemption during WW2, based on his skills as river mapper and a part-time oil driller. In 1942 he led a small Warner Brothers crew on what was purported to be the 19th run (Nevills' 4th trip) down the Colorado which became the studio's Sports Parade one-reel short Facing Your Danger (Academy Award for Short Subject one-reel films, 1946). The footage from this 350-mile trip was shot in color. He continued to make commercial river runs in Idaho's Snake and Salmon Rivers and Wyoming's Green River after WW2. Always the gregarious adventurer, Norman obtained his pilot's license in 1944 and purchased a Piper Cub in late 1946. He delved into flying and quickly amassed hundreds of hours' flight time and intended to launch an aviation business. Norman and Doris were tragically killed on September 19, 1949 when the plane's engine cut out on take-off in Mexican Hat, Utah.