Obituary: ‘Mr. Mardi Gras' Danny Lee Morgan
Danny Lee Morgan, affectionately known as Galveston's “Mr. Mardi Gras” and who was the official costumer for the annual event, has died after a yearlong battle with cancer. He was 66.
For more than 25 years, Morgan created costumes and decorative masks for the fleet of Momus floats during Mardi Gras Galveston. He owned and operated Morgan Studios on Broadway in Galveston, a studio that featured multicolored lights along with many of his costumes and masks.
“His contributions to Mardi Gras Galveston over the years have been invaluable, and he will always be remembered for his support and for the wonderful costumes he created for all of us who enjoy the event,” said Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas.
Morgan was born Nov. 23, 1943, in Greenville, Miss., to Chester “Chick” Morgan Sr., who played professional baseball with the Detroit Tigers in the 1930s, and Audrey Howard Morgan, a homemaker.
From Cotton to Broadway
When Danny Morgan was a child, the family moved to Boyle, Miss., where they operated a cotton farm on about 100 acres of the 360-acre property, said Danny Morgan's brother, Collins Morgan of El Paso.
“This was before they had (mechanical) cotton pickers, so everything was picked by hand,” said Collins Morgan, 78, who taught school, coached and in the 1950s played professional baseball with the Boston Braves, which later became the Atlanta Braves. “It (cotton picking) was neither his or my favorite pasttime.”
While Collins Morgan excelled at sports, Danny Morgan was equally comfortable absorbing his mother's artistic side, piano playing, drawing illustrations of costumes and learning about the arts, his brother said.
In 1954, the family moved to Pasadena. After graduating from Baylor University and working briefly at NASA, Danny Morgan moved to New York City in 1965 and worked at Saks Fifth Avenue. He also was chief costume coordinator and designer for Eaves Costumes, one of New York's premiere costume companies.
His talents soon attracted the attention of top Broadway and television stars that included Bob Hope, Paul Newman, Eydie Gorme and Carol Channing , his brother said.
While he rubbed elbows with the rich and famous, Danny Morgan remained humble.
“He was always a country boy at heart, and he never became a big ego,” his brother said. “He was a superstar. He wouldn't call himself a superstar, but I think he was.” In 1985, Morgan moved to Galveston just as the Island's famed Mardi Gras was starting its revival after a decades-long absence. Oilman and developer George Mitchell, who helped spearhead the revival, said Danny Morgan was an instrumental part of Mardi Gras Galveston's success.
“He was a very talented person, and my wife (Cynthia) and I worked with him for 25 years,” Mitchell said. “He had a particular love for Mardi Gras and the costumes were so interesting, and therefore keeping the tradition going.”
Dancie Perugini Ware, a public relations professional who helped Mitchell to revive Mardi Gras Galveston, said Danny Morgan's attention to detail was unsurpassed.
“Every fall we would review the float sketches from Blaine Kern, and Danny was so creative in designing each costume and perfect mask to suit the float's theme,” Perugini Ware said.
“Danny loved to design the headdresses for all the ladies attending the Tremont Ball for many years ranging from elaborate Venetian masks to Spanish mantillas,” she said. “We were all inspired by his enthusiasm and stylish hand.”
Morgan died on April 15. Survivors include his brother; a nephew; two nieces; eight grandnieces and grandnephews; two aunts and many cousins. Many attending his funeral April 20 wore costumes designed by him and provided by his Galveston studio.