Broadcast Pioneer Charles Morris Was Kiro `Can-Do Guy'

Live transmission is over for Charles R. "Chuck" Morris, longtime vice president and engineering director for Seattle's KIRO-TV and KIRO radio.

But, like the systems he pioneered - such as live transmission of aerial shots of the Seafair hydroplane-race course (1961) and the first electronic news-gathering van (1963) - his story continues to draw high ratings from friends and family.

"He had a wild sense of humor," said his wife of 53 years, Betty Morris. "He felt life was to be lived to the fullest. He flew planes. He rode around on a motorcycle.

"But he had tunnel vision when it came to engineering and electronics. If everyone loved their work as much as he did, it would be a wonderful world."

Mr. Morris died Dec. 2 of complications from diabetes. He was 75.

"He was a can-do guy," said former KIRO president Lloyd Cooney. "When I came up from Salt Lake in 1964, I was used to engineers telling me we couldn't do something. When I asked Chuck if we could do something, you'd see his eyes sparkle and he'd say, `I can do that.' "

When Cooney asked if KIRO could get a live-remote of Seattle's Seafair Pirates landing at Alki Beach, Mr. Morris nodded. Next thing Cooney knew, he was lying in Mr. Morris' small, bobbing boat, holding a camera tripod by its legs as Mr. Morris took live shots of the pirates.

Mr. Morris and his crews made Seattle's first color, live-remote broadcast, Cooney said. Mr. Morris also pioneered digital remote-control transmitters for Queen Anne Hill and the Space Needle.

In 1980 he installed microwave units in the KIRO-TV-owned helicopter, creating the Northwest's first aerial TV-news system for use on a regular basis.

Born in Cleveland on June 14 - Flag Day, as he often said proudly and patriotically - he served in the U.S. Navy in World War II. He began his career as a radio announcer in Tacoma in 1946.

He joined KIRO as director of engineering in 1958.

His first coup was transmitting live, aerial television pictures over the Seafair race course on Lake Washington, previously covered only from docks, beaches or boats. No commercial transmitters were available, so he designed and built his own.

In 1963 he earned an Emmy for special achievement in television programming for his design of the first electronic news-gathering van complete with solid-state camera and miniature video recorder. In 1989 he was named "Pioneer of the Year" by Pacific Northwest Broadcast Pioneers.

He was a past president of the Seattle Downtown Lions Club, and enjoyed memberships in several professional organizations.

Mr. Morris retired in 1993 to his beach home on Vashon Island. But even there, he had to tinker. He had designed a lift to carry him, his wife and other residents and their belongings up and down the bluff.

No other immediate family survives. His son, Craig Morris, died in 1997.

Services have been held. Remembrances may be made to the Northwest Kidney Foundation or the American Diabetes Foundation.

Carole Beers' e-mail address is cbeers@seattletimes.com