Born in Memphis, Tennessee,

June 1, 1937

Freeman was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of Mayme Edna.(née Revere), a cleaner, and Morgan Porterfield Freeman, Sr., a barber who died in 1961 from liver cirrhosis. He was sent as an infant to his paternal grandmother in Charleston, Mississippi. He has three older siblings. Freeman's family moved frequently during his childhood, living in Greenwood, Mississippi, Gary, Indiana, and finally Chicago, Illinois.

Married Jeanette Adair Bradshaw

October 22, 1967 - October 1, 1979

Freeman was married to Jeanette Adair Bradshaw from October 22, 1967, until 1979.

Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow?

January 1, 1971

His first credited film appearance was in 1971's Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow?

The Electric Company

October 25, 1971

The PBS kids' show The Electric Company,[4] (notably as Easy Reader and Vincent the Vegetable Vampire) which he claimed he should have left earlier than he did.

Another World

January 1, 1982 - January 1, 1984

Freeman first became known in the American media through roles on the soap opera Another World

Married to Myrna Colley-Lee

June 16, 1984 - Now

He has two sons, Alfonso and Saifoulaye, from previous relationships. He adopted his first wife's daughter, Deena, and the couple also had a fourth child, Morgana

Street Smart

March 20, 1987

Received a supporting actor nomination for Street Smart

Lean On Me

March 3, 1989

The dedicated, but tyrannical, Joe Clark is appointed as principal of a decaying inner city school and he is determined to improve it. Cast as leading role Joe Clark.

Glory

December 15, 1989

Sergeant Major Rawlins in Glory

Driving Miss Daisy

January 26, 1990

Beginning in the mid-1980s, Freeman began playing prominent supporting roles in many feature films, earning him a reputation for depicting wise and fatherly characters.[4] As he gained fame, he went on to bigger roles in films such as the chauffeur Hoke in Driving Miss Daisy

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

June 14, 1991

Cast as Azeem in the film.

Se7en

September 22, 1991

Police drama about two cops, one new and one about to retire, after a serial killer using the seven deadly sins as his MO. Cast as Detective Lt. William Somerset

The Shawshank Redemption

September 23, 1994

In 1994 he portrayed Red, the redeemed convict in the acclaimed The Shawshank Redemption.

Deep Impact

May 8, 1998

Unless a comet can be destroyed before colliding with Earth, only those allowed into shelters will survive. Which people will survive? Cas as President Tom Beck

His Role as God

May 23, 2003

Freeman has recently been well known for his role as God in the hit movie Bruce Almighty and its sequel, Evan Almighty

Academy Award

Feburary 22, 2005

He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Million Dollar Baby at the 77th Academy Awards.

Two most successful films

May 1, 2005

In 2005 alone, he provided narration for two of the most successful films of the year, War of the Worlds and the Academy Award-winning documentary film March of the Penguins

Doctor of Arts and Letters

May 13, 2006

He received an honorary degree of Doctor of Arts and Letters from Delta State University during the school's commencement exercises on May 13, 2006.

Mississippi's Best Awards

October 28, 2006

On October 28, 2006, Freeman was honored at the first Mississippi's Best Awards in Jackson, Mississippi, with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his works on and off the big screen.

The Bucket List

January 11, 2008

He starred in Rob Reiner's 2007 film The Bucket List, opposite Jack Nicholson, playing terminal cancer patients who must fulfill their lists of goals

African American Lives 2

Feburary 6, 2008

In 2008 Freeman's family history was profiled on the PBS series African American Lives 2. A DNA test showed that he is descended from the Songhai and Tuareg peoples of Niger.

The Country Girl

April 1, 2008

In April '08, Freeman will return to Broadway in a Mike Nichols directed revival of Clifford Odets's play The Country Girl. The play will also star Frances McDormand and Peter Gallagher.

The Lonely Maiden

November 7, 2008

He teams with Christopher Walken and William H. Macy in the comedy The Lonely Maiden, due out in late 2008.