He was born on June 1, 1937 in Memphis (Tennessee). His parents were Maymi Edna (born Rever; 1912-2000), a cleaner, and Morgan Portfield Freeman, a hairdresser (died in 1961 from cirrhosis of the liver). The Freeman family often moved, they lived in Greenwood, Mississippi, Gary, Indiana and finally settled in Chicago, Illinois. Morgan made his stage debut at the age of 8, playing the lead role in a school play. At that time he attended Greenwood High School in Mississippi. By the age of 12, he already took part in a radio show in Nashville, Tennessee.