- Morgan Higby Night
-
Morgan Higby Night 
Background information Birth name Morgan Higby Born August 15, 1970 Origin Canoga Park, CA (born) Occupations Writer, Director, Actor, Producer Website Devil's Night Morgan Higby Night (born August 15, 1970) is an American writer, director, producer, and DJ. His notable works include; feature film Matters of Consequence, the award winning video for The Asylum Street Spankers, The Shim Sham Club, Devil's Night Radio and Hicksville Trailer Palace.
Contents
Early life
Night[1] was born in Canoga Park, California on August 15, 1970. He lost both of his parents at a young age due to heroin addiction. Known as a trouble maker, he was kicked out of various boarding schools from age 10-17 until moving out on his own at 17 in Sunriver, Oregon. His maternal Grandfather was a philanthropist, and founder of City National Bank, Alfred Hart.[2]
DJ career
Morgan's DJ career started in 1989 in Chico, CA at the Shell Cove and has continued with notable venues including The Roxbury, Burgundy Room, Bigfoot Lodge, Shim Sham Club and currently at Bar 107 in Downtown Los Angeles. In 1998 Morgan had a radio show on the legendary Los Angeles Pirate Radio station KBLT, called "2 Martini Breakfast; The Show for the Aspiring Alcoholic". The show and station are featured in the book 40 Watts from Nowhere, by Sue Carpenter.
Film Production and Directing
Directed, produced, wrote and starred in his first feature film Matters Of Consequece at age 27. It was the first film to feature The Pussycat Dolls and won the "MovieMaker Magazine Breakthrough Award" at the New Orleans Film Festival. Associate Producer of his friend John Cameron Mitchell's film Shortbus. Co-producer of the 1994 feature "Talking About Sex" starring Kim Wayans and featuring a then unknown Mark Cuban.
Shim Sham Club
Night moved to New Orleans, and opened The Shim Sham Club[3] in 1999. Produced the burlesque show The Shim Shamettes which was one of the countries first burlesque revival troops. The troop was the only one in the country to use entirely live music from Ronnie Magri' s Shim Sham Revue. The troop and club were featured in various publications including USA Today, Time, Wall Street Journal, Playboy and GQ which named The Shim Sham Club as one of the top 10 bars in the world. Several bands came through there including The Cramps, The White Stripes, The Hives, The Donnas, Jim Carroll, Lydia Lunch, Rudy Ray Moore, The Melvins, The Breeders and Sam Butera. Los Angeles' legendary band X played the closing night of the Shim Sham and Night moved back to Los Angeles in 2003.
Music Video
Wrote and Directed several music videos including videos for Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Kim Lenz, Throw Rag and the Webby Award winning video for The Asylum Street Spankers, "Stick Magnetic Ribbons on your S.U.V." There are several cameos in Night directed videos. John Doe of X and Duane Peters of U.S. Bombs appear in "Androgynous". Selene Luna appears in "She Don't Want To. She Don't Care." Mighty Mike Murga, Greta Valenti, Ainjel Emme and Jesika Von Rabbit appear in "Ragtime Man"
Controversy
In 2009, several websites including Comedy Central, College Humor, Video Gum and Funny Or Die refused to post Morgan's music video for Charlie King's "Ragtime Man" because of its controversial nature. The video is a "Disney like" musical about a man who loves women during their menstruation cycle.
Devil's Night Radio!
Launched a radio station in 2006 called Devil's Night Radio. The format is described as "The Best Dive Bar Juke Box You've Heard in Your Life" and has become popular worldwide on iTunes radio.
Devil's Night Drive In
Drive In movie event launched by Morgan in Downtown Los Angeles. Started in 2006, Devil's Night Drive In shows cult classic movies twice a month during summer and once a month during winter. Event features FM transmitter, Car Hops, Concessions and Astroturf. Event has been featured in several publications including L.A. Times, NBC.com, KCET online.
Hicksville Trailer Palace
Opened in 2010,Hicksville Trailer Palace in Joshua Tree, California is described as a "Trailer Park Motel and Artist Retreat." It features vintage themed trailers, a world class recording studio, feature film edit bay, and several activities on the property. The property is also sustainable and run 95% on solar power. It has been featured on NPR and on several websites including Thrillist, Matador Travel Network and Brand X(L.A. Times).
Awards
- 1998 - Winner Movie Maker Breakthrough Award - New Orleans Film Festival - "Matters of Consequence"
- 2007 - Official Honoree - Webby Awards - Music/Variety - "Stick Magnetic Ribbons on your S.U.V."
Cover-Me.org
A non-profit organization launched in 2010 by Night. They sell donated cover songs and use the money to buy blankets for downtown Los Angeles homeless.
Filmography
- 1994 Talking About Sex (Feature Film) Co-Producer
- 1995 Skooled (Short Film) Producer, Writer, Director / Actor
- 1998 Matters of Consequence (Feature Film) Producer / Writer / Director / Actor
- 2005 Throw Rag - "She Don't Want To. She Don't Care" (Music Video) Producer / Writer / Director
- 2006 Asylum Street Spankers - "Stick Magnetic Ribbons on your S.U.V." (Music Video) Producer / Writer / Director
- 2006 Shortbus (Feature Film) Associate Producer
- 2007 Joan Jett & the Blackhearts - "Androgynous" (Music Video) Producer / Writer / Director
- 2009 Kim Lenz & her Jaguars - "Zombie for Your Love" (Music Video) Producer / Writer / Director
- 2009 Charlie King - "Ragtime Man" (Music Video) Producer / Writer / Director
External links
References
- ^ "Morgan Higby Night". IMDB.com. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2036224/bio.
- ^ "TruTV on Frank Sinatra". trutv.com. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/gangsters_outlaws/outlaws/frank_sinatra_jr/8.html.
- ^ "Best Of New Orleans-Shim Sham Club". www.bestofneworleans.com. http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/the-shuttering-of-shim-sham-club/Content?oid=1241561.
Categories:- 1970 births
- Living people
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
