Majoring in pre-law at the University of Southern California (USC), Duke Morrison was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and played football under coach Howard Jones.

During school breaks and on weekends, Duke and his football teammates came to Newport Beach to bodysurf and attend dances at the Balboa Pavilion. Duke was injured in a bodysurfing accident in Newport Beach which cost him his football scholarship.

While still in college, Duke met his first wife Josephine (below) at a party in Balboa. After a seven-year courtship, they married in 1933 and had four children together: Michael, Melinda, Patrick, and Antonia.