Charles Morton (28 January 1908 in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

, USA – 26 October 1966 in

North Hollywood, California North Hollywood is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, located in the San Fernando Valley. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, the El Portal Theatre, several art galleries, and the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The North ...

) was an American

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

Career

Born in Illinois, Charles Morton spent his adolescence in

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...

; receiving his education at Madison High School and the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...

. He made his first stage appearance at the age of seven and later appeared in

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

, stock and the legitimate stage. Morton's career started late in the silent era, first as a leading man, continued into sound features and finally television. His polished physical appearance, charm and personality were noted by the studios and at the age of 19 signed his first contract with

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

in 1927. Audiences first discovered the handsome youth that same year opposite the studio's leading flapper,

Madge Bellamy Madge Bellamy (born Margaret Derden Philpott; June 30, 1899 – January 24, 1990) was an American stage and film actress. She was a popular leading lady in the 1920s and early 1930s. Her career declined in the sound era and ended following a rom ...

, in ''Colleen'', one of the era's many comedy-dramas. Morton went on to star in

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

's 1928

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

silent film ''

Four Sons ''Four Sons'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed and produced by John Ford and written for the screen by Philip Klein from a story by I. A. R. Wylie first published in the '' Saturday Evening Post'' as "Grandmother Bernle Learns Her ...

''. Morton was also a member of the ultimately tragic circus troupe in

F. W. Murnau Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (born Friedrich Wilhelm Plumpe; December 28, 1888March 11, 1931) was a German film director, producer and screenwriter. He was greatly influenced by Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Shakespeare and Ibsen plays he had seen at th ...

's near-classic ''

4 Devils ''4 Devils'' (also known as ''Four Devils'') is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by German director F. W. Murnau and starring Janet Gaynor. It is considered to be lost. Premise The plot concerns four orphans (Janet Gaynor, Nancy Dr ...

'', among the most mourned of the

lost film A lost film is a feature Feature may refer to: Computing * Feature (CAD), could be a hole, pocket, or notch * Feature (computer vision), could be an edge, corner or blob * Feature (software design) is an intentional distinguishing char ...

s of the silent era. Morton also starred in Fox's ''

None but the Brave is a 1965 war film directed by Frank Sinatra, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced by Tokyo Eiga, Toho, and Artanis Productions (credited as Sinatra Enterprises), it was the first film international co-production between Japan and t ...

'' (1928). In 1931, Morton married

Lya Lys Lya Lys (born Nathalie Margoulis; May 18, 1908 – June 2, 1986) was a German-born American actress. Biography Lya Lys was born in Berlin on May 18, 1908U.S. Naturalization Records August 7, 1933 to a Russian banker and French pediatrician who ...

, but the marriage ended in divorce some months later, not long after the birth of their daughter. Later a dispute over alimony payments would see Morton spending a few days behind bars.Alimony Dodger To Serve Jail Term - Nevada State Journal 23 Nov 1932 pg. 1 After 1933 with the widespread use of sound film, Morton's career began to lose momentum; and by 1936 his roles were significantly reduced, playing minor roles on television until his death from heart disease in 1966. Even though Morton's career continued into the mid-1960s, almost all of his roles after 1933 were so minor he was left uncredited for the majority of his performances. He died at the age of 58, was cremated and his ashes interred in an unmarked grave in Valhalla Memorial Park, North Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California, in Block G, Section 6755, Lot 1.

Partial filmography

*''

Rich But Honest ''Rich But Honest'' is a 1927 American silent comedy-drama film, written by Randall H. Faye and directed by Albert Ray and Horace Hough. The film was released on May 22, 1927 by Fox Film Corporation, starring Nancy Nash, John Holland, Charles ...

'' (1927) *''

Wolf Fangs ''Wolf Fangs'' is a 1927 American action film directed by Lewis Seiler and written by Seton I. Miller and Elizabeth Pickett Chevalier. The film stars Thunder the Dog supported by Caryl Lincoln, Charles Morton, Frank Rice and James Gordon. R ...

'' (1927) *'' Colleen'' (1927) *'' Dressed to Kill'' (1928) *''

'' (1928) *''

'' (1928) *'' New Year's Eve'' (1929) *''

Check and Double Check ''Check and Double Check'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film produced and released by RKO Radio Pictures based on the ''Amos 'n' Andy'' radio show. The title was derived from a catchphrase associated with the show. Directed by Melville W. ...

'' (1930) *''

Caught Short ''Caught Short'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Charles Reisner and written by Robert E. Hopkins, Joseph H. Johnson and Willard Mack. The film stars Marie Dressler, Polly Moran, Anita Page, Charles Morton and Thomas Conlin. ...

'' (1930) * ''

The Dawn Trail ''The Dawn Trail'' is a 1930 American Western film, directed by Christy Cabanne. It stars Marceline Day, Miriam Seegar, and Charles Morton, and was released on November 28, 1930. It was remade as the 1939 film ''Texas Stampede''. Cast list * ...

'' (1930) * '' The Last Ride'' (1931) *''

Goldie Gets Along ''Goldie Gets Along'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Malcolm St. Clair and starring Lili Damita, Charles Morton and Sam Hardy. The screenplay was written by William A. Drake, based on the 1931 novel of the same title by H ...

'' (1932)

References

External links

* *
Charles Morton
at Virtual History 1908 births 1966 deaths Male actors from Illinois Vaudeville performers 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American singers 20th Century Studios contract players {{US-theat-actor-1900s-stub