Alexander Morton
- This article is about Alexander Morton, the actor. For the footballer Alexander Morten, see Alexander Morten
| Alexander Morton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 March 1945 Glasgow, Scotland |
Alexander "Sandy" Morton (born 24 March 1945 in Glasgow) is a Scottish actor.
Contents |
[edit] Acting career
Morton trained in London at the Central School of Speech and Drama from 1965–68 and is well known for his roles in several leading drama series, such as Taggart, Second Sight, Between the Lines, Minder, and Casualty, movies such as Croupier and London to Brighton and single dramas The One That Got Away (1996), Looking After Jo Jo (1998), and The Man-Eating Wolves of Gysinge (2005).
He is best known for playing the gamekeeper Golly Mackenzie in the BBC TV series Monarch of the Glen (2000–2005), and before that made regular appearances over the 1980s and 1990s as the evil Andy Semple in Scottish soap Take the High Road.
Highlights of his stage career include his critically acclaimed Scots rendition of Shakespeare's Macbeth and R.P. McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, both directed by Robert Carlyle, who was a founder member, with Morton, of Raindog Theatre Company. Alexander also worked regularly with theatre companies 7:84 and Borderline, and has appeared at the Traverse, the Lyceum, the Bush, the Royal Court, in repertory all over the UK as well as regular appearances in pantomime, notably at the King's Theatre in Glasgow.
Morton's radio work is highly regarded; In 2006 he played the Prince of Darkness in the BBC radio adaptation of Dracula (Voyage of the Demeter, 2006). He was also the first actor to play Inspector Rebus in the first adaptation of Ian Rankin's Rebus series of books. He regularly provides voices for video games, including Heavenly Sword, Witcher and Viking: Battle for Asgard.
[edit] Personal life
He has been married three times and has two children, Kerry (b. 1970) and Jamie (b. 1980). His first wife was Pam Scotcher [1] The Unfortunate Pen, Poldark, Crown Court, Billy Liar and Softly, Softly.
Alexander Morton was the subject of a Punch Cartoon in 1972.
[edit] Film and television credits
- 1971 Get Carter - Hubert
- 1979 Play for Today (TV): Ploughman's Share - Dave
- 1980-1994 Take the High Road (TV soap) - Andy Semple
- 1981 Play for Today (TV): The Good Time Girls - Alec Park
- 1984 Minder (TV series): Windows - Alex
- 1985 Taggart (TV series): Dead Ringer - David Balfour
- 1986 Dramarama – Waiting for Elvis (1986)
- 1987 First Sight (TV series) - Frank Riley
- 1987 Bookie (TV series) - Ross
- 1988 Winners and Losers
- 1990 Silent Scream - Don Winters
- 1992 Rab C. Nesbitt (TV series) - Police Inspector Mccrae
- 1992-1994 Firm Friends (TV sitcom) - D.I. Hogg
- 1993 Between the Lines (TV series) - Superintendent Tyrell
- 1993 Taggart (TV series): Death Benefits - John Fraser
- 1994 Screen Two: Men of the Month (TV play) - James
- 1994 Jolly a Man for All Seasons - Police Sergeant Watson
- 1994 Crime Story - John McVicar
- 1994 The Tales of Para Handy - John Cruickshank
- 1996 Bad Boys - Dick
- 1996 The One that Got Away - Big Bob (credited as Sandy Morton)
- 1996 Nightlife (TV movie) - D.C.Dave
- 1997 Looking After Jo Jo - DS Alistair Wright
- 1997 Bombay Blue - Jack Grey
- 1997 Love Me Tender (TV movie) - Tommy
- 1998 Croupier - David Reynolds
- 1999-2000 Second Sight (TV series) - DS Julian
- 1999 Life Support - Alan Carswell
- 2000-2005 Monarch of the Glen (TV series) - Golly McKenzie (in every episode)
- 2003 Dead Simple - Victor
- 2005 The Man-Eating Wolves of Gysinge (TV movie) - Malmberg Nilsson
- 2006-2008 Casualty (TV series)
- 2006 London to Brighton - Duncan Allen
- 2007 Kitchen (TV movie) - Mr. Glasgow
- 2009 Valhalla Rising - Chieftain Barde
- 2010 Taggart: The Rapture - James Hardie
- 2010 Luther (TV series) - Bill Winingham
[edit] Selected theatre credits
| Selected stage productions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Play | Role | Notes |
| 1976 | An Me Wi a Bad Leg Tae | Peter | Original production of Billy Connolly's first play, directed by Stuart Mungall |
| 1979 | Slab Boys Trilogy | Mr. Curry/Workman | John Byrne's critically acclaimed series of stage plays |
| 1984 | William Wallace | William Wallace | Borderline Theatre Company, Directed by Stuart Mungall. |
| 1985 | The Bruce | Robert the Bruce | Edinburgh Festival |
| 1986 | Robert Burns | Robert Burns | By Joe Corrie, Scottish Theatre Company; Directed by David Hayman |
| 1986 | The Gorbals Story | Peter O'Reilly | By Robert Mcleish. 7:84 Theatre Co. Directed by David Hayman |
| 1989 | The Sash | William MacWilliam | By Hector MacMillan. 7:84 Theatre Co. Directed by Gerard Kelly |
| 1991 | Red Riding Hood: The Sequel | Wolverine | Directed by Andy Gray. |
| 1991 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | R.P.McMurphy | Raindog Theatre Company. Directed by Robert Carlyle |
| 1992 | Macbeth: In the Scots Tongue | Macbeth | Raindog Theatre Company. Best Director Award: Robert Carlyle |
| 1994 | Dick Wittington | King Rat | With Christopher Biggins. King's Theatre, Glasgow |
| 1995 | Follow Follow: The Rangers Story | Max Factor | King's Theatre Glasgow/Glasgow Rangers FC; Directed by Ron Bain |
| 1996 | The Architect | Leo Black | Directed by Philip Howard, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh |
| 1998 | Buried Treasure | Frank McCoig | Directed by Robin Lefevre, Lyric Theatre, London |
[edit] Radio credits
| Selected BBC Radio plays | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1982 | The Thirty Nine Steps | Franklin P. Scudder | Considered the most faithful adaptation of John Buchan's book. |
| 1988 | Death of a Fly | Alec Bodine | Murder mystery told from the perspective of a fly. |
| 1995 | The Serpent's Back | Cully | First Adaptation of Ian Rankin's Cully series |
| 1997 | Let it Bleed | Inspector Rebus | First adaptation of Ian Rankin's Rebus books |
| 1998 | Tunes of Glory | Basil Barrow | |
| 2004 | Dr Korczak's Example | Dr. Janusz Korczak | BBC Radio 4 Saturday Play directed by Lu Kemp |
| 2005 | The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch[2] | Swatchell | BBC Radio 3 The Wire directed by Lu Kemp |
| 2007 | Voyage of the Demeter | Count Dracula | Morton offers a terrifying rendition of the Prince of Darkness |
| 2008 | They Have Oak Trees in North Carolina[3] | Ray | BBC Radio 4 Friday Play directed by Gaynor Macfarlane |
| 2011 | Occupation[4] | Kenny Gall | BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play directed by Gaynor Macfarlane |
