Joe Morton Biography

Fast Facts

• Won a 1974 Theatre World Award for best actor - musical for his role as Walter Lee Younger in Broadway's "Raisin․"
• Received a degree in drama from Hofstra University
• Married film production deaigner Nora Chavooshian in 1984, they have two daughters, a son and a grandson
• Initially established himself in Broadway musicals
• Decided to pursue a career in the performing arts during his first day at Hofstra University
• Made his Broadway debut in 'Hair' in 1968
• Quote: "Unfortunately, most actors want to play off their own personal mystique and good looks and whatever, but that will only carry you but so far․"
• Quote: "'I think my first love will always be the theater․ The theater is far more difficult․ The theater is a playground, if you will, of ideas and themes․ Whereas film has a tendency to be about 'real stories' or soap opera kind of things․ Even if it's a biography, it's an issue as opposed to an idea․'"
• Quote: "'There are two questions that are important to every actor in every scene and every line: What do you want, and to what extent are you willing to go to get it?'"
• Because his father was a U․S․ Army intelligence officer, part of his childhood was spent in Japan and Germany