Morton Lowry (born Edward Morton Lowater;Lancashire Birth Records, Volume 8c, pg. 1257. 13 February 1914 – 26 November 1987) was a British actor. He is best known for his film roles as John Stapleton in The Hound of The Baskervilles (1939) and for his role as Mr. Jonas in How Green was My Valley (1941). He also appeared in other films including Pursuit to Algiers and The Picture of Dorian Gray (both 1945).
Personal life
Morton was born in Lancashire, England as Edward Morton Lowater to Edward Morton Lowater, Sr., an engineer, and Bithiah 'Bertha' Holmes. The family later moved to the Russell Square area of London.
Morton was married at least three times. His first marriage was in 1934, when he was 20 years old, to Diana Whalley.Middlesex Marriage Records, Jan–Feb–Mar 1934. Volume 1b, pg. 16. This short-lived marriage ended in divorce in 1936.Divorce Court File: 2411. 1936. The National Archives. On 27 February 1938, Morton married socialite Virginia Barnato, granddaughter of diamond dealer Barney Barnato and daughter of racing car driver Woolf Barnato, on a San Francisco theatre stage after announcing their engagement on 15 February 1938. This relationship did not survive but one son was born.California Marriage Index, 1960–1985
Morton went on to marry once more in 1957Middlesex Marriage Records, Jan–Feb–Mar 1957. Volume 5c, pg. 2344. and, though this union also ended in divorce, it produced one more child in 1958.
Morton Lowry moved back to the United States in the early 1960s to revive his film career. He died on 26 November 1987 at a San Francisco UCSF hospital from heart failure due to complications during surgery. His death was indigent and he was buried by the state at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Sebastopol, California, on 14 January 1988.
Career Morton started his stage career using the name Edward Lowater. He appeared in many stage revues, appearing in theatres such as the Alhambra Theatre, the London Astoria and the Garrick Theatre, where he is mostly credited as being part of the singing and dancing chorus line. He can be found credited in shows such as Over the Page in September 1933 and The Drunkard in November 1934.
His first known big break came in the role of Donnie in the film The Dawn Patrol acting under the name of Morton Lowry. This led to a respectable film career in which he completed over 25 films, including How Green Was My Valley, which received ten Academy Award nominations in the United States. He was one of the few actors to appear as different characters in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes film series, as John Stapleton in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) and as the steward Sanford in Pursuit to Algiers (1945).
In 1947, Lowry's film career dwindled, with his last American film role being uncredited as a scared man in Calcutta. His last British film role was as Dinelli's driver in the 1960 film Too Hot to Handle.
Morton ventured into television work during the 1950s, most of which was in the United Kingdom. His work includes BBC Sunday Night Theatre in 1951, Theatre Royal (television film) in 1952 and Sword of Freedom in 1957. During 1959, he played various characters in the television series The Four Just Men. He also appeared as the Lieutenant in the 1959–60 television series The Adventures of Robin Hood in at least 12 episodes.
Filmography
+ List of acting performances in film and television Title Year Role Notes 1938 Donnie Scott The Little Princess 1939 Traumatized Young Soldier Uncredited 1939 John Stapleton Tarzan Finds a Son! 1939 Richard Lancing Winter Carnival 1939 Count Olaf Von Lundborg British Intelligence 1940 Lt. Borden Uncredited Hudson's Bay 1940 Gerald Hall Charley's Aunt 1941 Harley Stafford A Yank in the R.A.F. 1941 Squadron Leader Macbeth How Green Was My Valley 1941 Mr. Jonas Captains of the Clouds 1942 Carmichael This Above All 1942 Soldier Uncredited 1942 Roger Dickinson Uncredited The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe 1942 Charles Dickens Counter-Espionage 1942 Kurt Weil Immortal Sergeant 1943 Cottrell No Time for Love 1943 Dunbar Uncredited Corvette K-225 1943 British Lieutenant Uncredited 1944 Lieutenant Bainbridge Uncredited The Hour Before the Dawn 1944 Jackson Uncredited None but the Lonely Heart 1944 Taz Jones Uncredited 1945 Alan Guthrie 1945 Adrian Singleton Son of Lassie 1945 Blind Corporal P.O.W. Uncredited Pursuit to Algiers 1945 Sanford 1946 Arthur Kendall Calcutta 1947 Scared man Uncredited Sunday Night Theatre 1951 Jerry Seymour / William Avery 2 episodes Theatre Royal 1952 Tony Cavendish TV movie Sword of Freedom 1957 Orlando de Giovanni Episode: "A Game of Chance" 1959 Captain / Watkins / Harry Green 3 episodes 1959–1960 Lieutenant At least twelve episodes, (final appearance) Too Hot to Handle 1960 Driver
References
The Billy Rose Theatre Division V&A Theatre & Performance Enquiry Service
External links
Oscar nominations for How Green Was My Valley