James C. Morton | |
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Morton in the Three Stooges film Disorder in the Court
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Born |
James C Morton August 25, 1884 Helena, Montana, United States |
Died | October 24, 1942 Reseda, Los Angeles, California, United States |
(aged 58)
Cause of death | Chronic myocarditis |
Resting place | Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City |
Years active | 1922–1943 |
James C. Morton (August 25, 1884 – October 24, 1942) was an American character actor. He appeared in 187 films between 1922-43.
Born in Helena, Montana, Morton is best known to modern audiences as the hapless soul whose toupée was often removed at the most inopportune times. Perhaps the best known example of this embarrassment is in the Three Stooges film Disorder in the Court, in which Larry Fine's violin bow yanks Morton's hairpiece off. The Stooges then misinterpret the toupée as a wild tarantula, leading Moe Howard to grab a pistol from a court bailiff and shoot it.
Morton appeared in many Hal Roach productions, playing supporting roles with Our Gang and Laurel and Hardy., and also played a small role in Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times.
On the Los Angeles stage Morton played the title role of Tik-Tok in The Tik-Tok Man of Oz (1913), by L. Frank Baum, Louis F. Gottschalk, Victor Schertzinger and Oliver Morosco.
Morton died of chronic myocarditis on October 24, 1942, in Reseda, California. He had suffered from the condition for approximately 11 years.
Director