Thomas Morton

Thomas Morton (1764 – 28 March 1838) was an English playwright.

Life Morton was born in the city of Durham. He was the youngest son of John and Grace Morton of Whickham, County Durham.

After the death of his father he was educated at Soho Square school at the charge of his uncle Maddison, a stockbroker. Here amateur acting was in vogue, and Morton, who played with Joseph George Holman, acquired a taste for the theatre. He entered at Lincoln's Inn, 2 July 1784, but was not called to the bar.

His first drama, Columbus, or A World Discovered (1792), a historical play in five acts, founded in part upon Les Incas of Marmontel, was produced with success at Covent Garden, 1 December 1792, Holman playing the part of Alonzo. Children in the Wood, a two-act musical entertainment, followed at the Haymarket 1 October 1793. It was well acted by Richard Suett, John Bannister, and Miss De Camp, and was more than once revived.

Zorinski (premiered Haymarket, 20 June 1795) was a three-act play founded on the adventures of Stanislaus. It was quickly renamed to Casimir, King of Poland, and enjoyed considerable success.

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