| Birth Name: | Joseph Thomas Morton Jr. |
| Birth Date: | 18 October 1947 |
| Birth Place: | New York City, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | Hofstra University |
| Occupation: | Actor |
| Years Active: | 1970–present |
| Children: | 3 |
Joseph Thomas Morton Jr. (born October 18, 1947) is an American stage, television and film actor. He has worked with film director John Sayles in The Brother from Another Planet (1984), City of Hope (1991) and Lone Star (1996). Other films he has appeared in include (1991), Of Mice and Men (1992), Speed (1994), Apt Pupil (1998), Blues Brothers 2000 (1998), What Lies Beneath (2000), Ali (2001), Paycheck (2003), Stealth (2005), American Gangster (2007), (2016), Justice League (2017), and Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021).[1]
His television work includes his role as Eli Pope, Olivia Pope's father, in Scandal, for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2014,[2] and the role of Henry Deacon on the TV series Eureka.
In 2019, Morton narrated the Audible program, The Water Dancer, by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Morton was born in Harlem, New York City, the son of Evelyn, a secretary, and Joseph Thomas Morton Sr., a U.S. Army intelligence officer.[3] [4] Because of his father's military service, he spent parts of his childhood in West Germany and Okinawa.[5] When Morton was 10 years old, his father died.[6]
Morton was raised Catholic and attended a Catholic military school for a time. He was an altar boy and considered becoming a priest.[7] [8]
Morton graduated from Andrew Jackson High School[9] and studied drama at Hofstra University.[10]
Morton made his Broadway debut in Hair, appeared in Salvation, and was nominated for a Tony Award for Raisin. He has appeared in over 70 films, including John Sayles' The Brother from Another Planet (as The Brother), (as Dr. Miles Bennett Dyson) and Blues Brothers 2000 (as Cabel "Cab" Chamberlain, based upon the late Cab Calloway). He also played Police Lieutenant Herb "Mac" McMahon, in Speed. On daytime, Morton has had roles on Search for Tomorrow (1973–74), Another World (1983–84), and All My Children (2002).[11] In 2002, he appeared on the London stage in the play Art.
Morton has made many notable TV guest appearances, including his appearances as Dr. Steven Hamilton in the first two seasons of Smallville. He starred in the Sanford and Son spin-off Grady (1975–76), M*A*S*H* (battalion aid surgeon Capt. Nick Saunders, 1976), Under One Roof (1995) and E-Ring (2005). He portrayed the jack-of-all-trades scientist Henry Deacon as a regular on Syfy Channel's Eureka (2006–12). Morton played the role of Eli Pope on the hit drama Scandal, a role for which he received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.[11]
In 2016, Morton portrayed the activist and comedian Dick Gregory in the play Turn Me Loose at the Westside Theatre in Manhattan.[12] Morton portrayed Dr. Silas Stone, father of Victor Stone/Cyborg, in a cameo role in the 2016 film , part of the DC Extended Universe. He reprised the character in the film Justice League (2017) and more extensively in its director's cut.[13]
From 2018 to 2020, Morton co-starred as Reverend Arthur Finer in the CBS series God Friended Me.[14] Morton directed three episodes of God Friended Me, and has directing credits for four other TV series.[11]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Between the Lines | Ahmed | ||
| 1978 | Lawman Without a Gun | Louis | Television film | |
| 1979 | ...And Justice for All | Prison Doctor | ||
| 1980 | Death Penalty | William Terry | Television film | |
| 1981 | We're Fighting Back | Elgin Jones | ||
| 1982 | The Clairvoyant | Detective Rich | ||
| 1983 | Curse of the Pink Panther | Charlie | ||
| 1984 | A Good Sport | - | Television film | |
| The Brother from Another Planet | The Brother | |||
| 1985 | Trouble in Mind | Solo | ||
| 1986 | Crossroads | Scratch's assistant | ||
| 1987 | Stranded | Sheriff McMahon | ||
| 1988 | Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim Ajami | Tandy | Television film | |
| Alone in the Neon Jungle | Ken Fraker | |||
| Zelly and Me | Earl | |||
| The Good Mother | Frank Williams | |||
| Police Story: Burnout | Sgt. Jeff Allen | Television film | ||
| 1989 | Tap | Nicky | ||
| Howard Beach: Making The Case for Murder | Cedric Sandiford | Television film | ||
| 1990 | Challenger | |||
| The Lost Platoon | World War II Soldier | |||
| 1991 | City of Hope | Wynn | ||
| Dr. Miles Bennett Dyson | ||||
| 1992 | Legacy of Lies | Samuel Flowers | Television film | |
| Of Mice and Men | Crooks | |||
| Forever Young | Cameron | |||
| 1994 | The Inkwell | Kenny Tate | ||
| Speed | Lieutenant Herb "Mac" McMahon | |||
| 1995 | In the Shadow of Evil | Lt. Royce | Television film | |
| The Walking Dead | Sergeant Barkley | |||
| 1996 | Lone Star | Delmore Payne | ||
| Executive Decision | Sergeant Campbell "Cappy" Matheny | |||
| Jack Reed: Death and Vengeance | Gordon Thomas | Television film | ||
| 1997 | The Pest | Mr. Kent | ||
| Miss Evers' Boys | Dr. Sam Brodus | Television film | ||
| Captain Herb "Mac" McMahon | ||||
| Trouble on the Corner | Detective Bill | |||
| 1998 | Blues Brothers 2000 | Cabel Chamberlain | ||
| Apt Pupil | Dan Richler | |||
| When It Clicks | Cato Caldwell Douglass | Short | ||
| 1999 | Mutiny | Thurgood Marshall | Television film | |
| The Astronaut's Wife | Sherman Reese | |||
| Y2K | Martin Lowell | Television film | ||
| 2000 | What Lies Beneath | Dr. Drayton | ||
| Television film | ||||
| Bounce | Jim Weller | |||
| 2001 | Ali | Chauncey Eskridge | ||
| 2002 | Dragonfly | Hugh Campbell | ||
| The Fritz Pollard Story | Host | Television film | ||
| 2003 | Jasper, Texas | Walter Diggles | ||
| Crossing | Uncle Stan | Short | ||
| Thoughtcrimes | John Harper | Television film | ||
| Paycheck | Agent Dodge | |||
| 2004 | Breaking Dawn | Professor Simon | ||
| 2005 | Gone But Not Forgotten | Reggie Stewart | Television film | |
| Back in the Day | Rev. James Packer | |||
| Stealth | Dick Marshfield | |||
| Lenny the Wonder Dog | Dr. Island | |||
| 2006 | The Night Listener | Ashe | ||
| 2007 | American Gangster | Charlie Williams | ||
| Badland | Max Astin | |||
| 2008 | Wherever You Are | Dr. Livingston | ||
| 2009 | La Linea | Hodges | ||
| 2010 | The Mulberry Tree | Samuel R. Freeman | ||
| 2013 | Home | Donald Hall | ||
| 2015 | Cleveland Abduction | Agent Solano | Television film | |
| 2016 | Silas Stone | Cameo | ||
| All the Way | Television film | |||
| 2017 | Justice League | Silas Stone | ||
| 2019 | Godzilla: King of the Monsters | Houston Brooks | ||
| A Million Eyes | Fern | Short | ||
| 2020 | Trinity's Triumph[15] | Monsignor Heck | ||
| 2021 | Zack Snyder's Justice League | Silas Stone | Director's cut of Justice League |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Bracken's World | Yule Buford | Episode: "Love It or Leave It, Change It or Lose It" | |
| Mission: Impossible | Clerk | Episode: "Hunted" | ||
| 1973–1974 | Search for Tomorrow | Dr. James Foster | Main role | |
| 1975 | Sanford and Son | Hal Marshall | Episode: "The Family Man" | |
| 1975–1976 | Grady | Hal Marshall | Main role | |
| 1976 | M*A*S*H | Captain Saunders | Episode: "Der Tag" | |
| What's Happening!! | Department Store Manager | Episode: "The Birthday Present" | ||
| 1978 | Watch Your Mouth | Raymond Geeter | Main role | |
| 1979 | Guiding Light | Dan Stennis | Episode: "Episode #1.8295" | |
| 1983 | American Playhouse | Carl Hatch | Recurring: season 2 | |
| Another World | Dr. Abel Marsh | Main role | ||
| 1985 | Miami Vice | Lt. Jack Davis | Episode: "The Maze" | |
| 1986 | Who's the Boss? | Limo Driver | Episode: "Mona's Limo" | |
| 1987–1989 | The Equalizer | Slate/Carter Brock | Guest: season 2; recurring: season 4 | |
| 1989 | A Man Called Hawk | Rev. Marvin Lewis | Episode: "Choice of Chance" | |
| One Life to Live | Judge Romero | Episode: "Episode dated 22 May 1989" | ||
| 1990–1991 | Equal Justice | Mike James | Main role | |
| 1992 | Law & Order | Roland Books | Episode: "Conspiracy" | |
| A Different World | Byron Douglas III | Recurring: season 5 | ||
| 1993 | TriBeCa | Carlton Thomas | Main role | |
| 1994 | Sam Thorn | 2 episodes | ||
| New York Undercover | Dean/Dinah | Episode: "Blondes Have More Fun" | ||
| 1995 | Under One Roof | Ron Langston | Main role | |
| New York News | Mitch Cotter | Episode: "Fun City" | ||
| 1996 | Nova | Narrator | Episode: "Shark Attack!" | |
| Touched by an Angel | Jake Stone | Episode: "Jacob's Ladder" | ||
| 1997 | Prince Street | Lieutenant Tom Warner | Main role | |
| 1998 | Dellaventura | Councilman Caulder | Episode: "David & Goliath" | |
| 1998–1999 | Mercy Point | Dr. Grote Maxwell | Main role | |
| 2000 | The X-Files | Martin Wells | Episode: "Redrum" | |
| 2000–2005 | Law & Order | Leon Chiles | Recurring: seasons 10 & 11, 14 & 15 | |
| 2001–2002 | Smallville | Steven Hamilton | Recurring: season 1; guest: season 2 | |
| 2002 | All My Children | Zeke McMillan | Episode: "#1.8387" | |
| The Practice | U.S. Attorney | Episode: "Fire Proof" | ||
| Touched by an Angel | Martin | Episode: "The Impossible Dream" | ||
| 2003 | Ray Bevins | Episode: "Grief" | ||
| 2004 | Whoopi | Martin James | Episode: "Sins of the Sister" | |
| The Jury | James Byron Milton | Episode: "Last Rites" | ||
| 2005 | House | Senator Gary H. Wright | Episode: "Role Model" | |
| JAG | Elroy Johnson | Episode: "Unknown Soldier" | ||
| Chief Dwight Hillborne | 2 episodes | |||
| 2005–2006 | E-Ring | Steve Algazi | Recurring | |
| 2006–2012 | Eureka | Henry Deacon | Main role | |
| 2007 | Numbers | Reporter | Episode: "Graphic" | |
| 2008 | Boston Legal | Attorney Steve Duprey | Episode: "Indecent Proposals" | |
| 2009 | Great Performances | Eugene Bullard | Episode: "Harlem in Montmartre: A Paris Jazz Story" | |
| Warehouse 13 | Reverend John Hill | Episode: "Regrets" | ||
| Brothers & Sisters | Peter Madsen | 2 episodes | ||
| 2009–2011 | The Good Wife | Daniel Golden | Recurring: season 1; guest: season 3 | |
| 2010 | White Collar | Kyle Bancroft | Episode: "Prisoner's Dilemma" | |
| 2012 | Coma | Dr. Nelson | Episode: "Part One & Two" | |
| 2013–2018 | Scandal | Eli Rowan Pope | Recurring: seasons 2–4, main: seasons 5–7 | |
| 2015 | Proof | Dr. Charles Richmond | Main role | |
| 2015–2016 | Grace and Frankie | Jason | 2 episodes | |
| 2018–2020 | God Friended Me | Rev. Arthur Finer | Main role | |
| 2019–2020 | The Politician | Marcus | Guest: season 1; recurring: season 2 | |
| 2021–2022 | Our Kind of People | Teddy Franklin | Main role |
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Raisin | |||
| 1991 | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | rowspan=3 | ||
| 2008 | American Gangster | |||
| 2014 | Scandal | |||
| rowspan=4 | ||||
| 2015 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | ||
| 2016 | ||||
| 2017 | ||||
| 2018 | Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards | Lead Performance in a Play[16] | Turn Me Loose | rowspan=2 |
| 2020 | Literary Fiction and Classics[17] | |||