Officially Euan Morton dot com

Euan's life began on a sunny Saturday in August, weighing in at 7lb 4oz, at Falkirk Royal Infirmary at 16.06 PM.

The first few years of his life were spent in a flat in the industrial town of Grangemouth with his Mum, Margaret. After two years of potty training, throwing up and eating things he shouldn't, he started at Abbots Road Nursery, where he made new friends and, not that anyone knew at the time, his stepsister-to-be, Susan. It was through Susan that his Mum, Margaret, met Graeme, who was to be chauffeur for a tiny tots party one evening where Margaret was short of a lift. Less than a year later, they were Mr and Mrs Morton.

From Abbots Road Nursery, he progressed into Bowhouse Primary for his first couple of years of education, having then moved to Grange Primary School in Bo'ness, where he was to finish his junior education. Euan's official school reports show that through this time he was attentive, competent and communicative... unofficially and translated, he listened, done well, but couldn't shut up!

It was probably this attribute that was first recognised by his headteacher Mrs McKechnie, who was to lead him down the performing path. She put him forward for a number of school competitions and recitals, including Robert Burns - one of Scotland's most celebrated poets - and Shakespeare.

These recitals would give him the basis to carry on his public performances into his secondary education at Bo'ness Academy. It was here where he formed a great friendship with his drama teacher, Ms Mhairi Gilchrist who would help, guide and provide him with a solid and sound understanding of amateur theatre.

Outside of school life, most of his time was taken up performing in the local children's theatre. His home life consisted of the usual sibling rivalry, fighting and screaming with his sisters, (living in a household with 2 females for every one male can you blame him?!) Other times you would find him with his head buried in a book, reading anything from science fiction to horror to thrillers to classics.

Euan is part of a very close family. He would always keep them amused with his anecdotes and his quirky ways, trying to keep everyone happy, especially his maternal Grandma. He would fit in as much time as he could spare to keeping her company, devising home theatre productions between them, where his Grandma would host the event with Euan stepping out from the darkness of the curtains to entertain anyone who would listen! Including those at the prestigious Mountview Theatre School.

Euan graduated from Mountview: Conservatoire for the Performing Arts on 19 July 1997 at which he performed Irvine Welsh's Disnae Matter. Since graduating, Euan has worked extensively in Britain... from profit share theatre to bread and butter television. His first play out of college was playing a deaf boy (Euan had a great role but no lines to learn as he spoke entirely in sign language)! After many challenging roles he landed his first TV job in ITV's London's Burning... a show dealing with the lives and workings of a London fire department. He spent three weeks running around in a burning building and then being shot in the stomach... ah, the glory... the "jobbing actor" routine continued until...

A man by the name of Phillip Salon gave him his biggest break so far by helping cast him as Boy George in the West End musical Taboo, which was so successful that Rosie O'Donnell took it to the States where it enjoyed over 100 performances on Broadway. Euan was nominated for both the Olivier award and Tony award for Best Actor in a Musical and won the Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway debut...

Even now that Euan has fled the nest to pursue his dreams, he is still very close to and proud of his family and will never forget his roots. As he says, it's good to get put in your place by your Mum now and then - just reminds you that you're still human!
Euan is also now relishing being an uncle to the cutest little baby ever Erin Anne McDonald. Hannah, Euan's little sister, and Kevin became proud parents to Erin on 3 January 2005.

Euan is a self-proclaimed Dr. Who fanatic!! He has collected lots of memorabilia over the years, but recently, with his huge starring role in Taboo, he is finding it harder to scour the edges of every market stall in order to find the any knick-knacks connected to Dr. Who.

His fascination started at the tender age of 7, when his dad got him a voucher for his birthday, which was spent on The Masque of Mandragora starring Tom Baker. His collection so far extends from the entire DVD box set, to a life sized inflatable Daleck which was sent in by one of his devoted fans!

You know who you are, and thanks very much! Much appreciated.

Cardboard Whoopi's might sound like the new fast food craze, or some sort of uncomfortable novelty woopi cushion, but it was actually what used to stand in the corner of Euan's bedroom as he moved from house to house.

The life sized cutout of Ms. Goldberg, donning the outfit she wore during Sister Act, occupied his room for a good few years after bugging his dad for long enough until he went down to the local video shop to enquire about 'borrowing it' when they were finished with it.

Not a problem said the video shop, we're finished with it just now, take it just now if you like... seemed like quite a convenience until his dad realised he had to carry the LIFE-SIZE cutout all the way back to the house.

It should be noted that the walk from the video shop to the house goes right through the town centre, and is mostly uphill. The things you do for loved ones!

Unfortunately though, the friendship came to end after many years, due to wear and tear and the cut out gradually disintegrating into a few limbs here, a head there and the rest of her hair elsewhere! If you're reading this Whoopi, it was nothing personal!

At the age of 13, Euan took first place at the Central Region Music and Drama Festival in Falkirk Town Hall in 1990. Reciting one of Scotland's most celebrated, and one of Euan's favourite poets, Robert Burns' poems To a Louse. Such is Euan's adoration for the Scottish bard, that one of the things he made sure he took with him to the US was his collection of Burns poems.

If you feel like getting your tongue around some native dialect... below is an extract from the poem recited on that day...

... as easy as that!!

Most of you will know Euan as the all singing all dancing quality performer that he is... which on the surface is fair enough

... Not many of you will know him as a shrewd and cunning deviant!

During his days at Bo'ness Academy, his school band were planning trips to the European countries of France and Belgium. Not one for missing out on anything, Euan thought to himself, like any of us would, that a trip to France and Belgium would be a good thing to be a part of. Unfortunately though, Euan wasn't in the band at the time, and didnt have a real strength in playing any instrument. Not letting this get him down, he came across the idea of taking up an instrument to get in the band, to get on the trip to France and Belgium

...the recorder... nimble fingered, breathing techniques and sheet reading... nah...
...the guitar... fast fingered, rhythm and timing, ability to improvise.... nah...
...the keyboard... smooth, composed and organised... nah....

What then I hear you cry?! What did this talented genius put his creative mind to playing?! What would this performer enhance the band by playing?!

...the triangle... the ability to hold a piece of string, and hit it at the right time... yeah! that's the one!

As the saying goes, what goes around comes around, and it most certainly did for our young traveller. Well, not so much come-uppance as more throw-uppance.

As aforementioned, he used his ingenious business brain and tact to get himself on the school band trip to Belgium and France, where it proved to be a very celebratory trip for Mr. Morton winning a series of awards for his performances.

Unluckily for him, it wasn't exactly the kind of award he was used to winning, for this time around he was awarded the prestigious award of "the person who has suffered the most travel sickness ever on a school trip in the whole history of school trips"

Not exactly an accolade you'd put on a CV to entice a future employer, but the kind of award great characters are made of... or at least great cleaners are made of.

After picking up awards for a few diverse subjects, see fact 5, Euan was soon back on track picking up awards for his vocal performances.

At the Stars of Tomorrow competition at Falkirk Town Hall in the April of 1991, Euan walked away with first place and a Philips Hostess heated food trolley, valued at £150, in the Junior Section singing Michael Ball's 'Love Changes Everything' from Aspects of Love and 'Where is Love' from Oliver.

The winner of the Senior section had also performed the same songs as Euan and judges later mentioned to Euan that if he had been entered in the senior competition, such was the maturity of his voice for his age, that he would've pushed for first place in that age group too. Coincidentally, such was the demand on Euan to repeat the performance for aunties, grandmas, schools and friends, 'Love Changes Everything' is now, and no disrespect to Michael Ball, one of his most hated songs ever!

Such was his dedication to singing and performing, and ever striving to improve his technique and ability, Euan never left himself much time for many of the hobbies that you would associate with other people of his age, and as such has never been a huge fan of many sports.

In saying this though, one of his huge interests is tennis. Such is his interest in tennis, it has been known of Euan to sneak out of his rehearsals to phone home to ask about the latest results at the latest events, sending his parents and sister into a flash frenzy, searching the internet, the teletext, the radio and the TV to get across as many results as they can before Euan gets called back in!! [Ed: Don't mean to get you into trouble here Euan, but ya know, people want to know these things!] Recently though he was very kindly treated to a day at the woman's US Open by Taboo producer Rosie O'Donnell.

It is a widely known fact that many actors, especially of the theatrical variety, have astounding memory capabilities. Euan though, is a self-proclaimed memory genius.

He has, in the past, and rumours are he still can, taken one look at the top 50 women tennis players and on request recited them from first to 50th, then 50th to first. He can also match a randomly chosen rank with a player. Shuffle the players up, give him a new order, and he'll recite that back to you in the exact order. Impressive, eh?

It is a widely known fact that many actors, especially of the theatrical variety, have astounding memory capabilities. Euan though, is a self-proclaimed memory genius.

He has, in the past, and rumours are he still can, taken one look at the top 50 women tennis players and on request recited them from first to 50th, then 50th to first. He can also match a randomly chosen rank with a player. Shuffle the players up, give him a new order, and he'll recite that back to you in the exact order. Impressive, eh?

...did I tell you that already? Forgot.

Full of youthful exuberance and excitement, Euan and his younger sister, Hannah, attended an open audition for Les Miserables in St Michael's Church Hall in Edinburgh.

As it turned out on this occasion though, the now Broadway star was turned down only for his sister to be the successful applicant gaining the part of 'Little Cosette'.

Such was her talent in performing her vocals that the show was extended for a further 2 months totaling 48 solo performances to a 3000 strong audience.

Name : Euan Morton
Birthday : 13 August
Star sign : Leo
Birthtown : Falkirk, Scotland

Favourite Colour: Blue
Favourite Artists: Karen Carpenter, Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel
Favourite Author: Stephen King
Favourite childhood toy: A Snoopy Dog
Favourite way to relax: Go for long walks or read.
Favourite Drink: Scotland's Other national drink - IRN BRU
Previous jobs: Bingo Caller, Waiter, Sales assistant in Tower Records, Call centre operator, Video shop assistant
Previous places he's lived: Grangemouth, Bo'ness (both Scotland), Kingsbury, Wood Green, Crouch End, Stratford (all London), New York.
One word his Mum would use to describe him: Noisy
One word his Dad would use to describe him: Manic
One word his Sister, Hannah, would use to describe him: Hyperactive