Jonathon Morris

Jonathon Morris is a former British actor and television presenter.

Jonathon Morris' first professional theatre appearance was playing the title role in Old King Cole, written by Ken Campbell, alongside Sir Daniel Day-Lewis at the Old Vic Theatre, Bristol in 1979.

After making his professional theatre debut at the Old Vic Theatre, Bristol in 1979 with Daniel Day-Lewis, Morris appeared as a guest/servant in the 1981 Chichester Festival Theatre production of The Cherry Orchard directed by Patrick Garland and staring Joss Ackland and Claire Bloom.

He then played Charles Parker in Feasting with Panthers, (The Trials of Oscar Wilde) with Tom Baker in the role of Oscar Wilde.

In the same season, he made his directorial debut with Final Furlong as part of the Chichester Festival Tent season.

His first major comedy series was in 1981 with That Beryl Marston…!

In 1982 performed with the Oxford Playhouse Company in the British Premiere of Rain from Heaven by S.H. Berhman, directed by Nicolas Kent and starring Sheila Gish.

His first major Drama miniseries was Beau Geste in 1983.

He returned to the Chichester Festival Theatre in 1983 where he played Orlando in As You Like It, with Patricia Hodge OBE, as Rosalind and directed by Patrick Garland.

In the same season, Morris and Patricia Hodge also appeared together in Stag, by Edna O’Brien, as part of the Chichester Festival Tent season.

In 1983 he played Eugene Marchbanks in George Bernard Shaw’s Candida at The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford.

Petula Clark was in the title role of Candida and the production was directed by Val May.

His first narration appearance came with Jackanory in 1984 and his first major movie Torn Allegiance in 1984.

In 1984 he played Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights, alongside Charlotte Attenborough as Catherine Earnshaw for the Cambridge Theatre Company.

In the same season, he played alongside Douglas Hodge in The Beaux Stratagem, directed by Nicolas Kent.

His first major musical appearance was in 1986 at The London Palladium in La Cage Aux Folles.

In 1986 he made his West End Musical debut at The London Palladium, playing Jean-Michel in the Tony Award-winning musical La Cage Aux Folles, written by Gerry Herman and directed by Arthur Laurents.

The production starred Denis Quilley and Tony Award winner George Hearn.

In 1987 he appeared for The Bristol Old Vic at The Royalty Theatre, London in the role of Tony Orford in Noel Coward’s Semi-Monde, in an all-star cast including Dame Judi Dench, Sir Kenneth Branagh, and Evelyn Laye CBE.

In 1988, he played Joe Orton in an extensive national tour of Diary of a Somebody, a dramatized adaptation of the diaries of Joe Orton, adapted by John Lahr.

He played Judas Iscariot in Barabbas at The Chelsea Centre, Kings Road in 1988.

He made his first major Variety appearance in the 1989 Children’s Royal Variety Performance and he appeared as 'The Director' in the 1991 Children’s Royal Variety Performance.

Morris found recognition in the UK with the BBC comedy series Bread and as the presenter of the CBBC children’s television show, The Movie Game.

In 1989 he appeared with Evelyn Laye once again at the Barbican Hall, The Barbican Centre in a Gala performance of A Talent to Amuse.

(The music of Noel Coward)

In the same year he appeared at The Edinburgh International Festival, playing Sir Edward Mortimer in a production of Mary Stuart, written by Friedrich von Schiller, directed by Frank Dunlop, and starring Elizabeth Bennet and Hannah Gordon.

In the same year, he joined Hannah Gordon once again, in an all-star cast, including Dame Judi Dench and Donald Sinden CBE in a gala performance of Star Quality by Noel Coward at The Richmond Theatre, London in the presence of Princess Alexandra.

In 1991, he joined Joanna Riding in the West-End musical Me and My Girl at the Adelphi Theatre, London, taking over the lead role of Bill Snibson from Brian Conley.

In 1992 he returned for his third season at The Chichester Festival Theatre to play Tony Lumpkin in a production of She Stoops to Conquer, directed by Peter Wood, featuring Iain Glen and Tom Hollander.

In the same season, Hollander joined Morris and Doon Mackichan in a production at The Minerva Theatre of Gillian Plowman's play, Me and My Friend, directed by Ian Rickson.

In 1993 he played Henry the 5th at the Royal Albert Hall in the St. Georges Day Festival, featuring Marti Webb.

Also In 1993 he revived his 1983 role of Marchbanks in Candida, by George Bernard Shaw, on a major national tour.

In 1993 he finished the Richmond Theatre pantomime season with Kate O’Mara and Bernard Cribbins.

In 1994 Morris took on the role of Frank-n-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, written by Richard O’Brien, on a national tour to celebrate its 21st anniversary.

The show then transferred to London’s West End at The Duke of York’s Theatre.

In 1995 he played Arthur Kipps in the BBC radio production of the musical Half a Sixpence, featuring Lesley Phillips and the BBC Concert Orchestra.

He played El Gallo in the musical The Fantasticks at the Kings Head Theatre In 1996, directed by Dan Crawford.

In 1996 he appeared in Spread a Little Happiness at the Adelphi Theatre, London to celebrate the music and life of Vivian Ellis, the cast included Susannah York and Sir John Mills.

He was introduced to a worldwide audience with the Hollywood movie-musical, The Fantasticks released in 2000.

In 2008 Morris appeared in I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing, at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London, directed by Dame Gillian Lynne, cast included Jeremy Irons, Elaine Paige, and Andrew Lloyd Webber.