Andrew Morton (writer)

Last updated

Andrew Morton
Andrew Morton appearing on "After Dark", 21 October 1989.jpg
Morton appearing on television programme After Dark in 1989
Born
Andrew David Morton

1953 (age 70–71)
Dewsbury, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Education Temple Moor Grammar School
Alma mater University of Sussex
Occupation(s)Journalist, writer

Andrew David Morton (born 1953) is an English journalist and writer who has published biographies of royal figures such as Diana, Princess of Wales, and celebrity subjects including Tom Cruise, Madonna, Angelina Jolie and Monica Lewinsky; several of his books have been unauthorised and contain contested assertions.

Contents

Early life and career

Morton was born and raised in Halton, Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, [1] His father ran a picture framing business. He attended Temple Moor Boys' Grammar School, Leeds and Sussex University where he studied history. [2] [3] After university, Morton became a tabloid journalist and worked for three London tabloids, the Daily Star, News of the World , and Daily Mail , until 1987. [4]

Biographies of royal figures

Andrew Morton wrote a biography of Diana, Princess of Wales called Diana: Her True Story . Unable to interview Diana in person, he passed along interview questions through her friend James Colthurst. In 1993 it was made into a television film of the same name, with Serena Scott Thomas as Diana. Following Diana's death in August 1997, Morton issued an edition entitled Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words in October and acknowledged Diana's role as the book's main source of information. [4] [5] The revelation, which came after years of denial of getting any input from Diana for the book, together with the release of her recorded conversations on tapes caused a mixed reaction in the press, with some accusing Morton of breaching confidentiality and exploiting the tragedy of her untimely death and others praising his candour. [6] [7]

On 16 November 2010, Prince William announced his engagement to Catherine Middleton. Morton was commissioned by Michael O'Mara Books to write a book to coincide with the royal wedding on 29 April 2011. The book, which went on sale on 3 May 2011 in the UK, includes a detailed biography of Prince William, as well as details of his relationship with Catherine Middleton. The book features full-colour photos of Prince William and the couple, as well as a detailed section on the wedding itself. [8]

In April 2018, he published Meghan: A Hollywood Princess about Meghan Markle, who married Prince Harry a month later in May 2018.

His biography of Elizabeth II, called The Queen: A Life, was published in November 2022, two months after her death. Reviewers commented on the lack of depth, the frequent drawing on information from Morton's previous royal biographies, and the way the book had apparently been rushed through the process of publication. [9] [10]

Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography

Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography was published in January 2008, and reprinted with an update in February 2009. In a review in The New York Times , Janet Maslin writes "Mr. Morton has found a number of former Scientologists who are willing to speak freely, and in some cases vengefully, about the group's purported inner workings. Mr. Morton's eagerness to include their voices leads him to push the limits of responsible reporting." Maslin adds that Morton "provides a credible portrait extrapolated from the actor's on-the-record remarks and highly visible public behaviour." [11]

Writing in Entertainment Weekly , Mark Harris gives the book a grade of "C−", and says "Cruise emerges from Morton's takedown moderately scratched but as uncracked as ever." [12] Another review in The New York Times by Ada Calhooun stated: [13]

However shady Scientology may be, Morton's language in Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography is extreme. He and his sources compare the church and its leadership to fascists, the Roman Empire, storm troopers, Machiavelli, Orwell's Animal Farm, Napoleon, Stalinists and North Korea. He also repeatedly invokes Nazism, and quotes without censure the German Protestant Church's comparison of Cruise to Joseph Goebbels.

Teresa Budasi of the Chicago Sun-Times describes the book as "fascinating", although Budasi also raises a "question as to what's true and what isn't." [14] Budasi sums up her impression of the work, writing "Morton's book is as much an indictment on Cruise's chosen faith as it is the life story of one of the world's biggest movie stars. And by the end you realize that 'Scientologist' is what will end up being the role of his lifetime." [14] In a review in The Buffalo News , Jeff Simon writes of the author: "To give Morton the credit he's clearly due: he is one of the best around at constructing a 250-page gossip column." [15]

Upon its publication, Cruise's lawyer and the Church of Scientology released statements questioning the truthfulness of assertions made by Morton in the book. In a 15-page statement released to the press, the Church of Scientology calls the book "a bigoted, defamatory assault replete with lies". [16] The book was not published in the UK, Australia, or New Zealand due to strict libel laws in those countries. [17]

Other publications

Morton received public attention after Diana's death, when he revealed the extent of her collaborations with him. He achieved greater prominence in the United States after the publication of Monica's Story. After Monica's Story, Morton investigated a mining disaster, which led to his first non-royal journalistic account, Nine for Nine: The Pennsylvania Mine Rescue Miracle. He also wrote an authorised biography of Kenyan president Daniel arap Moi. The book resulted in a libel case brought against Morton by a Kenyan judge – Morton lost the case and was ordered to pay £45,700 in damages. [18] Morton then moved on to the "king and queen of pop culture", as he termed them, David Beckham and his wife Victoria. Posh and Becks became a No. 1 best-seller in the UK. [ citation needed ]

Soon after, Morton announced that he would be taking on the "queen of pop", Madonna. Despite a seven-figure advance by St. Martin's Press and a 500,000-copy first printing, Madonna failed to make waves in North America, where it spent only two weeks on The New York Times best-seller list (peaking at No. 8). By contrast, J. Randy Taraborrelli's Madonna: An Intimate Biography , released at the same time, became a massive best-seller in the United Kingdom (although it only made The New York Times extended best-seller list). Morton subsequently wrote another Diana book titled In Pursuit of Love, with information that he had left unaddressed, which made The New York Times best-seller list. [ citation needed ]

Morton also wrote an unauthorised biography of Angelina Jolie. [19] Janet Maslin highlighted the lack of sources noted in the book in a review in The New York Times, saying "the people most eager to tell him about Ms. Jolie are people who don't know her, so that the book is shrink-wrapped in glib insights from dubious psychiatric talents". [20] Allen Barra described it as "the worst book in the 21st century so far" in a Salon review which summarised the book as "ill-informed, moralistic and just plain mean". [21]

Works

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Cruise</span> American actor (born 1962)

Thomas Cruise Mapother IV is an American actor and producer. Regarded as a Hollywood icon, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for four Academy Awards. His films have grossed over $4 billion in North America and over $11.5 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing box-office stars of all time. He is consistently one of the world's highest-paid actors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Miscavige</span> Leader of the Church of Scientology (born 1960)

David Miscavige is the second and current leader of the Church of Scientology. His official title within the organization is Chairman of the Board of the Religious Technology Center (RTC), a corporation that controls the trademarks and copyrights of Dianetics and Scientology. He is also referred to within the Scientology organization as "DM", "C.O.B." or "Captain of the Sea Org".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power</span> 1991 newsmagazine article on Scientology

"The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power" is an article, written in 1991 by U.S. investigative journalist Richard Behar, which is highly critical of Scientology. It was first published by Time magazine on May 6, 1991, as an eight-page cover story, and was later published in Reader's Digest in October 1991. Behar had previously published an article on Scientology in Forbes magazine. He stated that he was investigated by attorneys and private investigators affiliated with the Church of Scientology while researching the Time article, and that investigators contacted his friends and family as well. Behar's article covers topics including L. Ron Hubbard and the development of Scientology, its controversies over the years and history of litigation, conflict with psychiatry and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, the suicide of Noah Lottick, its status as a religion, and its business dealings.

Jessica Feshbach, also known as Jessica Feshbach Rodriguez and Jessica Davis, is an American former official within the Church of Scientology organization. The daughter of a family with a long tradition in Scientology, she attended The Delphian School in Yamhill County, Oregon, a Scientology school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tory Christman</span> American critic of Scientology (born 1947)

Tory Christman is a prominent American critic of Scientology and former member of the organization. Originally brought up a Catholic, Christman turned to Scientology after being introduced to the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health authored by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard while staying with her parents in Chicago. She identified with concepts described in the book including the idea of attaining the Scientology state of clear, and became a member of the organization in 1969. She hitchhiked from Chicago to Los Angeles, in order to begin the process of studying Scientology, and initially felt that it helped improve her life. In 1972, she joined the core group of staff members within Scientology called the Sea Org. After being a member of the Scientology organization for ten years, Christman reached the spiritual Operating Thetan level of OT III, and learned the story of Xenu. She subsequently rose to a higher Operating Thetan level of OT VII, the second-highest within the organization. Her medical condition of epilepsy caused difficulty while in Scientology, as the organization did not approve of taking medication in order to manage her condition.

<i>A Very Merry Unauthorized Childrens Scientology Pageant</i> Satirical musical about Scientology

A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant is a satirical musical about Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard, written by Kyle Jarrow from a concept by Alex Timbers, the show's original director. Jarrow based the story of the one-act, one-hour musical on Hubbard's writings and Church of Scientology literature. The musical follows the life of Hubbard as he develops Dianetics and then Scientology. Though the musical pokes fun at Hubbard's science fiction writing and personal beliefs, it has been called a "deadpan presentation" of his life story. Topics explored in the piece include Dianetics, the E-meter, Thetans, and the story of Xenu. The show was originally presented in 2003 in New York City by Les Freres Corbusier, an experimental theater troupe, enjoying sold-out Off-Off-Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. Later productions have included Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology and sex</span> Sexual views and teachings

The beliefs and practices of Scientology include material related to sex and the rearing of children, which collectively form the second dynamic in Scientology. These beliefs and practices are based on the written works of Church of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Davis (Scientology)</span> American financial executive

Thomas William Davis is an American financial executive. From 2005 to 2011, Davis was head of external affairs and the chief spokesperson of the Church of Scientology International and Senior Vice President at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International from the early 1990s. Between 2011 and 2013, Davis did not make any public appearances in the media. In June 2013, it was revealed that Davis and his wife had relocated from Gold Base in Riverside County, California, to Austin, Texas. He currently resides in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology in Australia</span>

Scientology has existed in Australia since the early 1950s. The number of Scientology adherents varies depending upon the source; according to the Australian Census, it has a declining population: 1,655 members in 2021, down from 1,681 in 2016 and 2,163 in 2011, while Scientology itself has claimed 150,000 members in Australia. It has headquarters in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra, along with a mission in Tasmania and Brisbane. Church of Scientology Sydney is the regional headquarters for the entire Asian and Pacific area.

<i>Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography</i> 2008 book by Andrew Morton

Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography is an unauthorized biography of actor Tom Cruise, written by Andrew Morton. The book was published in the United States in hardcover format on January 15, 2008, by St. Martin's Press, with a first printing of 400,000 copies, and an audio format on five CDs by Macmillan Audio.

Jenna Miscavige Hill is an American former Scientologist. After leaving the Church of Scientology in 2005, she has become an outspoken critic of the organization. She had been a third-generation Scientologist, the granddaughter of Ron Miscavige Sr., the daughter of Elizabeth "Bitty" Miscavige and Ron Miscavige Jr. and the niece of current Scientology leader David Miscavige. Her book Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape, recounting her experience growing up and living within the Scientology movement, was published by HarperCollins in 2013. She now runs a website which she co-founded with other ex-Scientologists which provides support and discussion for people either in the church or who have left.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karin Pouw</span> Scientology official

Karin Pouw is a French-born American official within the Church of Scientology International. Since 1993, she has held the position of Director of Public Affairs in the Office of Special Affairs (OSA) and serves as one of Scientology's international spokespersons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Carmichael (Scientology)</span> Scientology official

John Carmichael is president of the Church of Scientology of New York. Carmichael was born a Presbyterian and became involved in Scientology after reading the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health while attending Cornell University. He became an ordained minister with the Church of Scientology in 1973, and in 1985 he headed the organization's operations in the State of Oregon.

Kurt Weiland is a native of Austria and an executive in the Church of Scientology International. He is director of external affairs for the Church of Scientology's Office of Special Affairs, and Scientology's vice president of communications. He is a member of the organization's board of directors, and handles government, legal and public affairs for Scientology. He has often represented Scientology to the press as a media spokesman. Weiland works out of the Church of Scientology's offices in Los Angeles, California.

<i>Hollywood Undercover</i> 2007 book by Ian Halperin

Hollywood Undercover: Revealing the Sordid Secrets of Tinseltown is a non-fiction book about the culture of Hollywood society, written by investigative journalist and author Ian Halperin. Halperin poses as a gay man trying to become a successful actor in Hollywood, and informs individuals he is from the non-existent "Israeli royal family". He investigates rumors that the Church of Scientology reportedly claims to have a "cure" for homosexuality through "auditing", and speaks with a former Scientologist about his experiences. He also explores the casting couch phenomenon, the pornography industry, and the Oscars. Halperin meets with famous actors and celebrities, successfully obtains a talent agent, and a role in the film The Aviator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology and abortion</span> Views and policies of Scientology on abortion

The intersection of Scientology and abortion has a controversial history which began with Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's discussion of abortion in his 1950 book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. Hubbard wrote in Dianetics that abortion and attempts at abortion could cause trauma to the fetus and to the mother in both spiritual and physical ways. Scientologists came to believe that attempted abortions could cause traumatic experiences felt by the fetus, which would later be remembered as memories referred to in Scientology as "engrams". In the Scientology technique called Auditing, Scientologists are frequently queried regarding their sexual feelings and behaviors. These questions about Scientologists' sexual behavior are often posed to members during "security checks", a specific form of auditing sessions where individuals are required to document their divergence from the organization's ethics. One of the questions asked in these security checks is, "Have you ever been involved in an abortion?".

<i>Madonna</i> (book) Book by Andrew Morton

Madonna is a biography by English author Andrew Morton, chronicling the life of American recording artist Madonna. The book was released in November 2001 by St. Martin's Press in the United States and by Michael O'Mara Books in the United Kingdom. Morton decided to write a biography on Madonna in 2000. The release was announced in April 2001 by St. Martin's Press. President and publisher Sally Richardson described the biography to contain details about Madonna's ambitions, her relationships and her lifestyle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angelina Jolie filmography</span>

American actress Angelina Jolie made her screen debut in the comedy film Lookin' to Get Out (1982), acting alongside her father Jon Voight. Eleven years later, she appeared in her next feature, the low-budget film Cyborg 2 (1993), a commercial failure. She then starred as a teenage hacker in the science fiction thriller Hackers (1995), which went on to be a cult film despite performing poorly at the box-office. Jolie's career prospects improved with a supporting role in the made-for-television film George Wallace (1997), for which she received the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television Film. She made her breakthrough the following year in HBO's television film Gia (1998). For her performance in the title role of fashion model Gia Carangi, she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Film.

This is a bibliography of books critical of Scientology and the Church of Scientology, sorted by alphabetical order of titles.

References

  1. ↑ Ballinger, Lauren (21 May 2016). "12 reasons you should never go to Dewsbury". Huddersfield Examiner. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  2. ↑ Parkinson, J. (2021). "My Best Teacher;Interview;Andrew Morton". Tes. For teaching. Retrieved 27 July 2021. The teacher who had the most influence on me was my history teacher at Temple Moor Grammar School in Leeds...Everyone in the sixth form collectively decided not to apply to Oxbridge because we felt that it was too elitist. We went for trendier universities and I chose Sussex..
  3. ↑ Ross, Deborah (1 December 1997). "Interview: Andrew Morton: He couldn't shout: 'Diana was in on this.'" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  4. 1 2 Brauer, Lydia; Vickie Rutledge Shields (1999). "Princess Diana's celebrity in freeze-frame". European Journal of Cultural Studies . 2 (5): 5–25. doi:10.1177/136754949900200101. S2CID   145288186.
  5. ↑ "The Princess and the Press: The Andrew Morton book controversy". PBS. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  6. ↑ Lawson, Mark (4 October 1997). "Morton's betrayal in turning death to credit". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  7. ↑ Mallick, Heather (19 October 1997). "Authorized biographer of Princess Diana, talks about her violent death, and the punishment he's taking for his new book". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 1 September 2022– via PBS.
  8. ↑ William & Catherine: Their Story: Amazon.co.uk: Andrew Morton: 9780312643409: Books. ASIN   0312643403.
  9. ↑ Jacobs, Alexandra (13 November 2022). "Yet Another Serving From the Royals Banquet". The New York Times . Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  10. ↑ Chernock, Arianne (13 November 2022). "Review – Princess Diana confided in Andrew Morton. What more is there to divulge?". The Washington Post . Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  11. ↑ Maslin, Janet (10 January 2008). "Tom Cruise and His Bully Pulpit". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 5 July 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
  12. ↑ Harris, Mark (9 January 2008). "Review: New Cruise biography comes up empty". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on 12 January 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
  13. ↑ Calhoun, Ada (17 February 2008). "Scientology's Star". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  14. 1 2 Budasi, Teresa (17 January 2008). "REVIEW: Cruise bio describes his best role: Scientologist – Focus on 'cult' doesn't make movie star more interesting". Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
  15. ↑ Simon, Jeff (19 January 2008). "A dangerous man, or a falling star?". The Buffalo News . Archived from the original on 22 January 2008. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  16. ↑ "Author of Cruise bio defends book". CNN. 16 January 2008. Archived from the original on 19 January 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
  17. ↑ "Video Player". NBC News . 15 January 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
  18. ↑ "Morton moves on from legal defeat with life of Cruise" [ dead link ], The Evening Standard , 20 October 2005
  19. ↑ "Angelina Jolie Described As 'Beguiling, Elusive' in Andrew Morton's New Book". Us Weekly. 12 July 2010.
  20. ↑ Maslin, Janet (25 July 2010). "A Home-Wrecking Humanitarian, Footnote Free". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  21. ↑ Barra, Allen (11 August 2010). "Andrew Morton's 'Angelina': The worst book of the decade". Salon. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.