Though he has amassed many classical stage credits, Morton initially established himself in Broadway musicals. After debuting in 1968 in "Hair", he went on to star in the musical version of "Two Gentlemen of Verona". He earned a Tony nomination for his starring role in "Raisin", the surprisingly effective musical version of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun". A regular on several TV series, his small-screen movie credits include the docudrama "Challenger" (1990), as astronaut Dr. Ronald McNair; and "Howard Beach: Making the Case for Murder" (1989), as Cedric Sandiford. Morton's intelligent, serious demeanor often led to roles as professionals--doctors, lawyers scientists, and elected officials. He starred as a lawyer on the ensemble dramatic series "Equal Justice" (ABC, 1990-91) and proved convincing as a suave senatorial candidate who got romantically involved with Jasmine Guy on several episodes of "A Different World" (NBC, 1992). He also played the recurring role of a policeman in Robert De Niro's first (and fleeting) TV project, "Tribeca" (1993).
Morton's recent feature credits include supporting roles in "Of Mice and Men" (1992) and "Speed" (1994). He starred in Matty Rich's "The Inkwell" (also 1994) as the still militant, former Black Panther father of the youthful protagonist. Since the mid-90s, the actor has attempted to find steady work in series TV, with little success. "Under One Roof" (CBS, 1994) was a gentle ensemble family drama that couldn't find its audience. "New York News" (CBS, 1995) cast Morton as the managing editor of a tabloid newspaper and even with the presence of Mary Tyler Moore in the cast, it proved short-lived. Of even less duration was "Prince Street" (NBC, 1997), an intriguing police drama that lasted only two episodes. Morton once again braved the airwaves in "Mercy Point" (UPN, 1998), described as an "ER" in outer space but that too died a quick death. He rebounded by returning to the stage, appearing with Judd Hirsch and George Wendt in the award-winning Broadway play "Art".