Timeline: Playwright- Joe Orton

Jan 1, 1933

Born on January 1st, 1933

Born as John Kingsley Orton on Jan. 1st, 1933 in Leicester, England at Causeway Lane Maternity Hospital to William Arthur Orton and Elsie Mary Orton.

1935

Family

Orton's younger brother Douglas Orton was born.

1938

Family

Younger sister Marilyn Orton was born.

1944

Family

Youngest sister Leonie Orton was born.

1945

School

Orton attends Clark's College in Leicester and takes a secretarial course from 1945 to 1947 after failing the Eleven-Plus exam.

1949

Theater

Orton starts to gain an interest in theater and joined clubs and groups like the Leicester Dramatic Society.

1950

College

Orton applied to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He had gotten in with a scholarship.

1951

Kenneth Halliwell

At RADA, Orton met Halliwell who he became close with and helped him evolve his writing.

1951

Orton moves in with Halliwell

Orton and Halliwell move in together and build a close bond. They begin to date.

1953

Graduate

Orton and Halliwell graduate from RADA.

1953

Writing

Orton beings to write novels and manuscripts with Halliwell helping him and as his collaborator.

1953

Queen Elizabeth II becomes queen

Elizabeth II becomes queen after King George VI.

Jul 4, 1954

WWII rationing ends

Rationing of food officially ended after WWII.

1959

Book stealing

John and Kenneth would go to libraries and steal the books. They would then alter the book jackets.

1962

Jail

Orton and Halliwell get caught for stealing and altering book covers. They go to jail for 6 months.

1963

Breakthrough

Orton writes "The Boy Hairdresser." BBC had bought it from Orton. It was rewritten and re-named "The Ruffian on the Stair", for television and was broadcasted. The play was a comedy act about the working class of England.

Nov 22, 1963

JFK assassination

John F. Kennedy, president of the USA was shot

1964

Loot

Loot was another big thing Oroton wrote that was performed. It was built on black comedy and farce and a parody of detective fiction. The play was shown multiple times and some failed and some succeeded. Paul McCartney had invested £1,000 in this play.

1967

Decriminalization of homosexuality in the UK

Homosexuality was partially not a crime

1967

Plays and Novels

Orton wrote at least 10 plays and unpublished novels. One of his novels was published after his death. Some of his most famous plays are Entertaining Mr. Sloane, Loot, and What the Butler Saw.Orton wrote a lot of black comedies with dark humor, which shocked audiences. He was a gay man who had written queer topics in a time where it was illegal.

Apr 3, 1967

Screenplay for the Beatles

Orton was a big fan of the Beatles and during their peak. He had written them a screenplay for a film after it was commissioned to be their third movie. The band declined it for being too outrageous. It was later published after his death and called "Up Against It."

Aug 9, 1967

Death

Joe Orton was murdered at 34 by his lover, Halliwell. Halliwell bludgeoned him with a hammer and then killed himself. He died in Islington, London, United Kingdom

1970

Award

Orton also won the Obie Award for Best Foreign Play for his play "What the Butler Saw." This play is about a psychiatrist, Dr. Prentice who tries to seduce a job applicant, Geraldine Barclay at his clinic.