orig. John Kingsley Orton
born Jan. 1, 1933, Leicester, Leicestershire, Eng.
died Aug. 9, 1967, London
British dramatist.
Originally an unsuccessful actor, he turned to writing, finding success in 1964 when his radio play The Ruffian on the Stair was broadcast by the BBC. His three full-length plays, Entertaining Mr. Sloane (1964), Loot (1965), and What the Butler Saw (produced posthumously, 1969), were black comedies that scandalized audiences with their examination of moral corruption, violence, and sexual rapacity. Orton's career was cut short when he was murdered by K.L. Halliwell, his lifelong companion, who afterward committed suicide.