Trax Colton

Trax Colton
Born
Louis A. Morelli

(1929-05-26)May 26, 1929
Highland Park, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedAugust 30, 2025(2025-08-30) (aged 96)
Monte Nido, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1960–1962

One afternoon last year, a young actor named Louis Morelli walked into an office in Hollywood. When he walked out, his name was Trax Colton. No one had ever heard of him before, and no one has heard of him since.

— Time magazine on 23 March 1962[1]

A lad billed as Trax Colton may be our next matinee idol.

— Dorothy Kilgallen on 22 March 1961[2]

Louis A. Morelli (May 26, 1929 – August 30, 2025), known professionally as Trax Colton, was an American film actor who appeared in two features as a contract player for 20th Century Fox between 1960 and 1962.[1]

Life and career

Colton was born in Highland Park, New Jersey on May 26, 1929, to Catherine De Angelis and Angelo Morelli, both of Italy. He had a sister, Martha Morelli.[3] He was working as a used car salesman when he was discovered by Henry Willson, a Hollywood talent agent who had discovered Rock Hudson, Tab Hunter, Clint Walker, and Rory Calhoun, who changed his name to Trax Colton.[4]

Colton signed an exclusive contract with 20th Century Fox in 1960 and was given a small part in the film adaptation of The Marriage-Go-Round (1961), starring Susan Hayward and James Mason. Soon thereafter, he was given a lead role in It Happened in Athens, a comedy plotting the adventures surrounding a winner at the first modern Olympic games in 1896. He played Spiridon Loues, a Greek shepherd who enters the Olympics as a runner. It co-starred sex symbol Jayne Mansfield, whom Colton had a brief affair with during filming.[5][6] After the picture wrapped, Hollywood columnist Mike Connolly said in a 1961 column that Colton was Fox Studios' new "combination Rudolph Valentino–Ty Power".[7] In March 1961 Dorothy Kilgallen wrote that "his only other screen credit to date was a tiny role in Marriage-Go-Round but the female reaction around the nation was enough to give him a bigger chance" and speculated that Colton "may be our next matinee idol".[2]

In November 1961, he screen tested for a film entitled Celebration for the part of a man who convinces Joanne Woodward to perform in a pornographic film.[8] Celebration had been the film's working title, it was eventually produced in 1963 as The Stripper with Robert Webber in the role.[9]

It Happened in Athens was released in 1962, but by that time, Colton had been released from his studio contract and stopped making movies.[1]

Colton died in Monte Nido, California on August 30, 2025, at the age of 96.[10][11]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1961 The Marriage-Go-Round Crew Cut / Party Guest
1962 It Happened in Athens Spiridon Loues (final film role)

References

  1. ^ a b c "Egos: Melting the Pot". Time magazine. 23 March 1962.
  2. ^ a b "Ginger Will Be TV Fashion Plate". Daily Reporter of Dover, Ohio. King Features. 22 March 1961 – via Newspapers.com.(subscription required)
  3. ^ "Louis Morelli in the 1930 US census living in Highland Park, New Jersey". 1930. Retrieved 2016-01-05.
  4. ^ "Old Hollywood's gay Pygmalion".
  5. ^ James Robert Parish (20 December 2010). The Hollywood Book of Breakups. p. 259. ISBN 9781118040676.
  6. ^ Jocelyn Faris (1994). Jayne Mansfield. p. 92. ISBN 9780313285448.
  7. ^ Connolly, Mike (March 1, 1961). "In Hollywood". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  8. ^ Mike Connolly (2 November 1961). "Notes From Hollywood". Pasadena Independent.
  9. ^ Sanders, Ed (2016). Sharon Tate: A Life. Da Capo Press. p. 15. ISBN 9780306822407. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  10. ^ "Louis A. Morelli". Tribute Archive. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
  11. ^ Barnes, Mike (16 September 2025). "Trax Colton, Jayne Mansfield's Co-Star in 'It Happened in Athens,' Dies at 96". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
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