Robert Morse Biography

Robert Alan Morse was born in Newton, Massachusetts on May 18, 1931. He was the second child of Charles Morse, an assistant manager at a record store, and Mary Silver.

Some of his most notable Broadway performances are ‘Say, Darling’ (1958), ‘Take Me Along’ (1959), ‘Some Like it Hot’ (1959), ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’ (1961), and ‘Sugar’ (1972).

Morse entered the world of cinema with ‘The Proud and Profane’ in 1956, and followed it up by working in ‘The Cardinal’ (1963), ‘Honeymoon Hotel’ (1964), ‘The Loved One’ (1965), ‘A Guide for the Married Man’ (1967), ‘Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad’ (1967), ‘Where Were You When the Lights Went Out’ (1968), ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’ (1967), ‘Hunk’ (1987), and ‘The Emperor's New Clothes’ (1987).

When he was enjoying a very successful run on Broadway, he started making appearances on television as well. Some of his TV roles include ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents’ (1959), ‘Play of the Week’ (1959 - 1960), ‘Naked City’ (1961), ‘Car 54, Where Are You’ (1964), ‘That's Life’ (1968), ‘Love, American Style’ (1971 - 74), ‘Fantasy Island’ (1978), ‘All My Children’ (1982), ‘One Day at a Time’ (1983), ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ (1984), ‘Murder, She Wrote’ (1985), ‘Trapper John, M.D.’ (1985), ‘The Twilight Zone’ (1985) and ‘Mad Men’ (2007).

Morse also did voice acting in animated films, and his most memorable performance was in the Hanna Barbara series ‘Pound Puppies’ between 1986 and 1987.

Robert Morse was cast as Barnaby Tucker, an adorable apprentice, in ‘The Matchmaker’ (1958), an original Broadway production. It was a huge success and after a 486-performance run, it was adapted into a film in 1958, with Morse again being cast as Barnaby Tucker.

He played the ever-ambitious J. Pierpont Finch in the musical ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’, singing his signature song ‘I Believe in You’ while looking at himself in the mirror. He repeated his performance when the play was made into a film in 1967.

Morse appeared in ‘Tru’ (1989), playing the role of Truman Capote. This was a perfect role for Morse as his character Truman shared many similarities with his real-life persona.

Robert Morse married Carole D’Andrea on April 8, 1961. They had three daughters together: Andrea Morse, Hilary Morse, and Robin Morse. Morse divorced Carole in 1981.

His daughters Robin and Hilary are actresses; while Andrea Morse only acted until the age of 25. After that, she quit acting and started working in Tom Cruise's company.

Morse married Elizabeth Roberts in 1989. They had a daughter, Allyn Elizabeth, and a son, Charles Robert.

He breathed his last on April 20, 2022. He was 90 years old.

Robert Morse was an accomplished Broadway actor, having won a Tony Award for his role in the musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying."

In addition to his successful stage career, Morse was also known for his work in film and television, including his memorable role as Bertram Cooper on the hit series "Mad Men."

Morse had a unique talent for comedic timing and physical humor, which endeared him to audiences over the years.

Outside of acting, Morse was also a talented singer and performed in various musical productions throughout his career.

Despite his many accolades and achievements, Morse remained humble and down-to-earth, always gracious to his fans and colleagues.