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'''Robert Xavier Morse''' (born May 18, 1931) is an ] ] and singer. Morse is best known for his appearances in ] and ] on ]. He has also acted in ] and ] shows. His best known role is that of J. Pierrepont Finch in the 1961 Broadway musical and 1967 film '']''. He is currently known for his recurring role as ] on the show '']''. '''Robert Xavier Morse''' (born May 18, 1931) is an ] ] and singer. Morse is best known for his appearances in ] and ] on ]. He has also acted in ] and ] shows. His best known role is that of J. Pierrepont Finch in the 1961 Broadway musical and 1967 film '']''. He is currently known for his recurring role as ] on the show "]."


==Early life== ==Early life==
{{Expand section|date=July 2012}} {{Expand section|date=July 2012}}
Morse was born on May 18, 1931 in ] at St. Mary's General Hospital. He was the second of Joseph Xavier's and Edna Morse's eight children and mostly raised in ] having his family moved there when he was one. He was ten when his father died in a car accident, and his mother, who suffered a nervous breakdown afterwards, was committed to a mental institution in Florida. Therefore, young Robert and his siblings were forced to live with their maternal grandparents John and Nancy Porter in Cambridge. Around this time, in able to escape stress of what was going on in his life, Morse would regularly pay trips to the movie theater seeing the new movies of the day and quickly developing idols like: Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Bette Davis, Leslie Howard, Orson Welles, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn while Alfred Hitchcock, John Huston and Billy Wilder were his favorites in the director category. Soon, starting at thirteen, he began appearing in school productions like: ''Romeo and Juliet'', ''When Christopher Columbus Discovered America'' and ''The Dark Allies of New York''. It was also around thirteen he declared in the future he was gonna become an actor and hoped for nothing to stand in his way. He would go on to graduate high school in 1949 and spent the next year working as a ditch digger, newspaper deliveryman, waiter, drugstore clerk and bodybuilder before joining the Navy and being sent off to fight in Korea in 1950. After serving in the ] during the ], Morse appeared on Broadway as an actor. Morse was born on May 18, 1931 in ] at St. Mary's General Hospital. He was the second of Joseph Xavier's and Edna Morse's eight children and mostly raised in ] his family having moved there when he was one. He was ten when his father died in a car accident, and his mother, who suffered a nervous breakdown afterwards, was committed to a mental institution in Florida. Therefore, young Robert and his siblings were forced to live with their maternal grandparents, John and Nancy Porter, in Cambridge. Around this time, unable to escape the stresses in his life, Morse would regularly pay trips to the movie theater, seeing the new movies of the day and quickly developing idols like ], ], ], ], ], ] and ], while ], ] and ] were his favorite directors. Beginning at thirteen, he began appearing in school productions like: "]," "]" and "]." It was also around thirteen that he declared his plans to become an actor and hoped that nothing would stand in his way. He graduated from high school in 1949 and spent the next year working as a ditch digger, newspaper deliveryman, waiter, drugstore clerk and bodybuilder before joining the Navy and being sent off to fight in Korea in 1950. After serving in the ] during the ], Morse appeared on Broadway as an actor.


==Career== ==Career==
He created the role of Barnaby in '']'' on Broadway in 1955 opposite ] and reprised the role in the ], this time opposite ]. That same year, he won the ] and was nominated for the ] for ] for '']''. Morse had to lobby David Merrick for a role in Take Me Along, as there was a question if he could, at 28, play a convincing 16 year old. He could and did. What was considered the final step toward full stardom was his performance as J. Pierrepont Finch in the Pulitzer Prize-winning '']'' it won him the Tony for ] in 1962.<ref>{{cite web|title=TonyAwards.com - The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards - Official Website by IBM|url=http://www.tonyawards.com/p/tonys_search?start=0&year=1962&show=%3Ci%3EHow+to+Succeed+in+Business+Without+Really+Trying%3C%2Fi%3E|publisher=IBM Corp., Tony Award Productions|accessdate=10 March 2011}}</ref> He also starred in ] He created the role of Barnaby in "]" on Broadway in 1955 opposite ] and reprised the role in the 1958 film adaptation of ], this time opposite ]. That same year, he won the ] and was nominated for the ] for "]." Morse had to lobby David Merrick for a role in "]," as there was a question as to whether he could, at 28, play a convincing 16 year old. He could and did. What was considered the final step toward full stardom was his performance as ] in the Pulitzer Prize-winning "]." It won him the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical in 1962.<ref>{{cite web|title=TonyAwards.com - The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards - Official Website by IBM|url=http://www.tonyawards.com/p/tonys_search?start=0&year=1962&show=%3Ci%3EHow+to+Succeed+in+Business+Without+Really+Trying%3C%2Fi%3E|publisher=IBM Corp., Tony Award Productions|accessdate=10 March 2011}}</ref> He also starred in ]


In 1964, Morse co-starred in the comedy '']''. In 1965, Morse appeared in the ] '']'', a movie based on the ] ] that satirized the ] business in ], in particular the ]. In 1967, he co-starred in '']'' opposite Walter Matthau. In 1968, he appeared in the comedy '']'' opposite ]. In the same year, he appeared in the television series '']'', which attempted to blend the musical genre with a situation comedy centered on newlyweds "Robert" and "Gloria" (played by ]).<ref></ref> In 1964, Morse co-starred in the comedy film "]." In 1965, Morse appeared in the black comedy film "]," a movie based on the ] ] that satirized the ] business in ], in particular the ]. In 1967, he co-starred in "]," opposite ]. In 1968, he appeared in the comedy "]" opposite ]. In the same year, he appeared in the 1968 television series ]," which attempted to blend the musical genre with a situation comedy centered on newlyweds "Robert" and "Gloria" (played by ]).<ref></ref>


Morse was in the original Broadway cast of '']'', a 1972 musical stage adaptation of '']'', for which he was nominated for another Tony. He won a Tony for ] and the ] for his portrayal of ] in '']'' (1989). In 1992, he recreated his performance for the ] series '']'' and won the ] as Best Actor in a Miniseries or Special. In 2002, Morse was cast in the role of ] in the ] run of the musical '']'', but quit the show before it opened on Broadway. He was replaced by ].<ref name=grimmerie>{{cite book | author=David Cote | title=Wicked: The Grimmerie: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Hit Broadway Musical|publisher=Hyperion| year=2005|isbn=1-4013-0820-1 }}</ref> Morse was in the original Broadway cast of "]," a 1972 musical stage adaptation of "]," for which he was nominated for another Tony. He won a Tony for ] and the ] for his portrayal of ] in "]" (1989). In 1992, he recreated his performance for the ] series "]" and won the ] as ]. In 2002, Morse was cast in the role of the ] in the ] run of the musical ]," but quit the show before it opened on Broadway. He was replaced by ].<ref name=grimmerie>{{cite book | author=David Cote | title=Wicked: The Grimmerie: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Hit Broadway Musical|publisher=Hyperion| year=2005|isbn=1-4013-0820-1 }}</ref>


Morse joined other performers, including ], in creating the 1972 '']'' children's album. Morse joined other performers, including ], in creating the 1972 "]" children's album.


He also provided the voice for the cartoon character Howler in ]'s '']''. He also provided the voice for the cartoon character Howler in ]'s '']''.

Revision as of 01:20, 24 September 2012

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Robert Morse
photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1958
Born (1931-05-18) May 18, 1931 (age 93)
Newton, Massachusetts, U.S.
OccupationActor/Singer
Years active1953–present
Spouse(s)Carol Ann D'Andreá (1961-1981)
Elizabeth Roberts (1989-present)

Robert Xavier Morse (born May 18, 1931) is an American actor and singer. Morse is best known for his appearances in musicals and plays on Broadway. He has also acted in movies and television shows. His best known role is that of J. Pierrepont Finch in the 1961 Broadway musical and 1967 film How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He is currently known for his recurring role as Bertram Cooper on the show "Mad Men."

Early life

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2012)

Morse was born on May 18, 1931 in Newton, Massachusetts at St. Mary's General Hospital. He was the second of Joseph Xavier's and Edna Morse's eight children and mostly raised in Boston, Massachusetts his family having moved there when he was one. He was ten when his father died in a car accident, and his mother, who suffered a nervous breakdown afterwards, was committed to a mental institution in Florida. Therefore, young Robert and his siblings were forced to live with their maternal grandparents, John and Nancy Porter, in Cambridge. Around this time, unable to escape the stresses in his life, Morse would regularly pay trips to the movie theater, seeing the new movies of the day and quickly developing idols like Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Bette Davis, Leslie Howard, Orson Welles, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, while Alfred Hitchcock, John Huston and Billy Wilder were his favorite directors. Beginning at thirteen, he began appearing in school productions like: "Romeo and Juliet," "When Christopher Columbus Discovered America" and "The Dark Allies of New York." It was also around thirteen that he declared his plans to become an actor and hoped that nothing would stand in his way. He graduated from high school in 1949 and spent the next year working as a ditch digger, newspaper deliveryman, waiter, drugstore clerk and bodybuilder before joining the Navy and being sent off to fight in Korea in 1950. After serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, Morse appeared on Broadway as an actor.

Career

He created the role of Barnaby in "The Matchmaker" on Broadway in 1955 opposite Ruth Gordon and reprised the role in the 1958 film adaptation of "The Matchmaker,", this time opposite Shirley Booth. That same year, he won the Theatre World Award and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play, Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play for "Say, Darling." Morse had to lobby David Merrick for a role in "Take Me Along," as there was a question as to whether he could, at 28, play a convincing 16 year old. He could and did. What was considered the final step toward full stardom was his performance as J. Pierrepont Finch in the Pulitzer Prize-winning "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." It won him the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical in 1962. He also starred in the 1967 movie version

In 1964, Morse co-starred in the comedy film "Quick, Before It Melts." In 1965, Morse appeared in the black comedy film "The Loved One," a movie based on the Evelyn Waugh novel that satirized the funeral business in Los Angeles, in particular the Forest Lawn Cemetery. In 1967, he co-starred in "A Guide for the Married Man," opposite Walter Matthau. In 1968, he appeared in the comedy "Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?" opposite Doris Day. In the same year, he appeared in the 1968 television series That's Life," which attempted to blend the musical genre with a situation comedy centered on newlyweds "Robert" and "Gloria" (played by E. J. Peaker).

Morse was in the original Broadway cast of "Sugar," a 1972 musical stage adaptation of "Some Like It Hot," for which he was nominated for another Tony. He won a Tony for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show for his portrayal of Truman Capote in "Tru" (1989). In 1992, he recreated his performance for the PBS series "American Playhouse" and won the Emmy Award as Best Actor in a Miniseries or Special. In 2002, Morse was cast in the role of the Wizard of Oz in the San Francisco run of the musical Wicked," but quit the show before it opened on Broadway. He was replaced by Joel Grey.

Morse joined other performers, including Marlo Thomas, in creating the 1972 "Free to Be... You and Me" children's album.

He also provided the voice for the cartoon character Howler in Hanna Barbera's Pound Puppies. Another famous role he played was Jack in the 1979 animated Rankin/Bass special Jack Frost. In The First Easter Rabbit,also by Rankin/Bass, he was the voice of the main character, Stuffy. Morse has appeared in numerous TV shows, beginning in 1955 with the soap opera The Secret Storm and including mysteries, comedies, and variety shows. He had featured roles in the 1993 miniseries Wild Palms and the 2000 medical drama City of Angels. In 1995, Robert portrayed Grandpa in the Fox telefilm Here Come the Munsters. He also appeared as Boss Hogg's devious nephew, Dewey Hogg, in The Dukes Of Hazzard sixth season episode How to Succeed in Hazzard.

Beginning in 2007, Morse took on a recurring role in the AMC dramatic series Mad Men as Bertram Cooper, a partner in the advertising agency Sterling Cooper, for which role he was nominated for an Emmy Award for outstanding guest actor in 2008, 2010 and again in 2011.

Personal life

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2012)

Morse has married twice and has five children.

References

  1. "TonyAwards.com - The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards - Official Website by IBM". IBM Corp., Tony Award Productions. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  2. tv.com entry for That's Life
  3. David Cote (2005). Wicked: The Grimmerie: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Hit Broadway Musical. Hyperion. ISBN 1-4013-0820-1.

External links

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
1953–1975
1976–2000
2001–present
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical
1948–1975
1976–2000
2001–present
Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play
1947–1975
1976–2000
2001–present

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