Robert Morse, star of Mad Men and Broadway, dies aged 90

Robert Morse, who starred in the hit US drama Mad Men, has died at the age of 90. His most well known role was as Bert Cooper, the head of the show’s advertising agency, who gave his surname to the company Sterling Cooper.

In a career spanning nearly 60 years, he appeared in about 100 theatre, TV and film productions, having first made his name in 1961 in a stage adaptation of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, based on Shepherd Mead’s best-selling book – for which he won the Tony award for best actor in a musical.

It was a feat he would follow up in 1990, winning the Tony for best featured actor in a play, for his turn as Truman Capote in the play Tru. It not only made him one of only four actors to ever win the top acting Tonys for play and musical, but also earned him an Emmy award three years later when a live performance of the show was broadcast on TV.

His role as the eccentric founder of Mad Men’s ad agency shot him to international fame, earning him nominations for five Emmy awards, and a Screen Actor’s Guild award win, as part of the ensemble cast. His final episode saw him drawing on his Broadway skills for a big musical number following his death, as he performed a song-and-dance routine to The Best Things in Life Are Free, having peacefully died during Neil Armstrong’s 1969 moon landing.

“My good pal Bobby Morse has passed away at age 90,” tweeted Larry Karaszewski, the writer/producer and VP on the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “A huge talent and a beautiful spirit. Sending love to his son Charlie & daughter Allyn. Had so much fun hanging with Bobby over the years – filming People v OJ & hosting so many screenings (How To Succeed, Loved One, That’s Life).”