Robert Adolph Wilton Morley, CBE (26 May 1908 – 3 June 1992) was an English actor who enjoyed a lengthy career in both Britain and the United States. He was frequently cast as a pompous English

gentleman A gentleman (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man) is any man of good and courteous conduct. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman; by definition, the r ...

representing

the Establishment ''The Establishment'' is a term used to describe a dominant group or elite that controls a polity or an organization. It may comprise a closed social group that selects its own members, or entrenched elite structures in specific institution ...

, often in supporting roles. In 1939 he received an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of King

Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...

in ''

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child a ...

''. In ''Movie Encyclopedia'', film critic Leonard Maltin describes Morley as "recognisable by his ungainly bulk, bushy eyebrows, thick lips and double chin, ... particularly effective when cast as a pompous windbag."

Ephraim Katz Ephraim Katz (11 March 1932 – 2 August 1992) was a writer, journalist and filmmaker who devoted his life to gathering the information in his book, ''The Film Encyclopedia'', first published in 1979. Biography Katz, born in Tel Aviv, stud ...

in his ''International Film Encyclopaedia'' describes Morley as "a rotund, triple-chinned, delightful character player of the British and American stage and screen." In his autobiography, ''Responsible Gentleman'', Morley said his stage career started with managements valuing his appearance for playing "substantial gentleman" roles – as a doctor, lawyer, accountant or other professional member of society.

Early life

Morley was born in Semley,

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...

, England, the son of Gertrude Emily (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Fass) and Robert Wilton Morley, a major in the British Army. His mother came from a German family that had emigrated to South Africa. Morley attended

Wellington College Wellington College may refer to: * Wellington College, Berkshire, an independent school in Crowthorne, Berkshire, England ** Wellington College International Shanghai ** Wellington College International Tianjin *Wellington College, Wellington, New ...

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Ber ...

, which he hated, followed by

RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the S ...

. As he was a famous "Old Wellingtonian", generations of headmasters tried to contact him, without success, with Morley stating "the only reason for me visiting Wellington would be to burn it down".

Career

Morley made his West End stage debut in 1929 in ''Treasure Island'' at the Strand Theatre and his Broadway debut in 1938 in the title role of ''

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...

'' at the Fulton Theatre. Although soon won over to the big screen, Morley remained both a busy West End star and successful author, as well as appearing in touring productions. Robert Morley in Marie Antoinette trailer

Robert Morley in Marie Antoinette trailer

A versatile actor, especially in his younger years, he played

in ''

'' (1938), for which he received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor. He co-wrote several plays for the stage. His 1937 play '' Goodness, How Sad'' was turned into an

Ealing Studios Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever ...

film, '' Return to Yesterday'' (1940), directed by

Robert Stevenson Robert Stevenson may refer to: * Robert Stevenson (actor and politician) (1915–1975), American actor and politician * Robert Stevenson (civil engineer) (1772–1850), Scottish lighthouse engineer * Robert Stevenson (director) (1905–1986), Engli ...

. Later, he had outstanding success in London and

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

with '' Edward, My Son'', a gripping family drama written in 1947 in collaboration with

Noel Langley Noel Langley (25 December 1911 – 4 November 1980) was a South African-born (later naturalised American) novelist, playwright, screenwriter and director. He wrote the screenplay which formed the basis for the 1939 film '' The Wizard of Oz'' an ...

. Morley played the central role of Arnold Holt, but in the disappointing film version

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...

was miscast, turning Holt, an unscrupulous English businessman, into a blustering

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

expatriate. '' Edward, My Son'' (1949) was directed by

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head ...

for

MGM-British MGM-British was a subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer initially established (as MGM London Films Denham) at Denham Film Studios in 1936. It was in limbo during the Second World War; however, following the end of hostilities, a facility was acquired ...

. Morley's acting career continued with roles as a

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...

in '' The African Queen'' (1951), '' The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan'' (1953), as W. S. Gilbert, and in ''

'' (1960). In 1959 he appeared in an ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' adaptation of a

Stanley Ellin Stanley Bernard Ellin (October 6, 1916 – July 31, 1986) was an American mystery writer. Ellin was born in Brooklyn, New York. After a brief tenure in the Army, at the insistence of his wife, Ellin began writing full time. While his novels are ...

short story entitled, 'Specialty of the House'. Ken Annakin's '' Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines'' was released 16 June 1965. In the British period

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

, Morley is featured among an international

ensemble cast In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that is composed of multiple principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17 Structure In contrast t ...

including Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles,

Terry-Thomas Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens; 10 July 19118 January 1990) was an English character actor and comedian who became internationally known through his films during the 1950s and 1960s. He often portrayed disreputable members of th ...

James Fox William Fox (born 19 May 1939), known professionally as James Fox, is an English actor. He appeared in several notable films of the 1960s and early 1970s, including '' King Rat'', '' The Servant'', ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' and ''Performan ...

Red Skelton Richard Red Skelton (July 18, 1913September 17, 1997) was an American entertainer best known for his national radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program ''The Red Skelton Show''. He has stars ...

, Benny Hill, Jean-Pierre Cassel,

Gert Fröbe Karl Gerhart "Gert" Fröbe (; 25 February 1913 – 5 September 1988) was a German actor. He was best known in English-speaking countries for his work as Auric Goldfinger in the James Bond film '' Goldfinger'', as Peachum in ''The Threepenny Ope ...

and

Alberto Sordi Alberto Sordi (15 June 1920 – 24 February 2003) was an Italian actor, voice actor, singer, comedian, director and screenwriter. Early life Born in Rome to a schoolteacher and a musician and the last of five children, Sordi was named in hon ...

. The film, revolving around the craze of early aviation circa 1910, is about a pompous newspaper magnate (Morley) who is convinced, by his daughter (Miles) and her fiancé (Fox), to organize an air race from London to Paris. A large sum of money is offered to the winner, hence it attracts a variety of characters who participate. The film received positive reviews, describing it as funny, colourful, clever and having captured the early enthusiasm for aviation. It was treated as a major production, one of only three full-length 70 mm Todd-AO Fox releases in 1965 with an intermission and musical interlude part of the original screenings."Director's Voice-over Commentary". ''Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines'' DVD, 2004. Because of the Todd-AO process, the film was an exclusive roadshow feature initially shown in deluxe Cinerama venues, where customers needed reserved seats purchased ahead of time.Munn (1983), p. 161. The film grossed $31,111,111 theatrically and on home video $29,950,000. Audience reaction both in first release and even today, is nearly universal in assessing the film as one of the "classic" aviation films. Morley also personified the conservative Englishman in many comedy and caper films. He was the face of

BOAC British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was the British state-owned airline created in 1939 by the merger of Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd. It continued operating overseas services throughout World War II. After the pa ...

(later

British Airways British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London, England, near its main hub at Heathrow Airport. The airline is the second largest UK-based carrier, based on fleet size and passengers ...

) as the merry television commercial spokesman of the 1970s with "We'll take good care of you" for British Airways. Later in his career, he received critical acclaim and numerous accolades for his performance in '' Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?'' During the 1980s, Morley hosted a celebrity cooking show on Cable TV, ''Celebrity Chefs''. In 1980, Morley hosted (providing explanatory introductions) the 14-episode Granada Television anthology series ''Ladykillers''. He was renowned as a witty raconteur and for being an eloquent conversationalist, as well as a noted and enthusiastic gourmet, in real life and in various roles in film and TV. Morley was honoured by being the first ''King of Moomba'' appointed by the

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...

Moomba festival committee and, in typical humility, he accepted the crown in bare feet. Morley was in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

touring his one-man show, ''The Sound of Morley''. In his book ''British Film Character Actors'', Terence Pettigrew wrote: "Morley, who has more wobbly chins than a

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four Direct-administered municipalities of China, direct-administered municipalities of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the ...

drinking club, enjoys poking fun at life's absurdities, among whom he generously includes himself." He was the subject of ''

This Is Your Life This Is Your Life may refer to: Television * ''This Is Your Life'' (American franchise), an American radio and television documentary biography series hosted by Ralph Edwards * ''This Is Your Life'' (Australian TV series), the Australian versio ...

'' in 1974 when he was surprised by

Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ A ...

Personal life and honours

Robert Morley married Joan Buckmaster (1910–2005), a daughter of

Dame Gladys Cooper Dame Gladys Constance Cooper, (18 December 1888 – 17 November 1971) was an English actress, theatrical manager and producer, whose career spanned seven decades on stage, in films and on television. Beginning as a teenager in Edwardian musi ...

. Their elder son, Sheridan Morley, became a writer and critic. They also had a daughter, Annabel, and another son, Wilton. Morley was appointed a Commander of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(CBE) in 1957 and was also offered a knighthood in 1975 but declined. Morley lived for decades at Wargrave, Berkshire.

Death

Morley died in

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spell ...

, England, from a

stroke A stroke is a disease, medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemorr ...

aged 84.

Theatre career

* First stage appearance in ''

Dr Syn The Reverend Doctor Christopher Syn is the smuggler hero of a series of novels by Russell Thorndike. The first book, ''Doctor Syn: A Tale of the Romney Marsh'' was published in 1915. The story idea came from smuggling in the 18th-century Romney ...

'' (Hippodrome, Margate, 28 May 1928) * First London role, a pirate in '' Treasure Island'' ( Strand Theatre, Christmas 1929) * Touring, plus Playhouse Oxford and Festival Cambridge repertory, (1931–1933) * Oakes in ''Up in the Air'' ( Royalty Theatre, London 1933) * Touring with Sir Frank Benson (1934–35) * Ran a repertory company with

Peter Bull Peter Cecil Bull, (21 March 1912 – 20 May 1984) was a British character actor who appeared in supporting roles in such films as '' The African Queen'', ''Tom Jones'', and ''Dr. Strangelove''. Biography He was the fourth and youngest son o ...

(

Perranporth Perranporth ( kw, Porthperan) is a seaside resort town on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is 1 mile east of the St Agnes Heritage Coastline, and around 8 miles south-west of Newquay. Perranporth and its long beach ...

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a Historic counties of England, historic county and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people ...

, 1935) * Title role in ''

'' (

Gate Theatre Studio Gate Theatre Studio, often referred to as simply the Gate Theatre, is a former independent theatre on Villiers Street in London. History Founded in October 1925 by Peter Godfrey and his wife Molly Veness, the theatre was originally on the top ...

, Villiers Street, London, 1936) * Alexandre Dumas in ''The Great Romancer'' (Strand Theatre and New Theatre, 1937) * Henry Higgins in '' Pygmalion'' ( Old Vic Theatre, 1937) * Title role in ''

'' ( Fulton Theatre,

, October 1938) * Title role in ''

Springtime for Henry ''Springtime for Henry'' is a 1934 American comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Otto Kruger, Nancy Carroll and Nigel Bruce. It was based on a play of the same name by the British writer Benn W. Levy which enjoyed an eight-month ru ...

'' (Perranporth, 1939) * Descius Heiss in ''Play with Fire'' (try-out version of ''The Shop at Sly Corner'',

Theatre Royal, Brighton The Theatre Royal, Brighton is a theatre in Brighton, England presenting a range of West End and touring musicals and plays, along with performances of opera and ballet. History In 1806 the Prince of Wales (later George IV) gave Royal Assent fo ...

, 1941) * Sheridan Whiteside in '' The Man Who Came to Dinner'' ( Savoy Theatre — and on tour – 1941–43) * Charles in ''Staff Dance'' (also wrote, touring UK, 1944) * Prince Regent in '' The First Gentleman'' (New Theatre and Savoy, 1945–46) * Arnold Holt in '' Edward, My Son'' (also co-wrote, His Majesty's Theatre, 1947; also played this role at the

Martin Beck Theatre The Al Hirschfeld Theatre, originally the Martin Beck Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 302 West 45th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1924, it was designed by G. Albert Lansburgh in a Moorish a ...

1948, and in

and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...

, 1949–50) * Philip in '' The Little Hut'' ( Lyric Theatre, 1950) * Hippo in ''Hippo Dancing'' (also adapted, Lyric, 1954) * Oswald Petersham in ''A Likely Tale'' (

Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend, and ...

, 1956) * Panisse in the musical '' Fanny'' (

Drury Lane Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster. Notable landmarks T ...

, 1956) * '' The Tunnel of Love'' (directed, Her Majesty's, 1957) * Sebastian Le Boeuf in ''Hook, Line and Sinker'' (also adapted, Piccadilly Theatre, 1958) * ''Once More, with Feeling'' (directed, New Theatre, 1959) * Mr Asano in '' A Majority of One'' ( Phoenix Theatre, 1960) * Title role in ''Mr Rhodes'' ( Theatre Royal Windsor, 1961) * The Bishop in ''A Time to Laugh'' (Piccadilly, 1962) * ''The Sound of Morley'' (One-man show, touring Australia 1966–67) * Sir Mallalieu Fitzbuttress in ''

Halfway Up the Tree ''Halfway Up the Tree'' is a comedy play about a British general who pretends to be a hippie.Queen's Theatre, 1967) * Frank Foster in '' How the Other Half Loves'' (Lyric, 1970; also

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

, 1972, and Australia, 1973) * Barnstable in ''A Ghost on Tiptoe'' (also co-wrote, Savoy, 1974) * Pound in '' Banana Ridge'' (Savoy, 1976) * Toured ''Robert Morley Talks to Everyone'' (1978) * ''Picture of Innocence'' (co-wrote and toured UK and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

, 1978) * Hilary in

Alan Bennett Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. Over his distinguished entertainment career he has received numerous awards and honours including two BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and two ...

's '' The Old Country'' ( Theatre Royal, Sydney, 1980)

Complete filmography

* '' Scrooge'' (1935) as Rich man (uncredited) * ''

'' (1938) as King Louis XVI * ''

You Will Remember ''You Will Remember'' is a 1941 British musical drama film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Robert Morley, Emlyn Williams and Dorothy Hyson. It portrays the life of the composer Leslie Stuart. Featured songs include, '' Tell Me Pretty Maid ...

'' (1941) as Tom Barrett / Leslie Stuart * '' Major Barbara'' (1941) as Andrew Undershaft * '' The Big Blockade'' (1942) as German: Von Geiselbrecht * ''

This Was Paris ''This Was Paris'' is a 1942 British Second World War spy film directed by John Harlow and starring Ann Dvorak, Ben Lyon and Griffith Jones. It was shot at Teddington Studios. Plot British Captain Bill Hamilton meets and is attracted to Ame ...

'' (1942) as Van Der Stuyl * ''Partners in Crime'' (1942, Short) as Judge (uncredited) * '' The Foreman Went to France'' (1942) as Mayor Coutare of Bivary * '' The Young Mr. Pitt'' (1942) as

Charles James Fox Charles James Fox (24 January 1749 – 13 September 1806), styled '' The Honourable'' from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned 38 years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was the arch-ri ...

* ''

I Live in Grosvenor Square ''I Live in Grosvenor Square'' is a British comedy-drama romance war film directed and produced by Herbert Wilcox. It was the first of Wilcox's "London films" collaboration with his wife, actress Anna Neagle. Her co-stars were Dean Jagger and ...

'' (aka ''A Yank in London'') (1945), as Duke of Exmoor * ''

The Ghosts of Berkeley Square ''The Ghosts of Berkeley Square'' is a 1947 British comedy film, directed by Vernon Sewell and starring Robert Morley and Felix Aylmer. The film is an adaptation of the 1944 novel '' No Nightingales'' by Caryl Brahms and S. J. Simon, inspired ...

'' (1947) as Gen. "Jumbo" Burlap * ''

The Small Back Room ''The Small Back Room'', released in the United States as ''Hour of Glory'', is a 1949 film by the British producer-writer-director team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger starring David Farrar and Kathleen Byron and featuring Jack Hawki ...

'' (1949) (credited as "A Guest") as The Minister (uncredited) * '' Edward, My Son'' (1949) as Cameo (uncredited) * ''

Outcast of the Islands ''Outcast of the Islands'' is a 1951 British adventure drama film directed by Carol Reed based on Joseph Conrad's 1896 novel ''An Outcast of the Islands''. The film features Trevor Howard, Ralph Richardson, Robert Morley and Wendy Hiller ...

'' (1951) as Elmer Almayer * '' The African Queen'' (1951) as Reverend Samuel Sayer, "The Brother" * ''

Curtain Up ''Curtain Up'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Ralph Smart and starring Robert Morley, Margaret Rutherford and Kay Kendall. Written by Jack Davies and Michael Pertwee it is based on the play ''On Monday Next'' by Philip King. It ...

'' (1952) (opposite Margaret Rutherford) as Harry Derwent Blacker * '' The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan'' (1953) as

W.S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most fam ...

* '' Melba'' (1953) as Oscar Hammerstein I * '' The Final Test'' (1953) as Alexander Whitehead * '' Beat the Devil'' (1953) as Peterson * ''

The Good Die Young ''The Good Die Young'' is a 1954 British crime film directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring Laurence Harvey, Gloria Grahame, Joan Collins, Stanley Baker, Richard Basehart and John Ireland. It was made by Remus Films from a screenplay bas ...

'' (1954) as Sir Francis Ravenscourt * ''

The Rainbow Jacket ''The Rainbow Jacket'' is a 1954 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden, and featuring Robert Morley, Kay Walsh, Bill Owen, Honor Blackman and Sid James. It was made at Ealing Studios produced by Michael Balcon and Michael Relph and sho ...

'' (1954) as Lord Logan * ''

Beau Brummell George Bryan "Beau" Brummell (7 June 1778 – 30 March 1840) was an important figure in Regency England and, for many years, the arbiter of men's fashion. At one time, he was a close friend of the Prince Regent, the future King George IV, but ...

'' (1954) as

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great B ...

* '' The Adventures of Quentin Durward'' (1955) as

Louis XI of France Louis XI (3 July 1423 – 30 August 1483), called "Louis the Prudent" (french: le Prudent), was King of France from 1461 to 1483. He succeeded his father, Charles VII. Louis entered into open rebellion against his father in a short-lived revol ...

* ''A Likely Tale'' (1956, TV Movie) as Oswald Petersham / Jonah Petersham * '' Loser Takes All'' (1956) as Dreuther * '' Around the World in 80 Days'' (1956) as Gauthier Ralph * ''Fanny'' (1956, TV Movie) as Panisse * '' Law and Disorder'' (1958) as Judge Crichton * ''

The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw ''The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw'' is a 1958 British-American Western comedy directed by Raoul Walsh, starring Kenneth More and Jayne Mansfield. Mansfield's singing voice is dubbed by Connie Francis. It was one of the first Westerns to be shot in ...

'' (1958) as Uncle Lucius * '' The Doctor's Dilemma'' (1959) as Sir Ralph Bloomfield-Bonington * '' The Journey'' (1959) as Hugh Deverill * ''

Libel Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person, place or thing that results in damage to its reputation. It can be spoken (slander) or written (libel). It constitutes a tort or a crime. The legal defi ...

'' (1959) as Sir Wilfred * '' The Battle of the Sexes'' (1959) as Robert MacPherson * ''

'' (1960) as Oscar Wilde * ''A Majority of One'' (1960, TV Movie) as Koichi Asano * '' The Story of Joseph and His Brethren'' (1961) as Potiphar * '' The Young Ones'' (1961) as Hamilton Black * ''

Go to Blazes Go, GO, G.O., or Go! may refer to: Arts and entertainment Games and sport * Go (game), a board game for two players * ''Travel Go'' (formerly ''Go – The International Travel Game''), a game based on world travel * Go, the starting position lo ...

'' (1962) as Arson Eddie * '' The Road to Hong Kong'' (1962) as Leader of the 3rd Echelon * '' The Boys'' (1962) as Montgomery * '' Nine Hours to Rama'' (1963) as P.K. Mussadi * '' Murder at the Gallop'' (1963) (opposite Margaret Rutherford) as Hector Enderby * '' The Old Dark House'' (1963) as Roderick Femm * '' Take Her, She's Mine'' (1963) as Mr. Pope-Jones * '' Ladies Who Do'' (1963) as Colonel Whitforth * '' Hot Enough for June'' (1964) as Colonel Cuncliffe * '' Of Human Bondage'' (1964) as Dr. Jacobs * ''Rhythm 'n' Greens'' (1964, Short) as Narrator * '' Topkapi'' (1964) as Cedric Page * ''

Genghis Khan Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; ; xng, Temüjin, script=Latn; ., name=Temujin – August 25, 1227) was the founder and first Great Khan (Emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in history a ...

'' (1965) as Emperor of China * '' Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines'' (1965) as Lord Rawnsley * ''

A Study in Terror ''A Study in Terror'' is a 1965 British thriller film directed by James Hill and starring John Neville as Sherlock Holmes and Donald Houston as Dr. Watson. It was filmed at Shepperton Studios, London, with some location work at Osterley Hou ...

'' (1965) as Mycroft Holmes * ''

The Loved One ''The Loved One: An Anglo-American Tragedy'' (1948) is a short satirical novel by British novelist Evelyn Waugh about the funeral business in Los Angeles, the British expatriate community in Hollywood, and the film industry. Conception ''The ...

'' (1965) as Sir Ambrose Ambercrombie * '' Life at the Top'' (1965) as Tiffield * '' The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics'' (1965) as Narrator * '' The Alphabet Murders'' (aka ''The ABC Murders'') (1965) as Captain Arthur Hastings * ''Treasure Island'' (1965, Short) * '' Tender Scoundrel'' (1966) as Lord Swift * '' Hotel Paradiso'' (1966) as Henri Cotte * ''Lucy in London'' (1966, TV Movie) * '' Way...Way Out'' (1966) as Harold Quonset * '' Finders Keepers'' (1966) as Colonel Roberts * '' The Trygon Factor'' (1966) as Hubert Hamlyn * '' Woman Times Seven'' (1967) as Dr. Xavier - episode "Super Simone" * ''Luther'' (1968 TV movie) as Pope Leo X * '' Hot Millions'' (1968) as Caesar Smith * ''

Some Girls Do ''Some Girls Do'' is a 1969 British comedy spy film directed by Ralph Thomas. It was the second of the revamped Bulldog Drummond films (following 1967's ''Deadlier Than the Male'') starring Richard Johnson as Drummond, made following the succes ...

'' (1969) as Miss Mary * ''

Sinful Davey ''Sinful Davey'' is a 1969 picaresque adventure/ crime/ comedy film directed by John Huston and starring John Hurt, Pamela Franklin, and in early appearances Fionnula Flanagan and Anjelica Huston. John Huston later said the film was "very good" ...

'' (1969) as Duke of Argyll * '' Twinky'' (1969) as Judge Roxborough * '' Doctor in Trouble'' (1970) as Captain George Spratt * ''

Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...

'' (1970) as The Earl of Manchester * '' Song of Norway'' (1970) as Berg * ''

When Eight Bells Toll ''When Eight Bells Toll'' is a first-person narrative novel written by Scottish author Alistair MacLean and published in 1966. It marked MacLean's return after a three-year gap, following the publication of ''Ice Station Zebra'' (1963), durin ...

'' (1971) as Uncle Arthur * ''Many Moons'' (1973, Short) as Narrator * ''

Theatre of Blood ''Theatre of Blood'' (known in the U.S. as ''Theater of Blood'') is a 1973 British horror comedy film directed by Douglas Hickox, and starring Vincent Price as vengeful actor Edward Lionheart and Diana Rigg as his daughter Edwina. The cast als ...

'' (1973) as Meredith Merridew * ''

Great Expectations ''Great Expectations'' is the thirteenth novel by Charles Dickens and his penultimate completed novel. It depicts the education of an orphan nicknamed Pip (Great Expectations), Pip (the book is a ''bildungsroman''; a coming-of-age story). It ...

'' (1974, TV Movie) as Uncle Pumblechook * '' Hugo the Hippo'' (1976) as The Sultan (voice) * '' The Blue Bird'' (1976) as Father Time * ''The Fortune Hunters'' (1976, TV Movie) as Mr. Justice Bosanquet * '' Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?'' (aka ''Too Many Chefs'') (1978) as Max Vandeveer * '' The Human Factor'' (1979) as Dr. Percival * '' Scavenger Hunt'' (1979) as Charles Bernstein * '' Tales of the Unexpected'' (1980) as Harry Knox * '' Oh! Heavenly Dog'' (1980) as Bernie * '' Loophole'' (1981) as Godfrey * '' The Great Muppet Caper'' (1981) as British Gentlemen * '' The Deadly Game'' (1982, TV Movie) as Emile Carpeau * '' High Road to China'' (1983) as Bentik * '' The Old Men at the Zoo'' (1983, BBC TV mini-series) as Lord Godmanchester * ''

Second Time Lucky ''Second Time Lucky'' is a 1984 New Zealand Erotic film, erotic comedy film directed by Michael Anderson (director), Michael Anderson and starring Diane Franklin and Roger Wilson (actor), Roger Wilson.Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small S ...

'' (1984) as God * ''

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatur ...

'' (1985, TV Movie) as King of Hearts * '' The Wind'' (1986, direct to video) as Elias Appleby * '' The Trouble with Spies'' (1987) as Angus * '' Little Dorrit'' (1988) as Lord Decimus Barnacle * '' War and Remembrance'' (1988–1989, TV Series) as Alistair Tudsbury * ''

The Lady and the Highwayman ''The Lady and the Highwayman'' is a 1989 United Kingdom romantic adventure television film based on Barbara Cartland's 1952 romance novel ''Cupid Rides Pillion''. The working title of the film was ''Dangerous Love''. The film stars Hugh Gra ...

'' (1989, TV Movie) as Lord Chancellor * ''Istanbul'' (1989) as Atkins (final film role)

Publications

* ''A Musing Morley'' (1974, ) * ''Morley Marvels'' (1976, ) * ''More Morley'' (1978, ) * ''Robert Morley's Book of Bricks'' (1978, ) * ''Worry!'' (with Margaret Morley, 1979, ) * ''Robert Morley’s Book of Worries'' (U.K. Version of ''Worry!'') (with Margaret Morley, 1979, ) * ''The Pleasures of Age'' ( Hoddder and Stoughton) (1988 ) (re-published in a 'Coronet' imprint 1989)

References

External links

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Britmovie (Robert Morley)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morley, Robert 1908 births 1992 deaths Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Commanders of the Order of the British Empire English male film actors English people of German descent English male stage actors People educated at Elizabeth College, Guernsey People educated at Wellington College, Berkshire People from Wiltshire 20th-century English male actors British expatriate male actors in the United States