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Monday, May 26, 2014

Born Today- Robert Morley- wilkipedia

Robert Morley

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the Australian soap opera actor, see Bobby Morley.
Robert Morley
Robert Morley Allan Warren.jpg
Robert Morley, 1975
Born Robert Adolph Wilton Morley
26 May 1908
Semley, Wiltshire, England
Died 3 June 1992 (aged 84)
Reading, Berkshire, England
Occupation Actor
Years active 1928–1989
Spouse(s) Joan Buckmaster (m. 1940–92) (three children)
Robert Adolph Wilton Morley, CBE (26 May 1908 – 3 June 1992) was an English actor who was usually cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment, often in supporting roles. 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." More politely, Ephraim Katz in his International Film Encyclopaedia describes Morley as a "a rotund, triple-chinned, delightful character player of the British and American stage and screen." In his autobiography, Substantial 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, England, the son of Gertrude Emily (née Fass) and Robert Wilton Morley, a Major in the British Army.[1] His mother came from a German family that had emigrated to South Africa. Morley attended Wellington College, Berkshire, which he hated, followed by RADA. 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 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.
Still from the trailer for Marie Antoinette (1938)
A versatile actor, especially in his younger years, he played roles as divergent as those of Louis XVI in Marie Antoinette (1938), for which he received an Academy Award Nomination as Best Supporting Actor.
As a playwright he co-wrote several plays for the stage. His 1937 play Goodness, How Sad was turned into a Ealing Studios film Return to Yesterday (1940) directed by Robert Stevenson. Later, he had outstanding success in London and New York with Edward, My Son, a gripping family drama written in 1947 in collaboration with Noel Langley. Morley played the central role of Arnold Holt, but in the disappointing film version Spencer Tracy was miscast, turning Holt, an unscrupulous English businessman, into a blustering Canadian expatriate. Edward, My Son (1949) was directed by George Cukor for MGM-British. His acting career continued with roles as a missionary in The African Queen (1951), The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan (1953), as W. S. Gilbert, and in Oscar Wilde (1960).
Morley also personified the conservative Englishman in many comedy and caper films. He was the face of BOAC (later British Airways) 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?. Renowned for repartee and for being an eloquent conversationalist, Morley gained the epitheton of being a "wit".
Morley was honoured by being the first King of Moomba appointed by the Melbourne Moomba festival committee and, in typical humility, he accepted the crown in bare feet.[2][3] Morley was in Australia 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 drinking club, enjoys poking fun at life's absurdities, among whom he generously includes himself."

Personal life and honours

He married Joan Buckmaster (1910–2005), a daughter of Dame Gladys Cooper. Their elder son, Sheridan Morley became a writer and critic. They also had a daughter, Annabel, and another son, Wilton.
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1957. He was also offered a knighthood in 1975 but declined it.[4]

Death

Morley died in Reading, Berkshire from a stroke, aged 84.

Theatre career

Filmography

Publications

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