Playwright, director, teacher and actor Robert Michael Morris, best known for playing the lovable Mickey Dean on HBO’s The Comeback, died Tuesday. He was 77.
Robert Michael Morris Cause of Death
The cause of death was not immediately known.
Career
Morris began his career as a member of the Catholic University Repertory Company before focusing on academics. After several years as a theater teacher in high school and colleges across the country, he moved back to New York City and began finding work in commercials and off-Broadway shows. He started to gain a bit of traction in the NY production of Cary Churchill Cloud Nine directed by Tommy Tune.
Michael Patrick King (one of his former college students) called him to audition for the role in 2005’s The Comeback, a part King and Lisa Kudrow wrote with him in mind for the HBO series. His well received turn on the comedy series led to other TV roles in shows including Will & Grace, Arrested Development, How I Met Your Mother and 2 Broke Girls. When The Comeback was revived by HBO in 2014, he reprised his most notable role co-starring opposite Kudrow as Valerie Cherish’s hairdresser and “guard dog.”
King said of Morris’ passing: “Robert Michael Morris was an inspiration to write for and to be around. His creativity was only matched by the joy and gratefulness he felt for each day he got to live his life as an artist.”
Morris most recently guest-starred as Stan Hoister on The Middle.
You can see a full list of Morris’ professional credits by clicking here.
