Beloved How I Met Your Mother, Will & Grace, Arrested Development, Actor Dead At 77

Actor, director, playwright and teacher Robert Michael Morris has died at the age of 77.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Morris’ representative Sarabeth Schedeen confirmed that he passed away on May 30 in Downey, California. His cause of death is not yet known.

Morris was best known for his role as Mickey Dean on HBO’s “The Comeback,” which starred Lisa Kudrow.

Kudrow paid tribute to her co-star on her Twitter page: “We lost Robert Michael Morris today. He left us with many wonderful gifts, most importantly, an example of what a truly good soul looks like.”

Schedeen referred to Morris as “a quality human being” and told The Hollywood Reporter that he had finished an autobiography prior to his death that she says she hopes “we get to share with the world” in the future.

In addition to his role on “The Comeback,” Morris was known for roles in popular shows such as “How I Met Your Mother,” “Will & Grace,” “Arrested Development,” “Community Service,” “The Middle,” “The Class,” “Running Wilde” and “Brothers & Sisters.” In one of his last roles, Morris guest-starred on “The Middle” as Stan Hoister. 

Morris was born on May 6, 1940, in Kentucky. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Dayton, as well as an MFA in playwriting from the Catholic University of America. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Morris wrote 110 plays in his lifetime.

According to Deadline, Morris started his acting career as a member of the Catholic University Repertory Company, before focusing instead on teaching. He spent many years teaching in colleges and high schools around the U.S. before moving back to New York City, where he acted in commercials and off-Broadway plays.

In 2005, Morris received a call from one of his former college students, Michael Patrick King, who wanted him to audition for a role in “The Comeback.” King and Kudrow had written the part of Mickey Dean with Morris in mind.

Morris went on to appear in a number of other television shows following the success of “The Comeback” and reprised his role when the show was revived by HBO in 2014.

King issued a statement following news of Morris’ passing.

“Robert Michael Morris was an inspiration to write for and to be around,” King said. “His creativity was only matched by the joy and gratefulness he felt for each day he got to live his life as an artist.”

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline / Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons, HBO via The Hollywood Reporter