Robert Morse, Mad Men’s Bert Cooper, dies at 90

Some sad news has come out from within the TV world this morning: We have lost one of the greats in Robert Morse.

For the majority of people out there, he will be remembered as Bert Cooper on AMC’s landmark drama Mad Men, and understandably so. This series changed the game for so many of its actors, whether it be Jon Hamm, Christina Hendricks, or Elisabeth Moss. He was one of the show’s elder statesman, and he came into the series with a decades-long resume of theater performances. He was a legend on the stage and he was a multi-time Tony Award winner.

Some of Morse’s other notable TV credits included The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story, City of Angels, and a recent voice-acting gig on Teen Titans Go! as Santa Claus. In a post on Twitter, Larry Karaszewski (who co-created The People vs. OJ Simpson) had the following to say:

“My good pal Bobby Morse has passed away at age 90. 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. O.J. [and] hosting so many screenings (How to Succeed, Loved One, That’s Life).”

We’re sure that many more tributes to Robert are going to come in over time, but at the bottom of this article, we want to shine a light on what was very well his most memorable TV moment. Bert Cooper died close to the end of Man Men, and following his passing, Don Draper envisioned the man performing “The Best Things in Life Are Free.” This represented Don taking something away from this moment that clearly stuck with him for the rest of the series; also, it allowed the writers to take full advantage of Morse’s status as a stage icon. It was one of the only real opportunities they could do something like this in the show’s otherwise realistic world.

Morse will be missed greatly; our thoughts and condolences go out to everyone who knew and loved him.