roles in film and TV. 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. 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." He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1974 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews. Personal life and honours Robert Morley 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. Morley was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (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, England, from a stroke aged 84. Theatre career First stage appearance in Dr Syn (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 (Perranporth, Cornwall, 1935) Title role in Oscar Wilde (Gate Theatre Studio, 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 Oscar Wilde (Fulton Theatre, New York, October 1938) Title role in Springtime for Henry (Perranporth, 1939) Descius Heiss in Play with Fire (try-out version of The Shop at Sly Corner, Theatre Royal, Brighton, 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 New York 1948, and in Australia and New Zealand, 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, 1956) Panisse in the