Robert Michael Morris

An ebullient guest performer in comic roles, Robert Michael Morris was a teacher, dramatist and stage actor before vaulting into national attention as Mickey Deane, loyal hairdresser and confidante to Lisa Kudrow's combustible actress on "The Comeback" (HBO, 2005, 2014-). Born in Kentucky, Morris was a member of the Society of Mary, a Roman Catholic religious order, but also pursued a career as a playwright and educator through studies at the University of Dayton and the Catholic University of America, from which he received a master's degree in playwriting. Upon graduation, he taught theater and performing arts courses at various Catholic high schools and colleges, and honed his acting talents as a member of the National Players, the longest-running touring company in the United States, and in numerous productions, including a 1982 stint Off-Broadway in "Cloud 9," directed by Tommy Tune. Morris also wrote countless plays between acting and teaching assignments, many of which were produced at the collegiate and regional level. Morris eventually left New York for California, where he acted and taught at the high school level before the latter position was dissolved due to budget cuts. It was at this point that he received word from a former college student, producer Michael Patrick King, that a role had been written for him in a new HBO series, "The Comeback," with Lisa Kudrow. Morris landed the part of Mickey Deane, the flamboyant hairdresser and close friend of Kudrow's former sitcom star, now reduced to playing an unflattering role in a new series and accompanying reality series. When the show was canceled after its first season in 2005, Morris went on to guest star on numerous series, including comic appearances on "Arrested Development" (Fox/Netflix, 2003-) and "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS, 2005-2014) and briefly, series regular on the Will Arnett comedy "Running Wilde" (Fox, 2010-2011). In 2014, Morris reprised Mickey Deane for a revival of "The Comeback," which aired nine years after the original series run. He remained active as a guest star on television until his death at age 77 from unspecified causes on May 30, 2017 in Downey, California.