Simon Dee interviews Robert Morley - January 1969

In its entirety, here's a rather splendid Robert Morley performance from a 1969 Dee Time. I hesitate to call it an interview, as Morley barely needs any prompting to sparkle.

[@pollyfoofoo8703]

What a delightful man❤

[@anythingbootneck]

He declined a knighthood in 1975. A decent, extremely funny and fine actor.

[@reuterromain1054]

Why?

[@eblackadder3]

​@@reuterromain1054I've never heard of a reason for Robert Morley declining his knighthood. He accepted the CBE in 1957, however. Although he frequently portrayed pompous and stuffy characters, Morley was was said to be rather humble and unassuming.

[@ttacking_you]

He's incredible on the fly!

[@lorisnaith9650]

Beautiful memories from my childhood TV watching in the early sixties! THANK YOU for posting!!

[@cushtyok]

brilliant. He is so funny.

[@crockodile85]

Got to briefly meet him in 1978 at the Istanbul Hilton. Think he was pleasantly surprised that I knew him from his many movie rather than those BA commercials.

[@interestedlad1]

I had the honor to meet him and Wilfred Hyde White after a performance of the play:Banana Ridge back in the 1970's. Both were very nice. He told me he made more money and fame doing the British Airlines commericals than all his movies!

[@pix046]

I love those accents. Nearly all gone now.

[@None-zc5vg]

"8.30 Trident!"

[@jeremyhaines3847]

Robert Morley was a very Fine Actor and was very witty and a very clever guy

[@beniteztheconman]

Shame there are not more interviews with such amazing characters from the past. So charming.

[@joe-vl3nd]

Wonderful actor

[@douglasmilton2805]

Strongly recommend his wonderful portrayal of Oscar Wilde - the film's on KZbin and it's a masterpiece.

[@jeremyhaines4481]

A very fine good actor x

[@juerv1]

British Icon Robert Morley - one of the funniest actors in movie history.

[@stuntpea]

Wow! That was brilliant. Really brightened my day!

[@alexandradane3672]

He was such a superlatively splendid man.

[@candosmith1127]

what a charming gent.

[@BRUTUALTRUTH]

❤❤❤

[@gavinreid8937]

My fav interview was with Jack Hawkins who lost his voice to cancer & whose later films were dubbed by Charles Gray. "What would you wish for if not your acting voice back." Dee asked. Jack thought long & hard & burped "I,d like to get people interested in silent movies again."

[@Offshoreorganbuilder]

How surprising to find Robert Morley so fluent, witty and entertaining. Talking rubbish, of course (as he might be the first to agree) but then, that was what was required of him on this occasion. I especially like his refreshing answer to 'Why *are* you so fat?' "Because I eat too much." There's no answer to *that.*

[@michaeldean9338]

Thanks so much for this post! Such a extravagant personality.

[@BogusBozo]

He was a great actor :(

[@s.oliver5357]

A Great Actor and as i can see/hear a very funny Human Being. Like him a lot

[@jeremyhaines3847]

Very interesting interview

[@thomaspenderel]

Loved Robert Morley in 'The Old Dark House' - 1962, a great film widely panned by critics.

[@emobloom]

That was Charles Laughton

[@michaeldean9338]

@Thomas Penderel No harm , no foul. Really! For the LONGEST I'd interchange the two for years, even though I knew the difference. I used to do the same with the late Dennis Hopper and Harvey Kietel.

[@jeannet.9125]

@@emobloom , Laughton and Morley performed in different versions of The Old Dark House; I believe the version that Laughton was in was made about thirty years earlier. (Both can be found here on KZbin.)

[@irish66]

@@emobloom in the original. Morley in the remake.

[@emobloom]

@@irish66 Yep you're right! I didn't know there was one until recently. Watched it, it gave me a few kitsch laughs (Morley and Grenfell are always a treat to see) but was trash in comparison

[@funzo1159]

Can't watch Robert Morley without thinking about the Lamb Amistran.

[@Ampex196]

Simon Dee was always just an egotistic embarrassment. The dignity and sharp wit of Robert Morley carries this interview.

[@ardith138]

this is good. and i like the pen-chewing.

[@user-888-uo]

Он прекрасен! А как сыграл в комедии "отель парадизо" 1966г!!!

[@rytp4920]

Он был отличным комедийным актером, но у него великолепно выходили и драмотические роли, например Оскар Уайльд в 1960-м.

[@VonGlower78]

Morley worked in a half an hour movie introduced by Alfred Hitchcock in the Fifties. The name of the movie is: "Specialty of the House". You must see it!!! Morley is an unforgettable character, named Laffler, who is the member of a very exclusive club, named "Sbirro". This club is specialized in cooking very good food!! ;)

[@Fredigundis22]

@kenfig You might be interested in the essay by Simon Matthews, "The life and times of Simon Dee", which appeared in Issue 58 of Lobster Magazine, an online publication which may be downloaded free of charge. Despite the title, there are only passing references to Dee himself, but his intelligence background in the services is pointed out. British pirate radio seems to have had a complex role in what might be termed parapolitics (Lobster Magazine itself is concerned with such things).

[@MooPotPie]

Morley portrayed Pope leo x in the 1968 TV movie, "Luther".

[@tobyruncorn2]

@kenfig Yes I think you are correct, Dee seems very relaxed and consummate. Way before Parky. He was shafted.

[@allanscot1]

You know, the only part of this interview I have ever seen is the part where Dee asks the audience to ask a question and they are struck dumb. That clip is always used so as to put Dee down and make him look inept, whereas watching the interview in its entirety you see he was actually quite respectful of his guest and let him do the talking, not like Ross or Norton now. He got a bit warped in later years, but hardly surprising given that it was all taken from him for no reason. RIP.

[@martinandrews7387]

Agree completely with you.

[@davidgoulden5956]

Me too. Seen him interview him Robert Morley and Jack. He's a good interviewer. Observes what ought to be the number one rule: let the guest talk without interruption! @@martinandrews7387

[@azrikhairol4941]

Jeremy Buck brought me here .. tq Sir

[@simontaylor2319]

Why doesn't he look at his host?

[@philiphalpenny9761]

John Huston felt Morley could have held his own with Oscar Wilde...

[@BlueHooloovoo]

Simon Dee seems like he was an excellent interviewer. Too bad his career took a nosedive not long after this interview happened and never recovered from it. Poor fellow.

[@WinrichNaujoks]

+BlueHooloovoo An excellent interviewer? He ran out of questions and asked the audience for help. I haven't seen anything as cringeworthy as that in a long time.

[@martinandrews7387]

@@WinrichNaujoksWith respect to you. He did not run out of questions at all.He said he had a whole load of questions, but he thought it might be a good idea to give somebody a chance in the audience to ask something.

[@davidgoulden5956]

You need to go back and watch the interview more carefully.@@WinrichNaujoks

[@ttacking_you]

​It's an American thing@@WinrichNaujokskzbin.info/www/bejne/lYfMdqJojqappK8si=2M09CjE-bh2tN2bb

[@satan6169]

What the hell does he keep looking at it’s driving me insane

[@richardoconnor2560]

Simon Dee reminds me a bit of William F. Buckley. Does anyone se see it ?

[@qualemigarbawhichilike6865]

L’ispettore Bloch !

[@Widmerpool99]

Hang on... this can't be right... someone on a TV show who doesn't have a book or a CD or a film to plug...

[@Mrius86]

Pope Hugo

[@jamesparker40]

Now we know where Bojo gets it from😂

[@megamegameghan7143]

MUH FUCKIN UHHH I HAD NO IDEA MY FRIENDS GRANDPA WAS ROBERT MORLEY????

[@kevinastraw]

It's odd, I remember Dee as poor, and now I see he was excellent! But the conspiracy idea is rubbish. But there was a general feeling against the well-spoken toff-ish chap in those days.

[@MillicentSquirrelHole]

Later, Pope Morley admitted to wanting to be Pope..and King..King of the Popes, if you will..yeah, sure okay

[@elvisrafi]

I can see where Boris Johnson got his wit.

[@Edwin99ization]

He is English not british on ly the EU refers to England as british ...you muppet !

[@johnpetermalcolm]

Wasn't Robert Morley, Cliff Richard's dad? No wait; I mean Harry Webb's dad; no wait again, I mean that orange, ageless "confirmed bachelor" who sings the sort of songs old ladies like. You know? Him with the curly lip, and the quiff. Wasn't he paired up with that laydee Helen Shapiro (who always looked like she had more testosterone than Biff has ever had)?

[@trevorjones3273]

The film you're thinking of of is 'The Young Ones'. Robert Morley played Hamilton Black and Cliff Richard played his son Nicky. I've just been watching it again.

[@gennettor8915]

Oh dear - such a poor interviewer....

[@davidgoulden5956]

Disagree.

[@freddyfurrah3789]

Did you see the Hitchcock episode where this guy becomes a house special in a restaurant.