Robert Morse Had the Most Perfect of 'Mad Men' Scenes

The world has lost just a touch of its luster. Tony and Emmy winner Robert Morse died at 90 years old on Wednesday. His son confirmed Morse's passing, though details about his death were not made available. He enjoyed a prolific career, winning his first Tony for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and starring in the film remake six years later. For younger audiences, they'll likely know Morse best for his work as Bertram Cooper on the critically acclaimed series Mad Men.

While it's possible to list out all the incredible accolades and roles that Morse tackled throughout his nearly 70 years of work, it feels more appropriate to focus on one particular moment. In the final season of Mad Men, Morse's Bertram Cooper had been an increasingly less-present figure. But always the heart of the Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency (later, Sterling Cooper Draper Price), Bertram deserved a hero's exit and a hero's exit he got.

As the womanizing Roger Sterling (John Slattery) gathered his employees together to make a sad announcement, Don Draper (Jon Hamm) goes downstairs and heads to his office. He's interrupted by Bertram saying, "Don, my boy," in the signature way that Morse's character had mastered over seven seasons. At that point, Bertram did the least Mad Men thing possible: he broke into song. Flanked by a chorus of secretaries, Bertram sang "The Best Things in Life Are Free" as his final number, treating audiences to a brief dance before backing into his office and waving goodbye. Once the door to Bertram's office closed, he knew that was Bert saying one final goodbye. Don looks on, visibly shaken, before a smash cut to the credits.

It's a scene that encapsulates Bertram's character, but watching it back in 2022, it also captures who Morse was as a performer. In a series about greed and deception, Bert remained pure. And in a world where things seem to be in constant shadow, Morse was a light.

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