[3][4][5] After leaving school he had a variety of manual jobs including survey chainman, electricity meter reader and storeman at the Whakatu freezing works.

In 1970, he received the Benny Award from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc.[8] In the 1976 New Year Honours, Morrison was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to entertainment,[9] and he was made a Knight Bachelor in the 1990 Queen's Birthday Honours, also for services to entertainment.

[10] In March 2006, Morrison was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Waikato, joining such alumni as Janet Frame, Dame Malvina Major, Hare Puke, Tui Adams, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Neil and Tim Finn, Michael King, Margaret Mahy and Rotorua historian Don Stafford in receiving the award.

[13][14] Morrison died in his sleep from a heart attack and was found by one of his grandchildren on taking him his morning cup of tea.

Attendees at his tangihanga (funeral) included Rotorua mayor Kevin Winter, Chinese ambassador Zhang Limin, Sir Michael Fay, MPs Tariana Turia, Georgina te Heuheu, Hekia Parata, Steve Chadwick and Rotorua MP Todd McClay, then former MP Winston Peters,[18] Te Puni Kokiri chief executive Leith Comer[16] and Māori king Tūheitia Paki.