Mr Morgan, best known for his ‘Ken Can’ television commercials and Toyota dealerships in the Melbourne suburbs of Nunawading and Moorabbin – and later with Nissan and Kia – was a stalwart of the industry for decades.

His first appearances on television were on the Don Lane Show before moving to Channel 9’s Hey Hey its Saturday in 1983. It’s estimated that Mr Morgan gave away more than 50 cars through the program, which he also used to promote his charitable works.

Outside of the automotive industry, Mr Morgan gave tirelessly of himself to charities centring around youth homelessness and, following the disturbing findings of Brian Burdekin’s report into the welfare of homeless children, built a house for homeless people and young mothers before establishing the charity ‘Kids Under Cover’ the same year (1989).

Ken Morgan

Mr Morgan said his efforts came about in part because of his own experience with youth homelessness. A Sydney ‘street kid’ following his mother Gladys’ unexpected passing at age 52, Mr Morgan found himself sleeping on a park bench in the city’s King Cross district when he was awoken one night by a policeman in a chance meeting he said changed his life forever.

Speaking on the incident in later years, Mr Morgan said the incident helped him to “turn his life around”. He washed cars at a local dealership for years before working his way into sales, and eventually starting his own franchise. Mr Morgan said he never forgot the kindness shown to him by that Sydney policeman, and that this act had been the catalyst to his philanthropic pursuits.

Following decades of service to charity, Mr Morgan was recognised with a Humanitarian Award from the Australian Humanitarian Foundation in 2000 and the Centenary Model in 2003 for his services to the community and in particular youth homelessness.

He also served as the chairman of the Variety Club of Victoria for four years, was a Life Governor of the Royal Children’s Hospital, and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2010 in recognition of his considerable charitable efforts.

In 2015, Mr Morgan received the award for Automotive Dealer Contribution to Community at the Australian Automotive Dealer Association National Dealer Convention.

Mr Morgan retired from the Kids Under Cover board in 2012 but remained close to the charity in his later years.

At the presentation of his OAM, Mr Morgan said: “If you’re going to take from the community, you’ve got to give back to the community”. He certainly did that.

By Matt Brogan