Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Harry Morgan, R. I. P.

Harry Morgan, 'M*A*S*H*' Star, Dies at 96 - The Hollywood Reporter: Harry Morgan, who was best known for his long-running portrayal of the fatherly Colonel Potter on M*A*S*H*, died at his Los Angeles home Wednesday morning at 96 years old. Morgan won an Emmy in 1980 for his performance as the unflappable medic.

A veteran of more than 50 years in films and TV, Morgan starred or co-starred in 11 TV series. He was an appealing Everyman whose calm manner and wry delivery were widely popular. In M*A*S*H*, his steady ways and wry humor tempered the more high-keyed natures of his co-star’s characters, Hawkeye Pierce and Trapper John. He went on to co-star in its spin-off, AfterMASH (1984-85).

9 comments:

Dan_Luft said...

Without speaking a word, a very buff, young Morgan played a hired thug in the old Charles Laughton/Ray Milland thriller "The Big Clock."

Anonymous said...

He was in THE OX-BOW INCIDENT five years before that (1943) and several earlier films. He was always a favorite of mine. I hadn't realized he was 96.

Jeff

Bud said...

A talented "trooper" actor if there ever was one! Also, a fine gentleman. R.I.P., Mr. Morgan.

Anonymous said...

Of course he was the Mayor who hires James Garner in SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF.

Jeff

Benjie said...

Let's not forget that he was Gannon (Friday's partner) on Dragnet--must have been one of the "11"

Unknown said...

December Bride, Pete & Gladys.

Marsdon said...

I'll always remember first noticing him in a movie from 1951 called The Well.

Cap'n Bob said...

In Appointment With Danger, he and Jack Webb played a team of killers.

Toby O'B said...

My Inner Toob blog is hosting the "Untouchables" episode he did in tribute; it's a spotlight on Morgan's role as Bugs Moran......

http://toobworld.blogspot.com/2011/12/as-seen-on-tv-bugs-moran.html

Morgan was one of those actors who could be the deciding factor when I was deciding whether I should watch a particular movie or TV show.

A few others I'd mention - "Hec Ramsey", "Blacke's Magic", and he was contributed one of the few lighter moments in the Duke's last movie, "The Shootist".

But try to put together this double bill - a noir called "Strange Bargain", and the "Murder, She Wrote" episode "The Days Dwindle Down". Mr. Morgan, along with Jeffrey Lynn and Martha Scott, recreated their roles from that film forty years before......

I liked him best in his irascible old coot roles like Skinny Malone in those not-so-great Wild Wild West reunion movies....