Born: April 10, 1915 – Died: December 7, 2011
Harry Morgan, the acclaimed actor best known for his iconic role as "Col. Sherman T. Potter" in the hit TV series M*A*S*H, was a versatile talent with a career spanning over 100 films and a successful stint on the stage. Born as Harry Bratsberg in Detroit, Michigan, on April 10, 1915, to parents Anna Olsen, a Swedish homemaker, and Henry Bratsberg, a Norwegian mechanic, Harry's journey to stardom began after graduating from Muskegon High School in Muskegon, Michigan. He initially worked as a salesman before making a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Harry Morgan's commanding presence and acting prowess left an indelible mark, earning him recognition as one of Hollywood's enduring male actors. He passed away on December 7, 2011, at the age of 96, leaving behind a rich legacy in the world of entertainment.
Early Life and Career
Harry Morgan's childhood and upbringing were relatively modest, growing up in the bustling city of Detroit, Michigan. He didn't attend a university for higher education, as he started working as a salesman after completing his education at Muskegon High School. It was in the world of sales that he began his journey towards a remarkable acting career.
His first professional role in acting came during the early years of his career when he ventured into the entertainment industry. Harry steadily built his reputation in Hollywood through various supporting roles in films and television series.
However, it was his role as "Col. Sherman T. Potter" in the TV series M*A*S*H that truly catapulted him into stardom. His portrayal of the no-nonsense, yet endearing military officer earned him critical acclaim and adoration from fans. For his outstanding performance in M*A*S*H, Harry Morgan won several awards, including an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor.
In his personal life, Harry Morgan was married to Barbara Bushman from December 17, 1986, until his death in 2011. He had one son, Paul Morgan.
Harry Morgan was known for his professionalism and dedication to his craft, leaving a lasting impact on Hollywood and the entertainment industry. He is considered an icon and legend, admired for his memorable roles and contributions to the world of film and television. His legacy continues to be celebrated by fans and fellow actors alike, making him a revered figure in the history of showbiz.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Love & Money (TV Series) | Fletcher Conklin |
| 1999 | Crosswalk (Short) | Dr. Chandler |
| 1997 | Family Plan | Sol Rubins |
| 1996–1997 | 3rd Rock from the Sun (TV Series) | Professor Suter |
| 1996 | Grace Under Fire (TV Series) | George |
| 1995 | The Simpsons (TV Series) | Bill Gannon (voice) |
| 1995 | The Jeff Foxworthy Show (TV Series) | Raymond |
| 1994 | Incident in a Small Town (TV Movie) | Judge Bell |
| 1992 | Against Her Will: An Incident in Baltimore (TV Movie) | Judge Stoddard Bell |
| 1990 | The Incident (TV Movie) | Judge Bell |
| 1988 | The Twilight Zone (TV Series) | Edgar Witherspoon |
| 1987–1988 | You Can't Take It with You (TV Series) | Martin Vanderhof |
| 1988 | 14 Going on 30 (TV Movie) | Uncle Herb |
| 1987 | Dragnet | Gannon |
| 1987 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) | Retired Lt. Richard Webb |
| 1986 | Blacke's Magic (TV Series) | Leonard Blacke |
| 1978–1985 | The Love Boat (TV Series) | Charly Fields | Professor Milo Endler | Wendel Snead |
| 1983–1985 | AfterMASH (TV Series) | Dr. Sherman T. Potter |
| 1983 | Sparkling Cyanide (TV Movie) | Captain Kemp |
| 1974–1983 | M*A*S*H (TV Series) | Col. Sherman T. Potter | Maj. Gen. Bartford Hamilton Steele |
| 1982 | The Flight of Dragons (Video) | Carolinus (voice) |
| 1981 | Rivkin: Bounty Hunter (TV Movie) | Father Kolodny |
| 1980 | More Wild Wild West (TV Movie) | Robert T. 'Skinny' Malone |
| 1980 | Scout's Honor (TV Movie) | Mr. Briggs |
| 1980 | Roughnecks (TV Movie) | Plug Champion |
| 1979 | Better Late Than Never (TV Movie) | Mr. Scott |
| 1979 | The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again | Major Gaskill |
| 1979 | You Can't Take It with You (TV Movie) | Mr. DePinna |
| 1979 | The Wild Wild West Revisited (TV Movie) | Robert T. Malone |
| 1979 | Roots: The Next Generations (TV Mini Series) | Bob Campbell |
| 1979 | Backstairs at the White House (TV Mini Series) | President Harry S. Truman |
| 1978 | The Cat from Outer Space | General Stilton |
| 1978 | Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid (TV Movie) | Hugo Peavey |
| 1978 | The Bastard (TV Series) | Capt. Caleb |
| 1978 | Murder at the Mardi Gras (TV Movie) | Jim Bob Jackson |
| 1978 | Maneaters Are Loose! (TV Movie) | Toby Waites |
| 1978 | Confessions of the D.A. Man (TV Movie) | H.M. 'Staff' Stafford |
| 1977 | McLaren's Riders (TV Movie) | Sheriff Bill Willet |
| 1977 | The Magnificent Magical Magnet of Santa Mesa (TV Movie) | J.J. Strange |
| 1977 | Exo-Man (TV Movie) | Arthur Travis |
| 1976 | The Shootist | Marshall Thibido |
| 1975 | The Apple Dumpling Gang | Homer McCoy |
| 1975 | The Last Day (TV Movie) | Narrator |
| 1970–1975 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) | Jed Hockett | John Milligan | Osgood Pickett |
| 1972–1974 | Hec Ramsey (TV Series) | Doc Amos B. Coogan |
| 1974 | Sidekicks (TV Movie) | Sheriff Jenkins |
| 1973 | Charley and the Angel | The Angel formerly Roy Zerney |
| 1973 | The Mouse Factory (TV Series) | Harry Morgan |
| 1972 | Snowball Express | Jesse McCord |
| 1970–1972 | The Partridge Family (TV Series) | Cal | Willie Larkin |
| 1972 | Night Gallery (TV Series) | Thaddeus Conway (segment "The Late Mr. Peddington") |
| 1971 | The D.A. (TV Series) | H.M. 'Staff' Stafford |
| 1971 | Ellery Queen: Don't Look Behind You (TV Movie) | Inspector Richard Queen |
| 1971 | Cat Ballou (TV Movie) | The Rancher |
| 1971 | Scandalous John | Sheriff Pippin |
| 1971 | Support Your Local Gunfighter | Taylor |
| 1971 | The Barefoot Executive | E.J. Crampton |
| 1971 | The Feminist and the Fuzz (TV Movie) | Dr. Horace Bowers |
| 1970 | But I Don't Want to Get Married! (TV Movie) | Mr. Good |
| 1970 | Love, American Style (TV Series) | Woody (segment "Love and the Motel") |
| 1967–1970 | Dragnet 1967 (TV Series) | Officer Bill Gannon |
| 1969 | Viva Max | Chief of Police Sylvester |
| 1969 | Support Your Local Sheriff! | Olly Perkins |
| 1969 | Dragnet 1966 (TV Movie) | Officer Bill Gannon |
| 1968 | Star Spangled Salesman (Short) | TV Cop |
| 1967 | The Flim-Flam Man | Sheriff Slade |
| 1966 | Kelly's Kingdom (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1966 | What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? | Maj. Pott |
| 1966 | Frankie and Johnny | Cully |
| 1965 | Dr. Kildare (TV Series) | Francis X. Healy |
| 1965 | The Wackiest Ship in the Army (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1964–1965 | Kentucky Jones (TV Series) | Seldom Jackson |
| 1965 | John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! | Secretary of State Deems Sarajevo |
| 1963–1964 | The Richard Boone Show (TV Series) | Robert Logan | Bjornsson | Senator Clements ... |
| 1963 | The Wall to Wall War (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1963 | The Virginian (TV Series) | Kendall Jones |
| 1958–1963 | Have Gun - Will Travel (TV Series) | Sheriff Ernie Backwater | Fred Braus |
| 1962 | The Untouchables (TV Series) | George 'Bugs' Moran |
| 1962 | Going My Way (TV Series) | Al Everett |
| 1962 | How the West Was Won | Gen. Ulysses S. Grant (as Henry {Harry} Morgan) |
| 1962 | Ensign O'Toole (TV Series) | Charlie |
| 1960–1962 | Pete and Gladys (TV Series) | Pete Porter |
| 1960 | Cimarron | Jesse Rickey (as Henry {Harry} Morgan) |
| 1960 | Inherit the Wind | Judge Mel Coffey |
| 1960 | The Mountain Road | Sgt. 'Mike' Michaelson (as Henry 'Harry' Morgan) |
| 1959 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) | Hermie Jenkins |
| 1959 | It Started with a Kiss | Charles Meriden (as Henry 'Harry' Morgan) |
| 1954–1959 | December Bride (TV Series) | Pete Porter |
| 1958 | Matinee Theatre (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1957 | Under Fire | Sgt. Joseph C. Dusak (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1957 | The 20th Century-Fox Hour (TV Series) | Mike Feeney |
| 1956 | The Teahouse of the August Moon | Sgt. Gregovich (as Henry {Harry} Morgan) |
| 1953–1956 | Cavalcade of America (TV Series) | Homer Byington |
| 1956 | Unidentified Flying Objects: The True Story of Flying Saucers | Pilot on Radio (voice, uncredited) |
| 1956 | Star in the Dust | Lew Hogan |
| 1956 | Backlash | Tony Welker |
| 1956 | The Bottom of the Bottle | Felix - Barkeep (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1955 | Not as a Stranger | Oley |
| 1955 | Strategic Air Command | Sgt. Bible - Flight Engineer (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1954 | The Lone Wolf (TV Series) | Rev. Jeffrey Hallam | Jim Strait (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1954 | The Far Country | Ketchum (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1954 | About Mrs. Leslie | Fred Blue (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1954 | The Forty-Niners | Alf Billings (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1954 | Prisoner of War | Maj. O.D. Hale |
| 1954 | The Glenn Miller Story | Chummy (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1953 | Torch Song | Joe Denner (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1953 | Champ for a Day | Al Muntz (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1953 | Arena | Lew Hutchins (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1953 | Thunder Bay | Rawlings (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1952 | The Devil and John Q (Short) | Abe Lincoln (uncredited) |
| 1952 | Stop, You're Killing Me | Innocence (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1952 | The Doctor (TV Series) | (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1952 | Toughest Man in Arizona | Verne Kimber (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1952 | Apache War Smoke | Ed Cotten |
| 1952 | Big Jim McLain | Narrator (voice, uncredited) |
| 1952 | What Price Glory | Sgt. Moran (uncredited) |
| 1952 | High Noon | Sam Fuller (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1952 | My Six Convicts | Dawson (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1952 | Bend of the River | Shorty (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1952 | Scandal Sheet | Biddle (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1952 | Boots Malone | Quarter Horse Henry (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1951 | The Blue Veil | Charles Hall |
| 1951 | The Amazing Mr. Malone (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1951 | The Well | Claude Packard (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1951 | The Highwayman | Tim (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1951 | When I Grow Up | Father Reed (modern) (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1951 | Belle Le Grand | Abel Stone (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1950 | Dark City | Soldier (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1950 | The Showdown | Rod Main (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1950 | Appointment with Danger | George Soderquist (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1950 | The Amazing Mr. Malone (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1950 | Outside the Wall | Garth (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1949 | Hello Out There (Short) | The Young Gambler |
| 1949 | Holiday Affair | Police Lieutenant (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1949 | Strange Bargain | Lt. Richard Webb (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1949 | Red Light | Rocky (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1949 | Madame Bovary | Hyppolite (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1949 | The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend | Hoodlum (uncredited) |
| 1949 | Down to the Sea in Ships | Britton (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1948 | Yellow Sky | Half Pint (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1948 | The Saxon Charm | Hermy (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1948 | Moonrise | Billy Scripture (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1948 | Race Street | Hal Towers (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1948 | All My Sons | Frank Lubey (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1948 | The Big Clock | Bill Womack (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1947 | The Gangster | Shorty (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1946 | Crime Doctor's Man Hunt | Jervis (uncredited) |
| 1946 | It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog | Gus Rivers (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1946 | Somewhere in the Night | Bath Attendant (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1946 | Dragonwyck | Klaas Bleecker (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1946 | Johnny Comes Flying Home | Joe Patillo (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1946 | From This Day Forward | Hank Beesley (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1945 | State Fair | Barker (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1945 | A Bell for Adano | Capt. N. Purvis (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1944 | Gentle Annie | Cottonwood Goss (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1944 | Wing and a Prayer | Ens. Malcolm Brainard (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1944 | Roger Touhy, Gangster | Thomas J. 'Smoke' Reardon (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1944 | The Eve of St. Mark | Pvt. Shevlin (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1943 | Happy Land | Anton 'Tony' Cavrek (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1943 | The Ox-Bow Incident | Art Croft (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1943 | Crash Dive | Brownie (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1942 | The Omaha Trail | Henchman Nat (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1942 | Orchestra Wives | Cully Anderson (uncredited) |
| 1942 | The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe | Ebenezer Burling (as Henry Morgan) |
| 1942 | To the Shores of Tripoli | Mouthy (as Henry Morgan) |