Another great one passes

M*A*S*H was of the greatest TV series of all time without question. As I was growing up one of the daily rituals of the end of the night was watching M*A*S*H on Channel 4. When it went off the air in 1982 it was a national lights out. People I knew took their phones off the hook to not be disturbed. Alas one of them has gone.

Harry Morgan 1915-2011

'M*A*S*H' star Harry Morgan dies at 96

"M*A*S*H" star Harry Morgan died at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning. The character actor was 96.

He was best known for playing Col. Sherman T. Potter on the long-running Army comedy.

In a 2004 interview with the The Television Academy Foundation's Archive of American Television, Morgan acknowledged the profound effect that the iconoclastic sitcom had on his career.

""He was firm," Morgan said. "He was a good officer and he had a good sense of humor. I think it's the best part I ever had. I loved playing Colonel Potter."

Although "M*A*S*H" made him a television icon, Morgan first came to attention for his role as Officer Bill Gannon, Joe Friday's partner on the revived version of "Dragnet," which aired on NBC from 1967-70.

Morgan's gruff demeanor made him an in-demand character actor for nearly five decades.

He appeared in supporting roles in over 100 films, many of them classics such as "The Ox-Bow Incident," "High Noon," and "Inherit the Wind."

His resonant voice and irascible verve made him a natural for parts as authority figures, and he was frequently called upon to play judges, lawmen and military officers.

In addition to "M*A*S*H" and "Dragnet," Morgan scored small screen success playing a henpecked husband on "Pete and Gladys" (1960-62), which originated out of a supporting part he played on "December Bride" (1954-59)...

...Morgan was married to Eileen Detchon for 45 years until her death in 1985.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Bushman; three sons from his first marriage, Christopher, Charles and Paul; and eight grandchildren.

Morgan's son, Daniel died in 1989.

One of the things that made M*A*S*H great was as a character was replaced it was not with a carbon copy. When bumbling incompetent Major Burns left he was replaced with a superb but arrogant Boston native named Charles Emerson Winchester the Third (Don't call him Charlie or Chuck). When Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake, an Army Reservist often walked over by Hawkeye or Trapper John went off the show he was replaced by an old Cavalryman who took nothing. When Henry was in charge rare was the episode that Hawkeye didn’t call his commander by his first name. Only in one episode did he do it to COL Potter (free government cheese to whoever can name the episode)!

RIP COL Potter/Bill Gannon. Another great one passes and you will be missed.

UPDATE:

A great video COMMON CENTS: Harry Morgan RIP: 1915 - 2011: