Harry Morgan

Harry Morgan, born as Harry Bratsberg, was an American actor and director whose career spanned over six decades. Throughout his career, he appeared in more than 100 movies. Before becoming a successful actor, he worked as a salesman.

He was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Hannah and Henry Bratsberg. His family has Swedish and Norwegian ancestry. Morgan was raised in Muskegon, Michigan, and graduated from Muskegon High School in 1933. As a child, he aspired to become a lawyer, and went on to attend the University of Chicago, but took up acting as a junior in 1935.

Soon afterward, he began his career on stage under his birth name, and joined the Group Theatre in New York City, headed by Lee Strasberg, Harold Clurman, and Cheryl Crawford in 1931. In the beginning, he appeared in the original production of the play, Golden Boy, but later, he began appearing in major Broadway roles.

Morgan made his screen debut under the stage name - Henry Morgan, playing a minor role in the 1942 movie - To the Shores of Tripoli. His screen name became - Henry Harry Morgan, but later in his career, he changed it to Harry Morgan, to avoid confusion with a comedian of the same name, at that time. In 1947, Morgan joined the NBC radio series, Mystery in the Air, as a host.

In the same year, Morgan played a small role in Archie Mayo's Orchestra Wives. Few years later, in 1954, still credited as Henry Morgan, he starred as a pianist, Chummy MacGregor in, The Glenn Miller Story, a biopic directed by Anthony Mann.

Morgan started playing a number of significant roles in films such as The Ox-Bow Incident, playing a suspected rustler alongside Henry Fonda Henry Fonda is an Academy Award winning American a >> Read More... ; a supporting role in the critically acclaimed, High Noon. In the 1950s, he collaborated with director Anthony Mann, playing supporting roles in films like Bend of the River, Thunder Bay, and Strategic Air Command.

In his later career as an actor, he appeared in Inherit the Wind as a Judge and played Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in the 1962 blockbuster, How the West Was Won, which got nominated for eight Academy Awards and ended up winning three. He played a mayor in the comedy, Support Your Local Sheriff!, and Captain Gannon in the film version of ‘Dragnet’ alongside Tom Hanks I quote his famous line “Mama always said life was >> Read More... and Dan Aykroyd Dan Aykroyd was born in Ontario, Canada on 1st Jul >> Read More... .

He went on to play Pete Porter in Pete and Gladys. In 1950, Morgan appeared as an obtrusive and alcoholic hotel clerk in the Dragnet radio episode, "The Big Boys". In 1962, Morgan guest starred in the role of Al Everett, on Gene Kelly's drama series, Going My Way. That same year, he played a mobster in an episode of The Untouchables. In 1963, he worked with Richard Boone on Have Gun - Will Travel Western, as Sheriff Ernie Backwater.

In the 1964–1965 season, Morgan co-starred as Seldom Jackson in the comedy/drama, Kentucky Jones. Morgan is widely recognized for playing Officer Bill Gannon, Joe Friday's partner in the revived version of Dragnet.

He started appearing on the series M*A*S*H, playing eccentric Major General Bartford Hamilton Steele in "The General Flipped at Dawn", which first aired in 1974.

In the following season, Morgan appeared as Colonel Sherman T. Potter. In 1980, his performance in the series earned him an Emmy Award. Morgan, himself, stated that he was a fan of this show, and that the show helped him personally, in becoming a good human being.

Morgan also appeared in several Disney movies throughout the decade.

In 1986, Morgan co-starred with Hal Linden in Blacke's Magic, a show about a magician, doubling as a detective solving unusual mysterious crimes. In 1987, Morgan reprised his character of Bill Gannon, for a parody version of Dragnet, starring Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks. In the 1990s, he also lent his voice to an episode of The Simpsons.

Morgan was married to Eileen Detchon from 1940 until her death in 1985. Morgan had four sons with his first wife: Paul, Charles, Daniel, and Christopher. His second marriage was with Barbara Bushman Quine, which lasted until his death.

In July 1997, Morgan was accused and charged with abusing his wife a year earlier, after a beating left her with injuries to her foot, and arm. The charges were after the 82-year-old actor completed a 180 days domestic violence counseling program.

Morgan died peacefully in his sleep in Los Angeles, on December 7, 2011, at the age of 96. After cremating his body, his remains were given to his family.