This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
For anyone old enough to remember when "M*A*S*H" was must-see TV — and for the generations who have watched since it went into unending repeats — Harry Morgan was sort of a kindly father figure. As Col. Sherman T. Potter, Morgan was the firm-but-fair commander of the 4077th for eight seasons, and won a place in the heart of millions.
It was just one of hundreds of TV and movie roles for Morgan, who died at the age of 96, but it was the one that left the most lasting impression.
That and his role as Det. Bill Gannon in "Dragnet" (1967-70) — a role he reprised in a 1995 episode of "The Simpsons."
Morgan won an Emmy in 1980, but perhaps his contributions weren't as appreciated as they should have been at the time.
Now, he's a TV icon. Which is only fitting.