Nearly a decade after Harry Morgan passed away at the age of 96, fans of the MAS*H star are still wondering about his cause of d*ath.
Although he was 96-years-old at the time, the New York Times reported that Harry Morgan’s son Charles revealed the late actor was actually treated for pneumonia prior to his death on December 7, 2011. He survived by three sons, eight grandchildren, and his second wife, Barbara Bushman. His first wife, Eileen, passed away in 1985.
Born in April 1915, Harry Morgan is credited to have appeared in more than 100 films during his well-known successful acting career. Which spanned over five decades. Besides his role as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on MAS*H from 1975 to 1983 and AfterMASH from 1983 to 1985. He was also Officer Bill Gannon on Dragnet from 1967 to 1970.
According to BBC, Harry Morgan won an Emmy for MASH in 1980. While speaking about the final episode of the series in 1983, Morgan shared, “I’m feeling very sad and sentimental. I don’t know if MASH made me a better actor. But I know it made me a better human being.”
Also during the conference, Harry Morgan’s MAS*H co-star, Mike Farrell, stated that the late actor was an imp. He then noted that Morgan was full of fun and smart as a whip.
M*A*S*H Star Mike Farrell Spoke Out After Harry Morgan’s Passing
Following the news that Harry Morgan passed away, MAS*H star Mike Farrell spoke out about the death of his co-star. “[Morgan] was a wonderful man, a fabulous actor, and a dear and close friend since the first day we worked together.”
Farrell also described Morgan as being a treasure as a person, an imp at times, and always a true professional. “He had worked with the greats and never saw himself as one of them. But he was. He was the rock everyone depended on and. Yet he could cut up like a kid when the situation warranted it.”
Farrell then noted that Morgan was the finest example of what people call a character actor. And what brought to the work made everyone better. “He made those who are thought of as ‘stars’ shine even more brightly.”
Farrell goes on to add that the love and admiration the whole M*A*S*H cast felt for him were returned tenfold in many ways. “And the greatest and, most selfless tribute to the experience we enjoyed was paid by Harry at the press conference when our show ended.”
He then recalled Morgan’s comment about how he didn’t know if the show made him a better actor, but it made him a better human being. “It’s hard to imagine a better one.”
