Harry Morgan

Harry Morgan
Harry Morgan as Col. Potter, circa 1975
Born	Harry Bratsberg (1915-04-10)April 10, 1915 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died	December 7, 2011(2011-12-07) (aged 96) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Pneumonia
Nationality	American
Education	Muskegon High School
Alma mater	University of Chicago
Occupation	Actor, director, writer
Years active	1935–1999
Television	M*A*S*H Dragnet
Spouse(s)	Eileen Detchon (m.1940–1985; her death) 4 children Barbara Bushman (m.1986–2011; his death)

Harry Morgan (born Harry Bratsberg, often spelled Harry Bratsburg; April 10, 1915 – December 7, 2011) was an American actor and director whose television and film career spanned six decades. Morgan's major roles included Pete Porter in both December Bride (1954–1959) and Pete and Gladys (1960–1962); Officer Bill Gannon on Dragnet (1967–1970); Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey (1972–1974); and his starring role as Colonel Sherman T. Potter in M*A*S*H (1975–1983) and AfterMASH (1983–1984). Morgan appeared in more than 100 films.

Morgan was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1915, the son of Hannah and Henry Bratsberg, who were of Swedish and Norwegian ancestry. In his interview with the Archive of American Television, Morgan spelled his Norwegian family surname as "Bratsberg". Many sources, however, including some family records, list the spelling as "Bratsburg". According to one source, when Morgan's father Henry registered at junior high school, "the registrar spelled it Bratsburg instead of Bratsberg. Bashful Henry did not demur."

Morgan was raised in Muskegon, Michigan, and graduated from Muskegon High School in 1933, where he achieved distinction as a statewide debating champion. He originally aspired to a J.D. degree, but began acting while a junior at the University of Chicago in 1935.

He began acting on stage under his birth name, in 1937, joining the Group Theatre in New York City formed by Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford, and Lee Strasberg in 1931. He appeared in the original production of the Clifford Odets play Golden Boy, followed by a host of successful Broadway roles alongside such other Group members as Lee J. Cobb, Elia Kazan, Sanford Meisner, and Karl Malden. Morgan also did at the Pine Brook Country Club located in the countryside of Nichols, Connecticut.