Filling in the shoes as a new character after one of the most shocking deaths in television history is not an easy task. Actor Harry Morgan already had his feet firmly planted as a respected and well-known actor before he took on the role of Colonel Sherman T. Potter in the TV series M*A*S*H, and used his considerable talent to bring this role to life.

Morgan made his debut in 1942 in The Shores of Tripoli. He snagged a number of major roles in films such as The Ox-Bow Incident, The Glenn Miller Story, Inherit the Wind, How the West Was Won and Support Your Local Sheriff. He showed he had a knack for living nine lives with one character, playing Pete in Pete and Gladys, a spin off of his character in December Bride; and Officer Joe Gannon from Dragnet, whose role he reprised in the movie version twenty years later and in The Simpsons.

Morgan turned in a memorable performance as crazed Major General Bradford Steele on the third season opener of M*A*S*H into a full-time cast position as Colonel Potter. Morgan won an Emmy for his role in 1980. He donned the title of Colonel for the spin-off series After M*A*S*H. In 2006 was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

Character Bio

Colonel Sherman T. Potter is a career army man nearing retirement when he takes over as commander of the 4077. Coming into the unit after the death of their beloved Col. Blake, the troops are unsure of his motives as well as his management style.

Their fears are put to rest as he reveals himself to be an excellent surgeon, a confident leader and a friend. Developing close relationships with Hawkeye, Houlihan, BJ, Radar, Klinger and Father Mulchay, he does not like Major Burns, which just makes him more likeable.

An Army man to the core, he is none-the-less realistic about the harsh realities of war and gives leniency to his subordinates when he can. To maintain his own sanity and escape the madness of war, he frequently paints. A family man he has a wife, Mildred that he maintains constant long-distance contact with.