The Silver State Chronicles

Dragnet Star Passes Away

Veteran actor Harry Morgan, most famous to modern audiences as Colonel Potter from the MASH  and After MASH TV series, has passed away.  Here at The Silver State Chronicles, we fondly remember him as Bill Gannon, partner of Sgt Joe Friday in the 1960′s incarnation of Dragnet.

He shall be missed.

A nice article at The Muskegon Chronicle…

Actor Harry Morgan went from Muskegon High School performer to Emmy winner
By Megan Hart

Harry Morgan came a long way from the young man who acted in Muskegon High School productions.

Morgan, who was best known for the role of Col. Sherman T. Potter on the TV series “M*A*S*H,” died Wednesday at age 96.

He was born Harry Bratsburg and graduated from Muskegon High School in 1933. He later attended Muskegon Junior College (now Muskegon Community College), where he was also active in drama.

Morgan left Michigan for good to perform in New York and on the East Coast in the late 1930s. He broke into film and moved to California shortly before Pearl Harbor was attacked in December 1941, which was the subject of a feature in Monday’s Chronicle.

Morgan performed in more than 100 films and TV shows, spanning more than six decades. His last appearance was in the “M*A*S*H 30th Anniversary Reunion” in 2002. Some of his notable roles were in the 1960 film “Inherit the Wind,” and in the TV series and film “Dragnet.” He won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Variety or Music Series for his role as Col. Potter in 1980.

He returned to Muskegon only once, to film a Lifesavers commercial in 1978 with two Muskegon High School students.

“I don’t think I ever enjoyed myself more than going to high school, here,” Morgan told The Chronicle in 1978. “I was very enthusiastic about coming back, and it’s regretful that it’s too short a time to visit. There really was no reason to come back before. Most of my close friends and relatives have gone elsewhere. I’ve been invited to the class reunions, but the arrangements were too complicated.”

A long overdue stern reprimand!

Sound insights from Mr. Jack Webb

Sgt Friday’s partner risks life & limb

“You may sell that jazz to another pothead…”

A stern reprimand by Sgt Joe Friday

Stay straight & sober, troops!

The names have been changed to protect the innocent

This is the city…

Dragnet had enjoyed a very successful run on radio and on television, but as the 1950s wrapped up, Mr. Webb grew tired of the confines of a weekly program, and Dragnet closed its final case in 1959.  But in the seven years since the original version ended production, punitive “law and order” sentiments had generally fallen out of favor with the American public, particularly with the Kennedy administration and an out-of-control liberal-minded federal judiciary setting the tone for a somewhat less stringent attitude toward criminals.

The changing dynamic helped prompt Mr Webb to relaunch Dragnet on television in 1966.  Mr. Webb produced a TV movie pilot for the new, color version of the show for Universal Television, although it did not air until 1969. NBC bought the show on the strength of the pilot movie and debuted it as a mid-season replacement in 1967 for the sitcom The Hero on Thursday nights in January 1967.

The 1966 TV movie is fairly rare, showing up on tv occasionally in the modern era, despite the fact that Dragnet has had succressful repeat runs on cable channels like TV Land.  The opening sets the stage for the film – 3 crimes are commited in Los Angeles.  Sgt Joe Friday and Officer Bill Gannon are on the case.  Top shelf stuff!  Enjoy!

“Don’t think you have a corner on all of virtue, vision and the country.”

It’s no secret that my favorite series on this blog is Fridays for Friday, my continuing homage to one of my great heroes and role models, Mr. Jack Webb.

Well, I found this excellent verbal reprimand of some long haired liberal punks made soft by their instant orange juice very relevant today!  Enjoy!

In Webb We Trust!

In Webb We Trust!

Well it’s been a while since my latest entry in the Fridays for Friday series of posts.  Originally intended just for the Fall of 2007, I do like to revisit it now and then when something good crosses my desk here at the world headquarters of The Silver State Chronicles.

So when I found this great short video of Mr. Jack Webb introducing The Story of Old Glory!  Enjoy!