Harry Morgan Movies
Harry Morgan was one of the most prolific and versatile actors in television history, having starred or co-starred in 11 different television series; he was best known for his roles as Col. Sherman Potter on M*A*S*H from 1975-1983 and Officer Bill Gannon on Jack Webb's second version of Dragnet (1967-1970). Originally using the name Henry Morgan, the slight actor made his film debut in 1942 in To the Shores of Tripoli. Although he played significant roles in Dragonwyck (1946), The Glenn Miller Story (1953), Inherit the Wind (1960), and Support Your Local Sheriff (1969), television was always Morgan's forte and he worked continuously on the small screen since the '50s. He played a wide variety of roles in both his TV and film appearances, displaying an acting brilliance not often acknowledged. In addition to M*A*S*H and Dragnet, his other series included December Bride (1954-1958), Pete and Gladys (1960-1962), The Richard Boone Show (1964), Kentucky Jones (1964-1965), The D.A. (1971), Hec Ramsey (1972-1974), AfterMASH (1983-1984), Blacke's Magic (1986), and You Can't Take It With You (1987). Morgan won an Emmy award in 1980 for his performance on M*A*S*H. ~ All Movie Guide- 1965
Lawyer Alex Morrow (Henry Jones) would like to dump his wife, Angela (Kathleen Freeman), in favor of his sexy mistress, Fiona (Linda Lawson), but he draws the line at divorce: Alex owns a valuable stamp collection, and does not want his wife to get it in the divorce settlement. Then one day, Alex becomes aware of the fact that he is being followed by a man named Richard Schausak (Robert Loggia), who happens to be a professional hitman. Seizing the opportunity, Alex hires Richard to kill Angela -- only to have a last-minute change of heart, one that will end up costing him dearly. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Jones, Robert Loggia, (more)
Not a remake of the 1934 Helen Morgan vehicle of the same title, Frankie and Johnny stars Elvis Presley as Johnny, a Mississippi gambler, and Beverly Hillbillies regular Donna Douglas as his girl friend Frankie. In keeping with the old ballad, the romance of Frankie and Johnny is threatened by the intervention of seductress Nellie Bly (Nancy Kovack). Nellie brings Johnny luck at the gaming tables while Frankie sees red. Frankie and Johnny was written by onetime Marx Brothers contributor Nat Perrin and directed by future Tonight Show helmsman Fred de Cordova. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elvis Presley, Donna Douglas, (more)
- 1964
When Charlie Osgood (Steven Hill) embezzles 95,000 dollars, his business partner, Eddie Turin (Richard Anderson), threatens to turn him over to the police. Not wishing to be arrested, Charlie elaborately fakes his own suicide, then runs off with his girlfriend, Danielle (Joanna Moore). Only when it is too late does Charlie discover that his foolproof scheme has a fly in the ointment -- and that his second "suicide" will be just a bit more successful than his first. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Hill, Joanna Moore, (more)
- 1964
Politics and sports clash in this occasionally funny spoof centered around a downed U2 pilot and an extravagant oil sheik. John Goldfarb (Richard Crenna), a former football player, now pilot, sent on a reconnaissance mission over the Soviet Union, is lost and crash-lands in the Middle Eastern kingdom of Fawzia. King Fawz (Peter Ustinov) is constructing a football team to defeat Notre Dame and demands that Goldfarb coach his team or be handed over as a spy. In the interests of international relations, the U.S. State Department not only complies with King Fawz's request to bring the Notre Dame team to his country but in true diplomatic form insists that they throw the game. The romantic interest appears in the form of Jenny Ericson (Shirley MacLaine), an American reporter on an undercover assignment in the king's harem. A pleasant view in scanty harem garb, she lends mild amusement to the story with attempts to avoid the king's amourous advances. Although the humor falls short of its potential, the film was fortuitously saved from obscurity due to publicity generated by an unsuccessful lawsuit brought agianst the studio by the University of Notre Dame, which objected to a scene involving Notre Dame players fraternizing with harem girls. The screenplay for John Goldfarb, Please Come Home was written by William Peter Blatty who was later known for his award winning novel and screenplay The Exorcist. ~ Lucinda Ramsey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shirley MacLaine, Richard Crenna, (more)
- 1963
This is the story of two old men who have outlived their time and usefulness, but are determined not to go gentle into that good night. Harry Morgan is cast as elderly sheriff Ernie Backwater, who joins his friend Paladin in search of another senior citizen, condemned fugitive Will Tybee (Robert J. Wilke). In his lifelong search for the killer of his son, Tybee has murdered five innocent men--and he won't stop at murdering two more, no matter how futile the gesture. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Ubiquitous Untouchables guest star Nehemiah Persoff makes his final appearance as criminal mastermind Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik. Determined to drive Guzik out of the bootlegging business, Elliot Ness secretly begins supplying Jake's rivals with illegal booze. Ness hopes this heightened competition will force Guzik to import a huge new shipment of liquor, thereby bringing the crook out in the open so the Feds can close in. Knowing that Ness is watching every move he makes, Guzik enters into an unholy alliance with an old enemy, "Bugs" Moran, to ship in the liquor undetected. Problem is, Moran still holds Guzik partly responsible for the St. Valentine's Day Massacre which wiped out Bug's gang--and worse, so does a vengeful young punk whose thirst for vengeance will bring about practically everyone's downfall. Appearing as Bugs Moran in this episode is Harry Morgan (Dragnet, M*A*S*H, succeeding such previous Morans as Lloyd Nolan and Robert J. Wilke. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
