Week of December 9: The Best of Harry Morgan on "M*A*S*H"

By Sylvia Gurinsky

After a decent career as a supporting player in films, Harry Morgan had another decent career, including the role of Detective Frank Gannon on "Dragnet," in television.

Then came "M*A*S*H."

Hard-core series fans will remember that Morgan made his "M*A*S*H" debut during the third season not as the beloved Col. Sherman Potter, but as the crazy General Bartford Hamilton Steele in the episode "The General Flipped at Dawn."

Aside from a scene in which he mistakes cross-dressing Cpl. Klinger (Jamie Farr) for his mistress, Steele completely loses it at a hearing in which he accuses Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) of insubordination:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW-JNn49ZN0&feature=related

That guest-starring role won Morgan the role of Col. Potter when McLean Stevenson, who played Col. Henry Blake, left the show. Potter instantly won the hearts of "M*A*S*H" fans with his combination of toughness, humor, sensitivity and intelligence.

Here are five essential Col. Potter episodes:

1. "Change of Command" (Season 4): The character of Potter first appears in the last minute of "Welcome To Korea," the hourlong episode that introduces Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell). That scene - with the immortal greeting of Radar (Gary Burghoff), who doesn't see Potter: "Stick that horn in your ear" - is repeated in this episode, along with Potter's introduction to the principal characters. It's capped off with his recounting of his own experiences with a moonshine still.

2. "Dear Mildred" (Season 4): Just a few episodes later, a celebration of Potter's anniversary gets him quite a gift: Sophie, the horse (The horse was male in this episode, and no name was given.). It's a moving scene when Radar brings the horse into Potter's office. And I think the bust looks like Potter, not the carver.

3. "Bug Out" (Season 5): The one-hour opener to the fifth season has the 4077th evacuating, and Morgan has some of the funniest scenes in the episode - including the one in which he calls a camp meeting to reassure everyone, only to be handed a telegram by Radar that says they are bugging out.

4. "The Price" (Season 7): A touching episode concerning a retired Korean soldier and Sophie. Potter goes through various emotions when his beloved horse disappears - until he figures out why.

5. "Old Soldiers" (Season 8): The best episode, in which Potter mourns the death of a World War I comrade while toasting his friendship with his 4077 family. Beautifully done.

The entire series, of course, is available on DVD.

To quote the Colonel, "To me, that's a tiptoe through the tulips."

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See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!