Harry Morgan, who played Col. Sherman Potter on TV’s legendary war series M*A*S*H and Jack Webb’s detective partner in Dragnet , died Wednesday at age 96. He and the show became staples of CBS from 1972-1983. The satirical dark comedy was one of TV’s best shows and its finale one of the most-watched events ever. The veteran actor died in his home in Los Angeles, Calif., after suffering from pneumonia, daughter-in-law Beth Morgan told the Associated Press yesterday. “He was side-splittingly funny, a very gentle and loving father-in-law,” Beth Morgan said. “He was very humble about having such a successful career.” Morgan became interested in acting while taking public speaking at the University of Chicago. Local theater stints led to a Broadway production of Golden Boy . After appearing in dramatic films The Ox Box Incident and High Noon , he began a TV career in December Bride and Dragnet , before appearing in M*A*S*H .
