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RIP, Harry Morgan.
If you're going to be in the army, you want to be in Col. Sherman T. Potter's army.
Harry Morgan, who died today at 96, will always be fondly remembered for his role as the horse-loving, silly-curse-word-spewing Korean War doctor and colonel, devoted to his people and his patients. Of course, he also was memorable as Bill Gannon, Joe Friday's mellower police partner in "Dragnet," as well as for his roles in "The Apple Dumpling Gang," "The Ox Bow Incident" and other films.
But it's as Potter that he'll be remembered, a sane man in the insanity of war, fighting to patch men up while surrounded by armies trying to take them down. Here are seven classic Potter moments. (Find more at IMDB.com and Words of Wisdom of Sherman T. Potter Facebook page.)
Potter: We order rectal thermometers, we get spark plugs. Both useful articles, but hardly interchangeable.
Potter singing in the shower: Ohhhh I love to go swimming with bow-legged women, and swim between their legs!
Potter: Now, you take World War II. My unit got the word that Nazis, dressed as Eskimos, had overrun Seattle. Incredible as it seems, half my unit believed it, and began hoarding canned salmon. Now then, I have spoken personally to General Hamilton at headquarters. I've known Bink Hamilton for going on 30 years. I am the godfather of his grandson, Sherman Potter Hamilton. 15 years old, and can name 24 of the 48 states. Already has an appointment to West Point. The general has assured me there is nothing to worry about. M*A*S*H 4077 is definitely... [Radar hands him a message] bugging out in three hours! Bug out!
Potter: I had a still on Guam in World War II. One night it blew up. That's how I got my purple heart.
Potter: Listen, when you love somebody, you're always in trouble. There's only two things you can do about it: either stop loving them, or love them a whole lot more.
Potter: Tomorrow, the tents of the 4077 will be coming down for good. For an awful long time we've been living together, eating together --
Soldier: Sleeping together.
Potter: Well, I wouldn't know, I have a horse.
Potter, in final episode: You boys always managed to give me a laugh right when I needed it most. I'll never forget the time you dropped Winchester's drawers in the O.R. Of course I had to pretend I was mad at you, but inside, I was laughing to beat all hell.
Got a favorite Potter line? Tell us in the comments.
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The first Prince Harry has gone. I miss you.
I enjoyed Harry Morgan from my childhood thru Mash 4077th. Rest in peace Harry.
Rest in peace Colonel.......
I still tear-up when Radar gives Col. Potter the horse.
Rest in Peace Col. Potter.
Taps playing............slow fade out!
Just the facts ma'am.
He made that role shine above everyone else there. His voice was pure gold. He must hve been a wondeful person in order to bring such soul to his work.
Mule Muffins!
Horse Hockey!
Always loved the time Frank ran a tank over Col Potter's jeep- completely smashed it. Potter took out his pistol and shot the jeep- just like he would do a horse! Hilarious!!!!
OMG that was hilarous what an incredible show that was.
I cant remember the general he was calling but when he got him on the phone, Col.Potter was surprised, covered the mouth piece with his hand and told radar, "The man answers his own phone, he must be a Unitarian", If you are one yourself its hilarious.
"Horse Hockey!!!"
"Sorry, Padre." - Seems like he ended up saying that a lot. Thanks for the laughs!
I think one of my favorite episodes was Col. Potter was the last soldier alive in a group of soldier friends who made a promise to each other to toast their friends from a bottle of scotch they had saved and passed onto the remaining soldier friends.
My toast to Harry Morgan . . . . well done, Sherm.
They made a "tontine." Touching episode. Have the entire series on DVD...IMHO the best series ever on television.
This was the episode I immediately thought of upon hearing of Harry Morgan's death. It was such a brilliant and touching episode.
RIP Harry Morgan. You will be missed.
Mule Fritters
Buffalo bagels.
"I think there should be a rule of war that says you have to sit down and get to know the other guy before you're allowed to shoot them."
-Col. Sherman T. Potter
same rule for racists.
When he fell out of the Jeep drunk and asked "Did I fall down?" Hawkeye answers no, and then Potter says, "I didn't think so." Potter, Hawkeye and BJ were coming from a possible court martial on BJ.
It's kind of ironic that my name on here is Sherman & a feel like I lost my Grandpa today.
Upon hearing that he is to give the bride away at a restricted Korean wedding, "I wish mother were here. She loves to cry."
he was always saying things like "horse hockey"..
I loved the time when he was fairly new to the unit and Radar gave him the horse they found as a present and it crapped on the floor of Colonel Potter's office and he slipped on it. Frank Burns looked at it and said "that's disgusting", then Colonel Potter after getting all misty eyed at Radar's thoughtfulness, said to Frank, "son, to me, where I come from that's a tiptoe thru the tulips".
clean as whistle, inside and out. ;)
Veal68, that's exactly what I was going to write! Whenever I think of Harry Morgan, I think of that scene with him and the horse. He was such a likable character and showed his real emotions.
Veal68 said:
"I loved the time when he was fairly new to the unit and Radar gave him the horse they found as a present and it crapped on the floor of Colonel Potter's office and he slipped on it. Frank Burns looked at it and said "that's disgusting", then Colonel Potter after getting all misty eyed at Radar's thoughtfulness, said to Frank, "son, to me, where I come from that's a tiptoe thru the tulips".
Radar's line was pretty funny as I recall it: "It's a horse, sir."
How many Os in smoooooth?
"I love a man who answers his own phone. Must be a Unitarian!"
Those are indeed wonderful moments. Too bad the media industry wants to make articles like this illegal.
Colonel Potter was never rattled by anything, be it awakened by a terrified Radar during an artillery barrage and calmly saying, "It's ours" or responding, "This too shall pass" to Father Mulcahy's complaint of dysentery. He was a perfect replacement for Col. Blake, by not trying to duplicate Blake. He had a well written character and it is impossible to imagine being played by anyone other than Harry Morgan.
I'm glad you introduced Col. Blake into the thread. His last episode was devastating! Yet, that is the very sort of thing that happens in war.
Col. Potter was the only reasonable replacement.
"M" stands for Mobile.
"...and mobile you shall be!" That's not a Col. Potter line. That's when he plays the psycho general Bartford Hamilton Steele, where he throws out all those nutty quotes from military figures from history.
"If I'm so damn brilliant, how did I just sew my glove to this man's intestine?"
"Klinger, I'm getting a vision... of my boots, kicking you across the compound."
"So this is a commemorative event. If it goes well, we'll issue a COIN!"
Was that the same episode where he disappears into the sunset singing "Mississippi Mud"?
Who can forget all of the times Klinger went to Colonel Potter to get sent back home - they were all priceless. A great man of the large and small screen is now gone from our lives and no one will be able to take his place. Rest in Peace Harry Morgan, you will be missed !!!! Horse Hockey !!!!
To a truly great character and even greater actor
I hope loyal fans of M*A*S*H will appreciate this:
(singing)
It's a long way to Tipperary,
It's a long, long way to go.
It's a long way to Tipperary
To the sweetest girl I know.
Goodbye Piccadilly,
Farewell Leicester Square,
It's a long long way to Tipperary,
But my heart lies there.
RIP Col. Sherman Potter
"He thinks I'm Chinese" Hawkeye respond "I don't see it "