Blow Out the Candles, Detective Gannon!

Today’s marks the 95th birthday--yes, you read that correctly, 95th birthday--of Detroit-born TV and film actor Harry Morgan. Most Rap Sheet readers will remember Morgan for his co-starring role, with Jack Webb, in Dragnet (1967-1970), as well as his memorable appearances in M*A*S*H, Hec Ramsey, and Blacke’s Magic. He also portrayed Suzanne Pleshette’s beleaguered father in Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971), a less-than-courageous sheriff in John Wayne’s last movie, The Shootist (1976), and President Harry Truman in the 1979 TV mini-series, Backstairs at the White House. (Morgan’s list of credits is available here.)

I already wrote a fairly extensive post about Morgan’s birthday three years ago, so there’s no point trying to outdo myself now. Instead, you ought to click over to the Archive of American Television site to watch a fascinating 3.5-hour interview with the actor, shot in 2004.