Talk:Harry Morgan/Archive 1

Roles

Added a Guest role on the Jeff Foxworthy Show

Harry Morgan played Doc Amos B. Coogan on "Hec Ramsey," and NBC Mystery Movie series.

Harry Morgans father emigrated from Norway to the US early 20th century. His fathers brother, Tøvis, had a son born 1916 with the same name, norwegian spelling (Henry Bratsberg). Harry with his first wife Eileen visited Henry in Norway on at least two occasions before Henrys death in 1982. 195.134.32.197 12:00, 22 March 2007 (UTC)

The reference to The Incident series was to another project. I have seen the series that was intended. I am not certain that the series deserves an article. JimCubb 05:06, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

Bratsburg vs. Bratsberg

I just reverted the change in Morgan's real name. Although practically every printed reference out there says "Bratsburg," Morgan himself is emphatic that it's "Bratsberg," and spells it clearly in his interview for the Archive of American Television at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. I've included the link, which is to YouTube, which is where the AAT posts all its interviews, though the originals and transcripts are available from the Academy. Monkeyzpop (talk) 19:17, 6 January 2009 (UTC)

If it's Bratsburg, as seems to be the case, why does the article's opening line state that he was "born Harry Duncan Morgan"? Is that vandalism?

Yes, it is, and it's been reverted. And see section above (Bratsburg vs. Bratsberg). Morgan himself is emphatic about the -berg spelling being correct. Monkeyzpop (talk) 21:10, 17 July 2010 (UTC)

With discrepancies, we include sources for both. I see some with Bratsberg, and many for Bratsburg. Jokestress (talk) 00:42, 8 December 2011 (UTC)

Obviously, he can't be trusted to know the spelling of his own name. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 01:24, 8 December 2011 (UTC)

I think the confusion comes from the fact that the name in Norway may have been Bratsberg, but when they came to the United States the name was changed to Bratsburg. What would I need to Cite this? His brother Arnold, my grandfathers obituary?

http://www.visitmuskegon.org/group_tours_escort_notes.htm — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tovisbratsburg (talk • contribs)

Wikipedia requires a reliable source, so any books or newspapers that say his birth name was Harry Bratsburg can be included. The visitmuskegon.org site above is not a reliable source. As another editor pointed out, he spells his own name at the beginning of this video: Harry Morgan - Archive Interview Part 1 of 7. Jokestress (talk) 01:28, 8 December 2011 (UTC)

I was told by my father, that in the old country (Norway) it was spelled with an E, when they moved to the US it was with a U. I am aware that he spelled in an 'e' in the interview. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tovisbratsburg (talk • contribs) 01:36, 8 December 2011 (UTC)

We can only cite reliable sources. This 1946 article on Henry Morgan by Bob Arnell in Motion Picture says, "As Harry Bratsburg, his stage name, he is well known to Broadway audiences for his performances with such stars as Henry Fonda, Frances Farmer, Mildred Natwick, Luther Adler, Harry Carey, Franchot Tune, and John Garfield. (...) Henry's real name is Harry Bratsberg. He was born in Detroit, the son of Henry Bratsberg, a toolmaker who at one time helped Eddie Rickenbacker make autos, and Anna Hanson Bratsberg, neither of whom is now living. His father was Norwegian... When he registered at junior high, the registrar spelled it Bratsburg instead of Bratsberg. Bashful Henry did not demur." (page 194). Jokestress (talk) 01:52, 8 December 2011 (UTC)

I'll ask one of his sons in a few weeks about it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tovisbratsburg (talk • contribs) 13:56, 8 December 2011 (UTC)

FYI, though it is not acceptable as a reliable source because it is original research, I contacted the New York Times obituary department regarding the discrepancy. Assistant editor Peter Keepnews replied:

"Harry Morgan's original surname has been listed by various sources as both Bratsburg and Bratsberg. Michael Pollak, the author of the obit - who devoted a tremendous amount of time and energy to his research, and who was in frequent contact with Harry Morgan's son Charles - explains:

"Charles Morgan told me that his own papers say Bratsburg, and that his father never regarded it as significant. It was Bratsberg in Norway but in America it often became Bratsburg, which was apparently the case here, Charles said."

"I am surprised to learn that Harry Morgan himself told an interviewer that the name was spelled with an "e" and not a "u"; he may have been referring to the name as it was originally spelled in Norway, or he may have been momentarily confused, or it may simply be that, as his son said, he didn't regard the difference in spelling as a big deal. But I feel confident that the man's own son, who possesses the relevant documentation, is a reliable source."

Also as an update, the YouTube video in which Morgan spells his surname as Bratsberg has been moved to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2i4iKT73zk. Jokestress (talk) 20:20, 8 December 2011 (UTC)

I'm a little concerned by the argument above that Morgan's son's knowledge can be trusted over that of Morgan himself, who "may have been confused" about his own name? He is quite clear about it in the interview, the census records for the family are consistent in the Bratsberg spelling, and it is only in later years that some family members (including Harry) ever used the Bratsburg spelling. Since it's BIRTH name we're talking about, and government records and the man himself state that his BIRTH name was Bratsberg, I don't see how even the statements of the son can override the substantial evidence that, at birth, Morgan's name was Bratsberg. I think my current edit, stating and citing my points above while also admitting that the family was (later) inconsistent, addresses all of the issues. Monkeyzpop (talk) 21:15, 8 December 2011 (UTC)

I removed the word "erroneously," which suggests a certainty that does not reflect the sources. A magazine is a better source than a census record, because it is secondary. We should not remove sources, especially secondary sources, when there are good reasons to include them. Since the Motion Picture article specifically addresses the variant spelling, it is especially relevant. Jokestress (talk) 21:48, 8 December 2011 (UTC)

I think any reasoned and informed opinion of fan magazines as produced in the 1940s and 1950s will suggest that the overwhelming majority view is that they were pap created often out of whole cloth by publicists, and therefore I must reject the notion that such a magazine (we're not talking Time or The New Republic here) should be considered a more reliable source than a census record, which (a.) is no less "published" than a magazine and (b.) is created with the very purpose of accuracy. The U.S. government publishes census records and I'm aware of no WP guideline that suggests that government publications should be considered of lesser value than secondary sources, particularly denigrated secondary sources like fan magazines. That said, I see nothing wrong with the edit as you've put it currently. Clearly, even the family was of mixed opinions about the spelling of the name, and I think the article makes that clear, as well as making clear what the LEGAL spelling most likely was. Monkeyzpop (talk) 05:46, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

The relevant policy is here. Your analysis of census data (a primary source) constitutes original research. Secondary sources are preferred for the reasons discussed on that page. I believe that the article should say Bratsburg as the primary spelling, with Bratsberg as the alternate. As a guideline, "Harry Bratsberg" appears in 9 Google Books search results, and "Harry Bratsburg" appears in 884. Since Bratsburg is vastly more common in reliable sources, we should probably use Bratsburg. Jokestress (talk) 06:09, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

I disagree. Following the policy as described in the link you provided, I read: Policy: Unless restricted by another policy, primary sources that have been reliably published may be used in Wikipedia, but only with care, because it is easy to misuse them. Any interpretation of primary source material requires a reliable secondary source for that interpretation. A primary source may only be used on Wikipedia to make straightforward, descriptive statements that any educated person, with access to the source but without specialist knowledge, will be able to verify are supported by the source. In this case we have a most remarkably reliable secondary source, a published video interview with the subject himself, confirming the interpretation. The use of government published census information does indeed stand as a primary source, but one well within the bounds of this policy statement, and with the backup of the secondary source (the Archive of American Television interview), is far more than adequately supported as a reasonable citation for presumption of the Bratsberg name over Bratsburg. Yes, Google will supply far more Bratsburgs than Bratsbergs, but with both reliable (and reasonably used, within WP guidelines) primary AND a straightforward-and-incontrovertible-statement-by-the-subject-himself secondary sources, I believe the quality of the evidence overwhelms the quantity of the other sources. Monkeyzpop (talk) 18:22, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

The use of the census data as a primary source in the manner you have constitutes original research, because you are making an inference or assumption based on a primary source. That is not allowed. The New York Times has a 70-year history of using Bratsburg. Obituaries are split on the issue, but contemporary accounts from the 1940s on used Bratsburg with few exceptions. The NYT spoke directly with Morgan's son about the matter in preparing their obit. The most relevant discrepancy is his own spelling, which I agree gives significant weight to Bratsberg. However, that interview is also considered a primary source. The best secondary source we have directly addressing the discrepancy is the Motion Picture Magazine piece. It's an interesting dilemma, much like the debate on the "I" in Scooter Libby's name and other naming mysteries that crop up now and then. Jokestress (talk) 19:55, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

I have to counter your point about the interview in which Morgan spells his own name Bratsberg being a primary source. Hearing Morgan say that in person and reporting on it would be primary sourcing. But once the Archive of American Television published the video interview, THAT PUBLISHED VIDEO became a secondary source, just as if they'd published a written transcript in a book of interviews. (The transcript IS published in printed form, by the way, but that's beside the point of this discussion of proper sourcing.) Millions of sources in WP are based on published interviews with the subject. It can't be possible that publishing a film or video record of the interview "isn't" publishing, but publishing a print transcript is. I think that would fly in the face of not only the common sense mentioned in WP's sourcing guideline, but of the spirit of WP in the first place. The interview is, first and foremost, a published, reliable source--a requirement at the heart of WP sourcing guidelines. Indeed, in this case, there are interesting dilemmas attached. But I don't think there's a dilemma as to the propriety of this source. Monkeyzpop (talk) 21:17, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

When he left Michigan, all of our legal names are and have remained Bratsburg. Harry later changed it. Bratsburg is spelled with a U on my grandfathers gravestone and they were brothers. I remember digging in family photos and post cards seeing Bratsberg written on them that were very old and from Norway. The family back in Norway may have been spelled it differently but why would brothers have two different spellings of birth last names? What are the government records that you have found that say Bratsberg? Sorry that I am so persistant, my first name is Tovis and I was named after Tøvis. I just want the man we all grew up knowing to be the famous one in the family to have his birth name to be spelled correctly, I remember changing it a couple times shortly because he died because we knew his death would be soon. My father spoke with Harry a day or two before he died. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tovisbratsburg (talk • contribs) 05:05, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

The government records that say Bratsberg are cited in the article, i.e., the U.S. Census records which make clear that the family at that time (1930) spelled the name Bratsberg. Adding the fact that Harry Morgan himself emphatically and clearly stated on video that the name was spelled Bratsberg makes it necessary to address the issue in the article and to make clear that government records and Harry himself spelled it one way (most of the time), but that family members differ on the spelling. That's what the article says now. Monkeyzpop (talk) 05:46, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

Does the Census information list his name as Bratsberg, or my great-grandfather, or both, or the entire household? I'll talk with his son Paul soon. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tovisbratsburg (talk • contribs) 15:24, 11 December 2011 (UTC)

The census record cited has Bratsberg for the entire family. Monkeyzpop (talk) 01:49, 12 December 2011 (UTC)

Harry's Mother and Father: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=27904375 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Bratsburg&GSiman=1&GScid=1297&GRid=27904315& — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tovisbratsburg (talk • contribs) 06:36, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

Harry's Brother: http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/SSDI/individual_record.asp?recid=384056675&lds=3&region=-1&regionfriendly=&frompage=99 http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~graveyards/oceana/newera/bratsburgarnold.jpg — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tovisbratsburg (talk • contribs) 06:11, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

I also found a World War I Draft Registration Card from 1917 for Henry Arnold Bratsburg. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tovisbratsburg (talk • contribs) 07:51, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

The grave marker for his parents is helpful to show the spelling they used in 1942. We have included numerous conflicting sources where his birth name is spelled either way. The issue is that when he was 95 years old, he stated his birth name was "Harry Bratsberg." I agree with the NYT assessment that he may have made an error, as he later struggles a bit to recall his birthdate. User:Monkeyzpop and others feel this trumps all other sourcing. What we need is a 1915 birth announcement published in the newspaper, a vital record document showing his birth name, or corrections in the recent obituaries that used "Bratsberg." I would support listing "Bratsburg" first given the information we have, and putting "Bratsberg" as the alternate spelling, but other editors have resisted that so far. Jokestress (talk) 18:14, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

A registration card from 1917 says clearly his Fathers name was Bratsburg on the top and with the same handwriting on the signature it looks like it could possibly be Bratsberg. A registration card from 1942 says Bratsberg and is signed Bratsberg (it looks like Henry also spelled his first name wrong, an e is crossed off), along with the daughters name being Miss. Marguerite Bratsberg stated as a person who will always know the address. Henery's death certificate dated 6/20/1942 not much later lists the spelling as Bratsburg along with his wife's name Hannah Bratsburg. My grandfather signed that Death Certificate as Arnold Bratsburg at age 23. This doesn't make sense, so perhaps his father changed his own name when Harry was around 27, making his film debut in 1942 just before his death? Then Marguerite's name is spelled as Bratsberg in the National Archives when she was in the military on a database from 1945. Also, Hannah, Harry's mother died in January of 1942. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.126.11.99 (talk) 08:13, 22 December 2011 (UTC)

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Just to be clear

Re this, I did check the source, and it clearly states Harry is still alive. Long may that be the case. Absconded Northerner (talk) 22:28, 28 August 2011 (UTC)

Interesting trivia about Morgan's first appearance

In one of the MASH reunion specials, people commented about Harry Morgan's appearance on the show as General Steele. Morgan caught everyone off guard with his comedic talents, so they had to do numerous retakes because the other cast members kept breaking up. Gary Burghoff said, "We had no idea Harry Morgan could be that funny. He had played some wonderful character roles, but we had no idea he could be that off-the-wall, and he was just killing us!"97.73.64.175 (talk) 21:03, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

WWII

He was 26-27 at the start of WWII, did he serve at all? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.125.2.155 (talk) 23:49, 7 December 2011 (UTC)

Dubious

In a series of edits from 20:24 to 20:27 UTC on December 7, 2011, IP 216.99.4.9 added a filmography entry stating that Morgan appeared uncredited in Ghostbusters. The IMDB has no such credit for him. Searching for other sources on the Internet, I find it mentioned in some of Morgan's obituaries, but those might have been written after the Wikipedia edit and taken the information from it.

As the IMDB is usually pretty exhaustive about uncredited appearances by well-known actors in well-known movies, and this IP address has not done any other edits for more than a year, I find this item dubious. Accordingly, I've tagged it as "dubious" rather than "citation needed". If Morgan did appear in the movie and someone has a source (older than the edit) that says so, please add a cite for it and remove the "dubious" tag. Thanks.

--65.92.3.185 (talk) 07:33, 8 December 2011 (UTC)

I removed it pending a source. Jokestress (talk) 07:55, 8 December 2011 (UTC)

RfC: Harry Morgan original surname

Sources conflict on whether Harry Morgan's original surname was spelled Bratsburg or Bratsberg. Please see the "Bratsburg or Bratsberg" section on the talk page. At issue:

1. Should birth name(s) be included in the lede and infobox?
2. If so, should both appear?
3. If both should appear, which should be listed first?

The New York Times and an editor who claims to be a family member say it is Bratsburg. In a 2010 interview, Morgan spells his original surname on camera as Bratsberg. A 1946 Motion Picture Magazine article explains the shift. All are sourced and discussed above. Jokestress (talk) 05:27, 9 December 2011 (UTC)

• There may be guidelines for how this information is presented in BLPs but I'm not aware of them. (Someone else can perhaps point them out.) But, for what it's worth, I'd say that the birth names should appear either in the lead paragraph or in the section where the biography begins and should always be highlighted in bold characters. The choice between the two should be up to the editor.

The name of the subject is obviously the one with which he's most known, so, for simple reasons of notability, it should always be included. In fact, it is to be expected that the name is the article's very title! And, naturally, we should be listing first the name with which the subject is widely known and then the birth name, e.g. "John Smith (born Joshua Klutzewitz)..." -The Gnome (talk) 16:17, 10 December 2011 (UTC)

Harry's Mother and Father: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=27904375 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Bratsburg&GSiman=1&GScid=1297&GRid=27904315

Can the parents names be changed? Henry Arnold was born Bratsberg, but it was changed to Bratsburg, Its on a government document from 1917 and his gravestone. I can upload the 1917 document if needed. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Tovisbratsburg (talk • contribs) 08:03, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

• comment I've seen many cases where a spelling or date of birth has been disputed. I don't believe it's unusual to mention both (or all) items provided a WP:RS is cited. I wouldn't give it any undue weight however, and simply state both items and how it is reported. — Ched :  ?  14:06, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

• RFC comment: the answers to proposed quiz are

1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. The first should come his spelling of his name; if unknown, in alphabetical order ("Bratsberg[1] or Bratsburg[2]", not the lengthy reflist and explanation).

Dmitrij D. Czarkoff (talk) 15:42, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

• Bratsberg (sometimes Bratsburg) I just put the names in alphabetical order. They could be switched depending on if one or the other was his preferred spelling based on a primary source (like a confirmed copy of his signature or something...NOT something in print which could be subject to error or just a type-o. Quinn ^{✩ STARRY NIGHT} 18:52, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

• The preference should be what Morgan himself preferred. If reliable sources can be cited for variations, then the variations should be mentioned as part of the record but his preference should be the prominent one. DonaldRichardSands (talk) 20:23, 28 December 2011 (UTC)

• • comment The wording should include both versions, and I'd stick to alphabetical spellings as the order. This isn't an uncommon problem. Lots of people had their names changed upon immigration to the USA, or mistakes on a deed, that kind of thing. Many actors and musicians have so many reviewers and promoters that aren't careful with spelling. --Leahtwosaints (talk) 03:52, 31 December 2011 (UTC)
• I think the 'e' spelling properly comes first, since it was his birth name. But only the surname need be repeated—i.e., "(born Harry Bratsberg, often spelled Bratsburg)" would suffice. Also, there are way too many citations for a lead sentence. The spelling variance is explained in the body of the article. Perhaps most (or even all) of the refs could appear there instead. Rivertorch (talk) 08:20, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

Missing from Filmography?

I have a very vague memory of Morgan appearing in a TV-drama about 1960 or so. It was about a guy in an office who goes crazy and thinks he's back in the war. Morgan has the last scene, in which he calls his wife to tell her he's going to be late coming home. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.189.1.205 (talk) 00:05, 19 September 2012 (UTC)

Surname

According to all church records, census records, and World War II records of his father, the correct spelling is Bratsberg just as it is spelled in this article. I will look for resources that qualify on Wikipedia. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2606:6000:6142:F700:716D:6B6B:BA63:A4D (talk) 00:06, 16 July 2018 (UTC)

Thought I heard him

Thought I just heard him on Dragnet radio ep 10 (Production 10 AKA Homicide AKA Maniac Murderer AKA Mad Killer At Large). Can someone have a listen and confirm?

ETA: Also, the next episode- Production 11 aka 16 Jewel Thieves. Im sure this is him. Might be worth editing to "several episodes of the radio serial Dragnet"?

116.212.219.50 (talk) 03:27, 31 October 2016 (UTC)

References