Celebrity Nooz: Gregory Harrison

Gregory Harrison (Actor) Trapper John M.D.

Updated: 6/08/21

Name: Gregory Harrison

Birth Name: Gregory Neale Harrison

Born: May 31, 1950 in Avalon, Catalina Island, California, USA

Claim To Fame: Gregory Harrison is an American actor best known for his role as young surgeon assistant Dr. George Alonzo "Gonzo" Gates on the CBS series Trapper John, M.D.(1979-86).

Family Life: Randi Oakes (1981 - present) 4 children Has 3 daughters and an adopted son (Emma, Lily, Kate, Quinn).

Info: The son of Ed, a ship's captain and poet, and Donna, an aspiring dancer. They divorced when he was 14. A middle child of three, his older sister Kathleen and younger brother Christopher are both artists.

After serving for two years as a medic in the United States Army, he finally received an honorable discharge in 1971 from the Army as a non-religious conscientious objector.

Harrison is an avid surfer and is also one of the original members of the Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit environmental organization that works to protect the coast that was founded in 1984.

In 1980, he formed with Franklin R. Levy the "Catalina Production Group Ltd." producing numerous stage projects and nearly two dozen television movies. Catalina was an important force in the Los Angeles theater scene, from 1981 to 1992, and the approximately 60 plays presented by the company were honored with over 150 local theater awards. Those plays included "The Hasty Heart" (1982), which won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award as Best Production (including Best Actor for Gregory), and "Picnic" (1986), for which Gregory won a Dramalogue Award.

In 1990, he was was the recipient of the L.A. Ovation Award for Outstanding Contribution to L.A. Theater.

Harrison became addicted to cocaine during the 1980s and was able to break the addiction with the help of the Betty Ford Center.

Trivia: While working as a doorman at a nightclub, he met Jason Robards who offered him encouragement to become an actor.

First big break came in 1976, when he was cast in a guest-star role in the CBS series, M*A*S*H (1972).

In 1979, after years of being a relatively unknown actor, Harrison finally won the role of surgeon Dr. George "Gonzo" Gates on Trapper John, M.D., starring opposite Pernell Roberts on the medical drama spun off from M*A*S*H.

Harrison remained as Gonzo on Trapper John until the middle of the show's seventh season, when he decided to leave for other ventures. The series continued for several more episodes without Harrison, but concluded its run at the end of the 1985-86 season.

Harrison had been a fan of Roberts' role as the eldest son of the Cartwright family on the series Bonanza (1959-1973). He also credits Roberts as his favorite acting mentor. The two remained friends until Roberts' death from pancreatic cancer on January 24, 2010.

In 1996, he starred opposite Eric Roberts in It's My Party, a film based on the true events of a man diagnosed with AIDS who planned a two-day party to say goodbye to his friends and family.

Played the role of slick lawyer Billy Flynn in the NY production of "Chicago" on and off between the years 2003 and 2006.

He also appeared as Benjamin Stone in the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Follies and created a role in the original Broadway production of Kander & Ebb's Steel Pier.

Where Are They Now: Harrison is currently starring on the daytime soap opera General Hospital. He's also appeared in the TV Movie Sweet Carolina and has also guest starred on two episodes on the FOX series 9-1-1. When isn't this guy on television? His career has been wonderful, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

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