MASH4077TV.com Forums

We've all seen the picture on Colonel Potter's desk. The lady in the picture is supposed to be Mildred, Potter's wife. Who is she really? I've heard the lady in the picture is Harry Morgan's real wife. I've also heard that the picture is of Verna Felton, an actress friend of Harry Morgan from before MASH. I've also heard the lady in the picture is actually Harry Morgan made up to look like a woman. It could be his first wife Eileen Detchon, and sure enough, when you look up her name on Google, the picture on Potter's desk comes up among others. The other pictures (to me at least) don't quite look like the lady in the picture on the desk. He wasn't even married to Barbara Bushman (second wife) until long after MASH stopped filming, so it's not her. Now, when I look at the picture I can see Harry Morgan's facial features. So, to me, it looks like the picture might be Harry Morgan. What do you think?

Chuck, it was Eileen. That's funny you think it looks like Harry Morgan.

Found this link after the fact...

http://bloggedbynight.blogspot.com/2007 ... otter.html


When I first read about the picture being Harry Morgan, the author insisted it was Morgan. That was a long time ago, before this 2007 blog. Has anyone else heard that it was Morgan?

Never heard that story. The way I remember it was Morgan was told he'd have a photo of Mrs. Potter on his desk. Morgan asked if he could use a photo of his actual wife and the Gelbart/Reynolds agreed.

Agreed, it is his real wife Eileen who he was married to from 1940 - 1985. Her picture can also be found on Captain Bill Gannon's desk in the 1987 movie "Dragnet" where Morgan played the part of Capt. Gannon.

I always thought the photo of Mildred on Col. Potter's desk was actually Betty Ford.