Gregory Harrison talks addiction and the Vietnam War with Maurice Benard! Read more here >>
The longtime actor spent 40 minutes talking about his experiences as a medic in the Vietnam war, his career in Hollywood, along with his personal struggles dealing with addiction in the 70’s before emerging as someone he is proud to be today.
In classic Benard fashion, Maurice opened the show solo in a new filming location with better lighting and a dynamic backdrop. The theme this week was the degenerative illness ALS and its emotional impact it plays for the patient and their loved ones.
Upon Harrison’s introduction, it was very clear the admiration Benard has for Gregory Harrison. Over the course of State of Mind Mauice Benard has never shied away from sharing his adulation for his colleagues and shows the utmost respect for those who live their lives in truthful and genuine ways.
Quickly the conversation went to Gregory Harrison’s time serving in the US Army during the Vietnam war. It was Harrison’s persistent conscientious objection to his own draft status that helped many thousands of other citizens with a similar moral compass to Harrison’s to find ways around the unnecessary violence of the decade.
Though knowing when to play ball and knowing when he stand firm, Harrison held the US Army to their agreement that if he enlisted for three years rather than serve as a draftee for two, he would be trained to be a helicopter medic and kept away from the weapons of war that Harrison found himself with such heavy aversion toward.
Maurice and Gregory both mentioned Muhammad Ali’s objections to the Vietnam war, with Harrison stating that Ali was a direct influence of him during that time of his life. He may not have had the same vigor to stand up for his avoidance of violence if it weren’t for the vocally famous.
Ultimately, it was challenging for Harrison to stay in objection against the entirety of the US Army and what they expected of him. Harrison knew even at the age of 18 that he could not live with himself as a morally compromised man. He wasn’t afraid of death, and still isn’t, but was afraid of having to live with killing in an unjust war.
Harrison says that he understands some wars are “necessary,” but in that case he could not compromise his morality.
After returning to the USA after his tour was finished, Harrison took a job as a doorman for a small night club in Catalina until Jason Robards happened into his club while Harrison was performing for the patrons. Robards gave Harrison a litany of compliments to a degree that Harrison quit his job and moved to Hollywood the very next day.
Gregory Harrison says he had always wanted to be an actor, especially since the age of 15 when his father allowed a movie to be filmed on a boat that he owned. Gregory Harrison saw up close and personal Doris Day and Rod Taylor’s Glass Bottom Boat in production and was blown away with the foul mouth of Day when she made a mistake.
It was that experience that showed Gregory that being an actor wasn’t something superhuman, and if even the great could get it wrong until it was right he felt he could definitely do things wrong until they’re correct as well.
All these experiences fueled Gregory's Hollywood passions and he attended acting schools while working washing windows and anything that could keep him fed while he pursued his lifelong dream.
One success led to the next, one role into the other, made friends provided opportunities that eventually took him through Logan’s Run the Series, the mini series Centennial, and finally his biggest break as Gonzo in the M*A*S*H* spin-off Trapper John, MD.
Maurice thought that primetime actors back then were overall better, and appreciated the realism that some of these shows brought. Harrison remembers Trapper John as a little too clean and wished he had a chance to be less than perfect on the series.
Harrison, however, likened changes to primetime quality as a reflection of the larger offerings today. Back when he was on Trapper John there were only 3 networks or so to choose from. Today there’s so much more, which gives the audience more of a chance to find something they don’t enjoy.
Maurice Benard was not going to let the conversation conclude without talking about Harrison’s time at the Betty Ford clinic overcoming his addictions.
For about a decade, Gregory Harrison battled addiction to cocaine and had in his estimation the last 5 years were especially ugly and he was firmly a man that he “wasn’t.” Benard asked if Harrison's wife Randi Oakes (Bonnie Clark, CHiPs) helped him and Harrison said that nobody could have helped him except for himself, but Randi was always by his side and supportive.
The two actors end the segment reminding everyone that even in the times where everything feels hopeless, it isn’t. Both Gregory Harrison and Maurice Benard have made it past what they consider their greatest poor choices and inner demons and have made it to the other side, and so can anyone else.
Gregory Harrison took the opportunity to speak directly into the camera, “He says “It’s not hopeless if you’re willing to seek help.” While many of Harrison’s friends died to the same addiction he battled, he feels like a lucky man, “we got better.”
On creating characters, Harrison loves to bring humanity to evil doers. He likes to understand the dark choices someone can make due to extreme desperation in their circumstances.
Harrison finds joy in finding the right beats to hit with the character of Gregory Chase on General Hospital. He finds it a thrilling challenge to find the beats to play up the illness, where to play to his character’s fear of loss.
They both love Jophielle Love and consider her a “powerhouse.” (Photo: ABC)
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