Born in Franklin, Indiana on December 28, 1923, he was raised in Texas and went to college at Indiana University. There, on a speech and
drama scholarship, he began to act and perform however this was interrupted by being called into the service. In World War II where he
saw action overseas, he was befriended by actor
Melvyn Douglas, who led his division. With such encouragement, as well as meeting and becoming familiar with some Broadway folks, Duggan went into acting. From 1949 onward, he was a fixture in both movies and television.
Most notably, he played General Ed Britt on
12 O'Clock High (1964), he was Cal Calhoun in
Bourbon Street Beat (1959) and his most famous role as "Murdoch Lancer" in
Lancer (1968) and the original John Walton opposite
Patricia Neal in
The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971). He was "Howitzer Al Houlihan", the father of "Hotlips Houlihan" (
Loretta Swit) in
M*A*S*H (1972). In 1954, he wed Broadway actress Elizabeth "Betty" Logue. After their deaths, they were cremated and their ashes scattered at Lake Arrowhead, California.
Lux Video Theatre(1950)
A Return to Salem's Lot(1987)as Judge Axel
J. Edgar Hoover(1987)as Dwight D. Eisenhower
Remington Steele(1982)as Johnny Cooper
Glitter(1984)as John Sr
Highway to Heaven(1984)as Crawford
Here's Hollywood(1960)as Self
The Ed Sullivan Show(1948)as Self
The 61st Annual Academy Awards(1989)as Self - Memorial Tribute
The Magical World of Disney(1954)as Commissioner Gaines
