‘McHale’s Navy’ Actor, Kitty Wells Son, Was 84
Deadline • • entertainment
Key Points:
- John “Bobby” Wright, the last surviving cast member of the 1960s sitcom McHale’s Navy and son of country music pioneer Kitty Wells, died peacefully at age 84 in Madison, Tennessee.
- Wright acted as radio operator Willy Moss on McHale’s Navy from 1962 to 1966 and appeared in two related feature films, sharing the screen with Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway.
- Following his acting career, Wright pursued country music, charting over 20 singles between 1967 and 1979, with his biggest hit being “Here I Go Again” which reached No. 13 on the Billboard Country Songs chart.
- He toured extensively with his family’s musical group, the Kitty Wells Johnnie Wright and Bobby Wright family show, until 2007, continuing the legacy of his pioneering country music parents.
- Wright was born in Charleston, West Virginia, and after his parents and sister passed away, he remained the last surviving member of his immediate musical family.
