He may be best known for his role as Dr. “Gonzo” Gates on T-V’s “Trapper John, M-D” some 20 years ago, but Gregory Harrison is now one of the stars of the touring musical “Chicago,” on stage this week in Des Moines. Unlike other Hollywood types who flit through Iowa, the 54-year-old Harrison says he’s very familiar with Iowa and has been here countless times, since his actress wife is a northeast Iowa native. His wife is Randi Oakes, a Randalia native who “went to Hollywood and made good” after starring on the T-V series “CHIPs” for several years. They’ve been married since 1981, a major accomplishment by L-A star standards, and have three daughters and one adopted son. Harrison says he’s been on the road more than a year with “Chicago” playing the male lead, Billy Flynn, but he usually finds time to squeeze in his hobbies, like surfing. While he can’t go surfing in Iowa, obviously, he said years ago he flew into Cedar Rapids after returning from surfing in France. Harrison found himself driving across the cornfields of the Hawkeye State with the surf board strapped to the top of his car and “got some strange looks.” The show concludes its week-long run at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines on Sunday.
