Gonzo Gates

Doctor George Alonzo "Gonzo" Gates was a supporting protagonist in the television series He was portrayed by .
Enlisting the US Army, Gonzo earned his medical degree and then spent three years at a MASH unit in . Following his time at the MASH he completed a residency in emergency medicine at a hospital in Los Angeles. Winning a motor home in a card game that he called the Titanic, Gonzo then spent some time touring the United States but as his funds began to run short he arrived at San Francisco Memorial Hospital to apply for a position as a surgeon. When he arrived though, the hospital was dealing with a major influx of causalities from an explosion at a hotel. Assuming he was on staff, Nurse Gloria Brancusi asks him for help when a patient has trouble breathing, and Gonzo performed an emergency to keep the patient alive. With all the other surgeons spoken for and seeing that he had just completed a tracheotomy Dr. John "Trapper John" McIntyre - the chief of surgery at the hospital - asked Gonzo to help him out with a patient who was bleeding internally. Gonzo was able to find the bleeder and suture it.
It was only after the surgery that Trapper learned that Gonzo wasn't even on staff yet. In order to keep the hospital, himself, and Gonzo out of legal or professional trouble Trapper had Gonzo apply for a position as a surgeon, and then hired Gonzo as a surgeon. Talking to Gonzo, Trapper learned about Gonzo's impressive credentials and time at a Vietnam MASH. Gonzo reminded Trapper of himself when he was a young surgeon stationed at the 4077. Meanwhile, Gonzo looked up to Trapper as a legend in the MASH community, and Trapper became his mentor. Over the next seven years Gonzo remained on staff at San Francisco. Like his boss, he was willing to bend the rules if needed in order to help his patients.
By 1986 Gonzo had married a young woman named Fran. Tragedy struck soon afterwards as Gonzo suffered a major stroke one day at work. While he survived the stroke, Gonzo was left with mobility, speech, and cognitive impairments as a result. His friends and co-workers tried to help with his rehabilitation, but faced with the loss of his ability to continue as a surgeon, Gonzo decided to retire as a surgeon while he figured out what to do next. He was replaced on staff by Dr. Jacob Christmas, portrayed by .
==Trivia==
* Harrison elected to leave the series in the seventh season so that he could pursue other opportunities, which is the reason why Gonzo was written out of the series midway through the season. The season would prove to be the last of the series, as declining ratings led to Trapper John, M.D. being cancelled.
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