Phil Harris became a TV star by an unusual route, serving as captain of a crab-fishing boat that Discovery Channel used in a reality TV series, “Deadliest Catch.” Harris suffered a stroke last month in an Alaska port and died Tuesday at age 53.
“Discovery mourns the loss of dear friend and colleague Captain Phil Harris. He was more than someone on our television screen. Phil was a devoted father and loyal friend to all who knew him. We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart. We share our tremendous sadness over this loss with the millions of viewers who followed Phil’s every move. We send our thoughts and prayers to Phil’s sons Josh and Jake and the Cornelia Marie crew,” said a statement from Discovery Communications.
Harris and his crew had appeared in all five seasons of “Deadliest Catch,” with the sixth scheduled to air this year. According to Wikipedia, the series now airs in over 150 countries. It is produced for Discovery by Original Productions.
