John "Bobby" Wright Dies: ‘McHale’s Navy’ Actor, Singer & Son Of Country Icon Kitty Wells Was 84
News Source
•Fri, 30 Oct 2026 18:25:50 +0000
📰 What Happened
John 'Bobby' Wright, the last surviving cast member of the 1960s sitcom McHale's Navy and the son of country music pioneer Kitty Wells, died on 27 October at his home in Madison, Tennessee, aged 84. He played radio operator Willy Moss, credited as John Wright, in the ABC series that ran from 1962 to 1966 alongside Ernest Borgnine.
🔍 The Backstory
Born in Charleston, West Virginia, in 1942, Wright moved to Los Angeles after high school and landed the McHale's Navy role, later appearing in Pistols 'n' Petticoats and The Road West. As Bobby Wright he charted 21 singles on Billboard's country chart between 1967 and 1979, his biggest, 'Here I Go Again', reaching No. 13 in 1971.
🎯 Why It Matters
His death closes the last direct link to the McHale's Navy cast, which also featured Tim Conway and Joe Flynn, and to a period when country music and network television overlapped. He toured with the Kitty Wells, Johnnie Wright and Bobby Wright family show until 2007, carrying forward a family name central to country music history.
John 'Bobby' Wright, the last surviving cast member of the 1960s sitcom McHale's Navy and the son of country music pioneer Kitty Wells, died on 27 October at his home in Madison, Tennessee, aged 84. He played radio operator Willy Moss, credited as John Wright, in the ABC series that ran from 1962 to 1966 alongside Ernest Borgnine.
Born in Charleston, West Virginia, in 1942, Wright moved to Los Angeles after high school and landed the McHale's Navy role, later appearing in Pistols 'n' Petticoats and The Road West. As Bobby Wright he charted 21 singles on Billboard's country chart between 1967 and 1979, his biggest, 'Here I Go Again', reaching No. 13 in 1971.
His death closes the last direct link to the McHale's Navy cast, which also featured Tim Conway and Joe Flynn, and to a period when country music and network television overlapped. He toured with the Kitty Wells, Johnnie Wright and Bobby Wright family show until 2007, carrying forward a family name central to country music history.