KEY POINTS
Morgan died Aug. 24, 2026, at age 94, according to her obituary.
She became widely recognized as a judge on Chuck Barris’ The Gong Show.
Her career began in entertainment through a family vaudeville act and later expanded into singing and acting.
Morgan, whose birth name was Mary Margaret Morgan, died Aug. 24, according to an obituary cited by Deadline. She was born Dec. 3, 1931, and was residing in Castle Rock, Washington, at the time of her death.
Her entertainment career began at an early age through her family’s vaudeville act. The family performance was also featured in a 1935 film, giving Morgan an early connection to show business before her later television fame.
Morgan reached a much broader audience through The Gong Show, the Chuck Barris-hosted amateur talent competition that became known for its unusual and often eccentric performances. Contestants appeared before a celebrity judging panel, where acts could be stopped when a judge struck the show’s signature gong.
As one of the program’s celebrity judges, Morgan became part of a panel that helped define the show’s distinctive tone. Her presence connected her earlier entertainment career with a television format built around unpredictable performances and comedic judging.
Morgan later recalled one particular performer as her favorite act. Speaking to PEOPLE, she singled out Count Banjula, who performed while playing the banjo upside down and wearing a cape.
Morgan’s career illustrates the range of entertainment formats that shaped her professional life, moving from a family vaudeville performance background to singing, acting and television. Her association with The Gong Show remains one of the most recognizable parts of that career.
The program’s celebrity judging format was central to its identity, placing Morgan alongside other panelists as performers competed for attention with unconventional acts.
Morgan’s death was reported by Deadline on Aug. 26. The obituary cited in the report states that she died two days earlier, on Aug. 24, at her age of 94.
No additional details about the circumstances of her death were provided in the supplied information.
