David Ogdon Stiers, who played the part, based him on William Buckley.
I was unaware of that piece of trivia.
A memorable quote:
“Know this. You can cut me off from the civilized world. You can incarcerate me with two moronic cellmates. You can torture me with your thrice daily swill, but you cannot break the spirit of a Winchester. My voice shall be heard from this wilderness and I shall be delivered from this fetid and festering sewer!”