are there any M*A*S*H fans here ?

Cafe Society
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Some more stuff:

IMDB says that Alda’s contract required that there be at least one surgery scene per episode, so that the role of the doctor would be precedent over the role of comedian.

On History vs Hollywood, which ran on the History Channel a while back, they interviewed former MASH doctors. They said few MASH docs served the entire war, because they had developed new medical techniques during their service that was in high demand in the States. So, they had short tours of duty and were frequently replaced.

Also, referring to the pranks the characters in the movie and TV series played on Margaret Houlihan, the docs said they would never have considered doing any such a thing to their head nurse. She was much too good of a thing to have working with them to want to mess with.

As regards to Klinger, none of them recalled any cross dressers during their time, but said if there were any, they’d have had their bones jumped at least once.

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Oh, I agree. The first time I saw the movie I absolutely could not believe it was him.

And I also agree that there is no comparing the movie to the show. They are just so completely different.

I love MAS*H, as a matter of fact, one of the primary reasons I decided to get cable was so I could watch MASH reruns on FX. Sometimes 6 hours worth a day! Some would call that crazy, but it ended right around the time I was born, so I missed it all it’s first run. My goal is to see every episode. (Including the last one, which I haven’t seen).

Burns v Winchester: I liked Burns in the earlier episodes because he was a fantastic foil. But soon he became tedious, and ultimately, I like Winchester better.

Trapper v BJ: Well, this is harder for me. Trapper was very funny, but I guess my ultimate vote would be for BJ (It means whatever you want it to mean.)

Radar v Klinger: I love them both equally, though the post-Radar shows are slightly harder for me to watch.

Blake v Potter: Potter.

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Yeah, my bad. I realized soon after I posted that he was in the service during the Korean War and had been in Korea while in the service, but not both.

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'Nother little bit of trivia from the movie: The only gunshot in the film is the refs pistol during the football game.

The books are also pretty good, but again, a different creature than either the movie or the series. In MASH Goes to Maine* it is mentioned that Trapper was a member of the Outing Club at Dartmouth so we now have a shelter along the Appilachian Trail named “Trapper John Shelter” in Lyme NH.

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did you also know that George (Norm) Went and Shelly (Diane) Long had guest appearances in MASH. (1980 or 1981)

Alan Aldas real father and Alan’s brother had also some guest appearances. (his father - several times).

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Robert Alda was a regular guest star–a pompous and annoying surgeon. I can’t remember his character’s name. He and Hawkeye had to go to the front line for something, and the brother played a medic in that episode. So all three appeared together.

Did George Wendt play the guy who got a billiard ball stuck in his mouth?

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Yes. Wichester wanted to pull out his teeth

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Robert Alda’s name was Borelli.

Another bit of trivia (or maybe not): they never used a laugh track in the OR.

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Gary Burghoff is now doing promos for one of the local TV stations weather department (it may be a national campaign, but it seems local). They talk about how the weather radar can track a storm down to the street level, and he always ends up saying “Wowee-Kazowee. That Radar’s good.” Nope, he wasn’t typecast. No-sir-ee.

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Is it true that Gary Burghoff’s hand (I can’t remember now if it’s right or left) is deformed, and this is why Radar’s often holding objects to disguise it (blankets, clipboard, etc)?
Radar’s departure always makes me cry a little, as he’s standing there watching all the action go on around him and he’s sort of forgotten in the mess of it all.
I also cry at the end of MASH, the movie, when the speaker voice says "Tonight’s movie has been MASH . . ."

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LOOOOOVE MAS*H! From the bottom of Hawkeyes beat up boots, to the top of Margert’s lovely blonde hair. Up to and including Teddy Bears, and Scarlet O’ Hara dresses and Killer Autoclaves. Oh, that we could get quality TV like that again!

Toledoan Chiming in. Thank you Jamie Farr for doing more to make Toledo, Ohio known to the world than any amount of exspensive marketing could have ever done. We are in your debt. Danny Thomas’ got nothing on you Buddy! Go Mudhens!

Frank/Charles…For reasons of Humor I’ll have to go with Winchester III. Charles may have had the holier than thou attitude when he first came to the 4077, but it quicky died out when he realised the caliber of people he was working with. After he lightened up, he became “One of the Guys” something Burns, with his gung ho military style would never be. Thankfully Margret ligtened up as well, after Burns got his Section 8.

Henry/ Sherman…Blake obviously did not like being the commander of the unit.He didn’t like the Army and he sure didn’t want to be in Korea. Potter on the other hand, was Army before the war and therefore naturaly more what the unit needed to become a Military unit instead of a hospital in the middle of a war.

Walter/Max…This is a hard comparison as the two characters were so different from one another that you just can’t say one was better than the other. They were both MORE than efficent company clerks. Although I must say I liked Klinger better after he got out of the dresses and into the happenings in the unit.

My favorite guest must be Alan Arbus as the ever wonderfull Dr. Sydney Freeman. One must wonder why a Shrink had to come to a hospital to get his batteries recharged? whatever the reason, the man fit so well into the scheme of things at the 4077 I kept hoping they’d turn him into a regular cast member. If the unit had it’s own dentist (Painless) Why not it’s own Shrink?“Ladies and Gentleman take my advise. Pull down you pants and slide on the ice”

Favorite episodes include, Potter and BJ’s arrival. Hawkeye and Margret stuck in an abandoned house all night among sniper fire, and the final episode, where Hawkeye finaly does say “Good Bye”

As for the movie, I liked that too. Has to be one of my favorite movies. my only complaint was the sound in the background, such as loudspeaker annoucemnts and the like being so loud that the dialouge was sometimes difficult to hear. Earlier episodes suffered from this same problem, but was so distracting that thankfully it was stopped.
A big cudos to Rene Aberjoise (or however you spell it sorry Rene ) and Gary Burghoff for coming over to the series, even if like Rene it was for a few episodes. It helped immencely with the continuity in recasting the prime rolls for TV. Although how many of you remember the Father NOT being played by William Christopher?

I could go on for hours, but enuff is enuff. someone elses turn.

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This is what killed the series for me. When it became a political soapbox instead of a TV show, I lost interest. I won’t even watch reruns now - it irritates me that much. Come to think of it, I avoid anything with Alan Alda in it.

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You mean like the very last episode? What should’ve been a teary two-hour hugfest turned into a “War is hell. How can you possibly think anything else? Look, we’ve got dead babies over here, I’m insane, the Padre is deaf, and nobody is happy” preachfest.

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It’s his left hand. I never knew it when the show was on, but yeah, when I watch it now I can really notice that he always tries to hide his left hand. Something about his fingers on that hand.

**Every so often a poster will make a crack like this and remind me of how old I am. I watched the MAS*H finale movie when I was in COLLEGE, foir crying out loud!
F/X shows the finale every few months I think. It’s about 3 hours long.

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I believe the final episode is available on video, as well.

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IMHO, the only worthwhile storyline in the final episode was the one involving Charles and the Chinese musicians. The rest seemed a little fluffy.

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They’re releasing the TV show on DVD as well. I think the first 2 or 3 seasons are available so far.
I’ve seen it at Target, next to a restored version of the original movie.

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Kinsey:

Only the first one, but according to a slip of paper inside the DVD case, the second season should be available in May.