I remember one episode where some high up muckety muck (possibly the crazy general played by Harry Morgan before he was Col. Potter) ordered the 4077 to pick up and move closer to the front.
They showed a bugout at least once. That’s enough for me to establish the premise. After all, the show didn’t purport to document every damn day of the existence of the 4077th in Korea.
The photo album in the article from the MASH unit in Korea really does look like the TV show. I really liked the show, but for some reason had it in my head that they kinda half-assed the historical stuff. Even the scenery looks kinda similar, despite the show being filmed in the States (CA?).
I guess it makes sense, since a decent chunk of the shows audience would probably have actual memories of the Korean war.
On the subject of bug-outs, there was also an episode where the dirt floor is causing problems with infections, but the army won’t agree to pour a cement floor for them, because they’re supposed to be mobile. They end up getting their floor through the black market. The episode strongly implied (if not out-right stated) that the 4077th was largely mobile in name only - they’d been at that location for some time, and were unlikely to move any time soon.
I remember a “the making of MASH*” kind of behind-the-scenes show. One of the producers half-jokingly said that, by the time the show finished its run, they had talked to virtually every ex-MASH doctor in the U.S., asking for anecdotes and funny stories that could be adapted for TV.
Psst…see post #57.
Imagine how long the show would’ve lasted had they done that.
When they did move, they always moved back eventually.
And in an episode where Harry Morgan as Col. Potter goes on leave in Tokyo leaving Frank Burns in charge, Burns orders the 4077th to move across the road… and a few days later orders it back to its original position.
Book Blake was Regular Army, and he wasn’t incompetent at anything other than keeping Hawkeye et al under control.
TV Blake and TV Burns are nothing at all like their book counterparts, actually. The movie gets them closer to the book, and as a result, not nearly so funny, IMHO, and yet more believable in an Army officer sense.
The book is a must read.
Says the Pro from Dover.