# The bullying of Frank Burns in M\*A\*S\*H
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** tv-shows-scripted
**Created:** [October 6, 2020, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329 "2020-10-06T10:53:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 9
### Author:  [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2020, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/161 "2020-10-12T15:43:31Z")
> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> Did anyone watch the After MASH show? How was Klinger presented in that show?
There was one episode where he had to dress as a nurse to get into a hospital to see his wife.
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### Author:  [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2020, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/162 "2020-10-12T15:46:26Z")
His Korean wife was played by the actress who lately played Keiko O’Brien on ST:TNG and DS9, by the way.
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### Author:  [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2020, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/163 "2020-10-12T15:50:22Z")
Interestingly enough, in Klinger’s first episode (he started off as a one-time, one-joke character), his scene was initially filmed with Jamie Farr doing the stereotypically “mincing” mannerisms that were used at the time to indicate gay characters. One of the producers, probably Gene Reynolds if I remember right, called Farr back in and reshot the scene with Klinger being played “straight.”
Klinger was always portrayed as a heterosexual, and supposedly his wearing dresses was done strictly as a means of getting a Section 8. On the other hand, he seemed to enjoy it on some level. He followed various fashion magazines, sent away to Tokyo for the right materials, and made his own clothes. And apparently did a good job of it, as well. A lot of that was done for comedy, but if we want to try to treat these characters as somewhat “real,” Klinger’s interest in cross-dressing did sometimes seem to go beyond “I just want a discharge” and into “This is something that I’m genuinely interested in.”
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2020, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/164 "2020-10-12T16:28:43Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#):
>
> Klinger’s interest in cross-dressing did sometimes seem to go beyond “I just want a discharge” and into “This is something that I’m genuinely interested in.”
I always assumed it started as something that he was doing to try and get a Section 8, but he discovered he actually liked it. and the Section 8 thing became more of an excuse to keep on enjoying it out in public.
The question is–did it wear thin for him after a while, or did he feel he needed to give it up to be more of a “man” (e.g. with his new wife) and he would rather keep on doing it. I can’t remember if the show really told us.
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2020, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/165 "2020-10-13T01:37:03Z")
> [@BigT](#):
>
> The question is–did it wear thin for him after a while, or did he feel he needed to give it up to be more of a “man” (e.g. with his new wife) and he would rather keep on doing it. I can’t remember if the show really told us.
There was that one time he told Dr. Freedman about realizing he had started noticing what well-built women were wearing before noticing the women themselves and thought he was going crazy. Freedman told him not to worry about it.
Klinger didn’t mind wearing the uniform but, when Potter ordered him to wear one, it gave him hives. On advice – later orders – from Hawkeye & B.J., he started wearing a slip under the uniform.
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### Author:  [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/166 "2020-10-13T01:57:18Z")
It was mainly a coping mechanism I’d say.
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2020, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/167 "2020-10-13T04:43:40Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#):
>
> His Korean wife was played by the actress who lately played Keiko O’Brien on ST:TNG and DS9, by the way.
Rosalind Chao, who was also recently in the new _Mulan_ movie.
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### Author:  [@urbanredneck2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urbanredneck2)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2020, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/168 "2020-10-13T11:13:45Z")
On Klinger: The one episode where they “bugged out” or moved, Klinger had to move this massive coat rack with all these dresses on it. Burns later made him get rid of them so he has this “sale” and all these women swarm him to buy his dresses.
So I guess Klinger had good taste?
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2020, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/169 "2020-10-13T15:08:27Z")
> [@urbanredneck2](#):
>
> Burns later made him get rid of them so he has this “sale” and all these women swarm him to buy his dresses.
No, Potter ordered him to trade the dresses for the old schoolhouse which the women were using for a brothel.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2020, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/170 "2020-10-13T15:34:43Z")
I think they used that bit twice on the show, because I distinctly remember both happening.
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### Author:  [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2020, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/171 "2020-10-13T15:42:11Z")
> **[The Klinger Collection](https://mash.fandom.com/wiki/The_Klinger_Collection)**
>
> Although Klinger wore women's clothing as a scam to get out of the army, he took the role seriously and developed a great deal of expertise in ladies fashion and became extremely proud of his "Klinger Collection". Besides buying outfits, Klinger also...
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/172 "2020-10-13T15:57:01Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> I think they used that bit twice on the show, because I distinctly remember both happening.
As noted in the wiki about the Klinger Collection, he lost his dresses three times but Frank’s only involvement was not allowing them on an Army truck. Which is why they were on the rack.
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### Author:  [@Earl\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Grey)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/173 "2020-10-14T18:15:03Z")
> [@solost](#):
>
> MASH had a real arc where it became much more “politically correct” for its time than when it started out.
> [@solost](#):
>
> Colonel Blake. Hawkeye went from a wisecracking (but goodhearted) ne’er-do-well to a preachy joykill toward the end.
This is mainly because Alan Alda started having a louder voice in the writing and directing of the show. He put more and more of his own personal philosophy into the show as time went on.
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### Author:  [@Earl\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Grey)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2020, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/174 "2020-10-14T18:19:05Z")
> [@BigT](#):
>
> The question is–did it wear thin for him after a while, or did he feel he needed to give it up to be more of a “man” (e.g. with his new wife) and he would rather keep on doing it. I can’t remember if the show really told us.
There was never an “in-show” reason, but I do know that Jamie Farr had a kid and asked the show if he could stop playing a crossdresser to make things safer for his kid . He didn’t want to have his kid go to school and be known as the kid of the guy who crossdressed on national TV every week.
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/175 "2020-10-14T19:11:32Z")
> [@Earl\_Grey](#):
>
> He didn’t want to have his kid go to school and be known as the kid of the guy who crossdressed on national TV every week.
Uncle Miltie? I imagine Jamie Farr would have killed for that kind of success.
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### Author:  [@Earl\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Grey)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2020, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/176 "2020-10-14T20:34:56Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#):
>
> Uncle Miltie? I imagine Jamie Farr would have killed for that kind of success.
I think Uncle Miltie’s success comes down to him being born 24 years before Farr and _not_ the crossdressing. Hell, Milty worked in _ **vaudeville** _ for cryin’ out loud! He was in exactly the right place and time to have the kinda career he did.
And when MASH made Klinger into the company clerk after Radar went back to Iowa I think they wanted to have him grow beyond that one-dimensional character into a more complex character. Just my speculation.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2020, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/177 "2020-10-16T02:16:30Z")
Just saw the episode “Dear Dad…Three,” Season 2, Episode 9 wherein Henry confesses that the reason he is in Korea is because he made a smart-ass remark to a general.
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### Author:  [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2020, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/178 "2020-10-16T02:47:49Z")
> [@Earl\_Grey](#):
>
> There was never an “in-show” reason
I don’t know if it was ever explicitly stated, but I assumed
1. Putting on a dress for just one day wasn’t going to sell anybody on giving him a section 8. Otherwise anybody who wanted out could do it. This required constant effort, dedication to prove he was “unbalanced” or whatever.
2. He wanted to be ready 24/7. There were unplanned visits from bigshots and maybe they’d ask the colonel why Klinger wasn’t discharged. Remember him getting MacArthur’s attention…and failing yet again to get the desired reaction?
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VPLyuJi3gA)
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2020, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/179 "2020-10-16T03:03:19Z")
Just by chance, this is the clip that came up next on the YouTube feed. Illustrates so clearly how the MASH writers took a much more daring approach with Major Winchester.
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijEiwBLCXeo)
It also shows what an immensely talented actor David Ogden Stiers was.
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### Author:  [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2020, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bullying-of-frank-burns-in-m-a-s-h/922329/180 "2020-10-16T12:14:30Z")
I remember that episode, and really like it.
I will note that the music is not being played on a officer’s club spinet piano, however. 🎶
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