iM*A*S*H

Swamp Rat Richard Bensam caught this out-of-left-drift reference to M*A*S*H. Apparently Siri, the voice of the iPhone, will respond to certain user inquiries with famous quotes, including one from Hawkeye Pierce! Nice catch, RAB!


Bonus Points: Can anyone name which episode this quote is from?

 

"Rickles" - 1975

Why am I posting the opening musical number ("I'm A Nice Guy") from the 1975 TV special Rickles? Well, play the clip and pay close attention at around the 2:55 mark. Truly surreal.

M*A*S*H Ad: "Fallen Idol"

I found a couple more TV ads for the show while reading some articles on the passing of Allan Arbus. This one, for SSN 6's "Fallen Idol" is pretty accurate, but I wonder: where does "Alan Alda and Harry Morgan star" come from? As per the show's credits, Alda and Mike Farrell were the top two stars of the show, so whose decision was it to replace Farrell's name with Morgan? Not that it's inaccurate in any way, but I am curious as to how it was decided to do that.

Dear Allan

Dear Allan,

It was with great sadness that I learned that you had passed away on April 19, 2013. You lived to be 95, a great old age, but nevertheless I can't help but feel like it was much too soon.

I grew up with you as your character Dr. Sidney Freedman on M*A*S*H, and even though you only appeared on the show about once a year, in many ways he was my favorite character on the show. Sidney was brilliant, warm and understanding; yet he had a spine of steel: when faced with threats from the intimidating Col. Flagg, his response was a withering put-down, leaving the mad man to stand there, nonplussed (if only I could have responded to bullies in the same flippant, confident manner). You were an inspiration, and I don't think I was the only M*A*S*H fan who imagined a Sidney Freedman spin-off show. For my money, I could have watched you as that character for many, many more years after the 4077th packed up and went home.

A few years ago, it dawned on me that I frequently wait too late to make contact with people whose creative work is important to me. So I made an effort to try and track you down, if only just to get the chance to send you a letter and say how large you loomed in my life growing up. I called acting unions and agents; sadly no one ever got back to me and I never got the opportunity. I will always regret not being able to tell you how much Sidney Freedman meant to me.

I realize, of course, that you will never get to read this message, and that writing this blog post is probably a little crazy. But I figured who better than you would understand?

 

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 120: "Margaret's Marriage"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 120: "Margaret's Marriage"

Original Air Date: 3/15/77

Written by: Everett Greenbaum & Jim Fritzell
Directed by: Gene Reynolds

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 119: "Post Op"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 119: "Post Op"

Original Air Date: 3/8/77

Written by: Ken Levine & David Isaacs, Gene Reynolds and Jay Folb
Directed by: Gene Reynolds

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 118: "Souvenirs"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 118: "Souvenirs"

Original Air Date: 3/1/77

Written by: Burt Prelutsky and Reinhold Weege
Directed by: Joshua Shelley

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 117: "Movie Tonight"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 117: "Movie Tonight"

Special Guest: Swamp Rat Dr. Eric!

Original Air Date: 2/22/77

Written by: Gene Reynolds, Don Reo, Allan Katz, Jay Folb
Directed by: Burt Metcalfe

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 116: "The General's Practitioner"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 116: "The General's Practitioner"

Original Air Date: 2/15/77

Written by: Burt Prelutsky
Directed by: Alan Rafkin

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 115: "Hepatitis"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 115: "Hepatitis"

Original Air Date: 2/8/77

Written by: Alan Alda
Directed by: Alan Alda

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 114: "Hanky Panky"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 114: "Hanky Panky"

Original Air Date: 2/1/77

Written by: Gene Reynolds
Directed by: Gene Reynolds

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 113: "End Run"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 113: "End Run"

Special Guest: Swamp Rat Dr. Eric!

Original Air Date: 1/25/77

Written by: John D. Hess
Directed by: Harry Morgan

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 112: "Ping Pong"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 112: "Ping Pong"

Original Air Date: 1/18/77

Written by: Sid Dorfman
Directed by: William Jurgensen

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 111: "38 Across"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 111: "38 Across"

Original Air Date: 1/11/77

Written by: Jim Frtizell & Everett Greenbaum
Directed by: Burt Metcalfe

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 110: "The Most Unforgettable Characters"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 110: "The Most Unforgettable Characters"

Original Air Date: 1/4/77

Written by: Ken Levine & David Isaacs
Directed by: Burt Metcalfe

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 109: "Hawk's Nightmare"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 109: "Hawk's Nightmare"

Original Air Date: 12/21/76

Written by: Burt Prelutsky
Directed by: Burt Metcalfe

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 108: "Exorcism"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 108: "Exorcism"

Original Air Date: 12/14/76

Written by: Jay Folb and Gene Reynolds
Directed by: Alan Alda

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 107: "The Colonel's Horse"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 107: "The Colonel's Horse"

Original Air Date: 12/7/76

Written by: Jim Frtizell and Everett Greenbaum
Directed by: Burt Metcalfe

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 106: "Hawkeye Get Your Gun"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 106: "Hawkeye Get Your Gun"

Original Air Date: 11/30/76

Written by: Gene Reynolds and Jay Folb
Directed by: William Jurgensen

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

The Interview: Larry Hama

As I approached the commentary track for Season 5's "The Korean Surgeon", I thought it would be a perfect time to have a brief chat with comics writer/artist/editor, musician, and actor Larry Hama, who played one of the two North Korean soldiers in this episode!

I read Larry's answers to my questions on the commentary track for the episode, but I'm also running our talk here on the blog as well. This interview was conducted on May 19, 2012:

AfterM*A*S*H: How did you get the job on M*A*S*H? The show was at the top of the ratings at the time, I can only imagine how many hundreds of actors tried to get an audition for that show!

Larry Hama: I was in LA doing the west coast tour of Stephen Sondheim's "Pacific Overtures" at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion. Soon-Tek Oh, who was in a number of episodes suggested I get the Bessie Loo Agency on Sunset to rep me while I was in town (they handled many Asian performers in LA) so I went to talk to them and they set me up with an audition the next week. I did one reading and got the part. Apparently they had a hard time finding Asian heavies.

AM: All of your scenes are with Larry Linville, Gary Burghoff, and Jamie Farr. Do you recall any of the other cast being around the days you were filming? Did you get to meet any of them?

LH: I got to meet Alan Alda. He was extremely relaxed and friendly--a genuinely nice person who didn't seem to have any "star" attitude at all. Pretty much everybody involved with the production was that way. Very good vibes on the set!

AM: Did you talk much with Larry Linville between shooting? What was he like to work with?

LH: I got to talk with him a lot, since many of the shots were with him, Bob Ito and I in the Jeep. In order to do the shot before we kick him out, we had to back the jeep up around a bend in the road and wait for camera and sound to be ready. There were a lot of delays with aircraft passing overhead, so sometimes we were stuck there around the bend for quite a while, and we just shot the breeze. Larry Linville was a sweet and charming guy, and one of the most popular people on the set. Quite the opposite of what he played. I remember that Bob Ito asked me if I was auditioning for some new show that week, and when I asked him what the show was, he said it was a comedy about a medical examiner, and I thought "that will never fly." Bob went, and got the part of Sam on Quincy.

AM: Do you recall shooting any scenes that didn't make it into the show?

LH: No, they pretty much used what they shot.

AM: M*A*S*H frequently re-used actors for multiple roles, especially for Korean characters. Did you ever get the chance to try out for the show again?

LH: I went up to San Francisco to finish out the "Pacific Overtures" Tour, then went back to New York to start a rock and roll band and get back into comics, so I never read for another part on M*A*S*H.


Thanks to Larry Hama for giving us some insight into working on this episode of M*A*S*H!

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 105: "The Korean Surgeon"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 105: "The Korean Surgeon"

Original Air Date: 11/23/76

Written by: Bill Idelson
Directed by: Gene Reynolds

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 104: "Mulcahy's War"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 104: "Mulcahy's War"

Original Air Date: 11/16/76

Written by: Richard Cogan
Directed by: George Tyne

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 103: "Dear Sigmund"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 103: "Dear Sigmund"

Original Air Date: 11/9/76

Written by: Alan Alda
Directed by: Alan Alda

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 102: "The Abduction of Margaret Houlihan"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 102: "The Abduction of Margaret Houlihan"

Original Air Date: 10/26/76

Written by: Allan Katz & Don Reo and Gene Reynolds
Directed by: Gene Reynolds

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 101: "The Nurses"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 101: "The Nurses"

Original Air Date: 10/19/76

Written by: Linda Bloodworth
Directed by: Joan Darling

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

AfterM*A*S*H Commercial - 1983

A rare promo for AfterM*A*S*H! I love the idea of the show airing in it's "proper place"--i.e., Monday nights.

M*A*S*H Commercial - 1984

A double-dose of M*A*S*H in the afternoon! Hells yeah!

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast, Episode 100: "Lt. Radar O'Reilly"

AfterM*A*S*H Podcast: Season 5, Episode 100: "Lt. Radar O'Reilly"

Original Air Date: 10/12/76

Written by: Everett Greenbaum & Jim Fritzell
Directed by: Alan Rafkin

Learn more about M*A*S*H at aftermash.blogspot.com!

Have a question or comment? Send the show an e-mail at: aftermash@comcast.net

M*A*S*H Commercial - 1980

I'm sure CBS figured pairing the new Wayne Rogers show (where he plays a doctor, no less!) with M*A*S*H was a can't lose proposition...

M*A*S*H Commercial - 1978

I have no idea what Prisoner in the Middle is all about, but damn it looks like fun! All that shooting and killing looks like the perfect movie to follow M*A*S*H...