The creators and also the network granted his wish. show down over the Sea of Japan. McLean Stevenson (11/14/27 - 02/15/96) played COL Henry Blake in After the M*A*S*H finale, maybe the most memorable episode of the most memorable TV series was the one in which Col. Blake was supposed to go home. Actor McLean Stevenson, who played Henry Blake, had grown unhappy on the show and wanted to leave to pursue other opportunities. Another time while drunk he claims he was sent to Korea after attending a party with a 30-year career military medical general; when the general made a remark about a coffee enema, Blake foolishly responded, "with cream and sugar?". According to Wikipedia, Alan Alda had McLean Stevensons character (Lt. Col. Henry Blake) killed off. Majors Margaret Houlihan (Loretta Swit) and Frank Burns (Larry Linville) celebrate privately that Frank will become the unit commander. WebOn the rare occasion when Henry actually stood his ground the maverick captains would criticize Henry for not being one of the guys; for example, when Henry decided to send a lost Korean boy to an orphanage, accurately insisting that the unit wasn't qualified enough to look after him, Hawkeye called him a villain, which offended Henry. Henry is being discharged because he has earned enough points. [12], The final scene was spoofed on the Family Guy episode "Fifteen Minutes of Shame" when a cutaway shows Brian Griffin saying to the rest of the family, "I have an announcement. To his aggravation, Lorraine sent him her bills and used check books to balance their account, though Henry insisted that he was terrible with numbers; he once complained about an expensive Vet bill for their elderly house cat care. The episode of M*A*S*H in which Henry Blake died is one of the most famous and well-known episodes in television history. You are both very missed. Farrell was one heck of a Captain Hunnicutt and such a great counterpart to Alan Alda. At one point, Henry mocked Hot Lips by saying that she had gone over his head so many times that he had athletes scalp. After the news of Colonel Blake's death shocked the world, the very next night during her opening monologue on her musical variety show, Cher introduced Stevenson as her guest star, saying that he was "missing in action"; the video briefly cut away to a shot of Stevenson, in costume as Henry, rowing a raft as he looked straight into the camera and said, "Hey guys, Im OK. Im OK!" It was a tragic moment for viewers, who had come to love the characters on the show. And wars are rarely funny and dont always have happy endings. Are Kellyanne and George Conway Getting Divorced? Written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, it was first aired by CBS on March 18, 1975. This caused three fingers of Gary Burghoff left hand to be smaller than that of the right hand. The creators wanted fans to experience the loss associated with war, so they ultimately decided to kill Blake off. He is eventually released and returns to the 4077th, but dies shortly thereafter from his injuries. scene was cut from the episode. Some people thought it was great and others were very upset. The overwhelming combination of paperwork and incessant arrivals of incoming wounded often left Henry feeling exhausted, but like the others, Henry soldiered on as best he could. The creators and also the network granted his wish. [5] After shooting was completed, a season-ending cast party was planned. c.1907 (?) The teddy bear, which never officially had a name on MASH, but was secretly named Tiger according to Mr. Burghoff, does live on through the childrens show Sesame Street. McLean Stevenson/Cause of death. It was a surprise, it was somebody they loved. Hoda Kotb illness: Her Brave Fight Against Disease! Stevenson decided to leave M*A*S*H after the third season when the series enjoyed the fifth highest ratings in the country. How did McLean Stevenson die? The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". After a commercial break, the episode closes with a "reluctant and affectionate farewell" to Blake by means of a light-hearted montage of clips from past episodes. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. We were working on the story of McLean leaving. The character Henry Blake left the show because his discharge papers came through, but sadly on his flight home, his plane was show down over the Sea of Japan. But then again, Henry Blake was kind of corny. He was in charge of the 4077th. It was one of the first times that a major character died on a television show, and it changed the way that people thought about television. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell) had replaced Trapper John, and the regular Army Colonel Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan) had replaced Henry Blake as commander of the 4077th. He left the show at the Season 3 finale. "[11], In Bobbie Ann Mason's 1985 novel In Country, the teenage protagonist recalls having watched the episode as a child and being "so shocked she went around stunned for days," and confesses that Blake's death on the show had seemed more real to her than the death of her own father in Vietnam. Having the much-loved Henry Blake (wonderfully played by McLean Stevenson) killed off when his plane was shot down during his flight home was a sort of reality check provided for the viewers by the show's writers. WebM*A*S*H was both a television series and a movie, so several actors played the same character. Please whitelist to support our site. scene was kept a secret from the cast until immediately before filming; only then did Gelbart hand out the last page of the script. Actor McLean Stevenson, who played Henry Blake, had grown unhappy on the show and wanted to leave to pursue other opportunities. [17] The character of Trapper John McIntyre was subsequently written off the series in "Welcome to Korea," the first episode of the next season. As M*A*S*H progressed, Alan Alda, who played Hawkeye, became the starring male lead, and others The episode ends with a touching montage of flashbacks set to the song Suicide Is Painless.. It was written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, and first aired on March 18, 1975. McLean Stevenson as Henry Blake in the M*A*S*H TV series. He is shown as having earned the following: The National Defense Service Medal was indeed awarded to personnel serving in Korea. Henry arrives in his new suit, and Frank and Margaret give Blake a formal salute, but Henry chides Frank for being too disciplined. He left the show at Its not often in your life that you see people stunned, Gelbart said. Towards the end of the episode, in another typical operating-room scene, Radar enters, visibly shaken. The episode centers on Henry leaving the 4077th MASH for the final time. Some time later, while the three remaining doctors were in surgery, a visibly shocked Radar came in to report that Henry's plane had been shot down over the Sea of Japan and everyone on board was killed. Does this place look like the Mayo Clinic? (to Trapper) Boy oh boy, you gotta stay on top of these guys every second! The episode opens with a typical operating room scene; Radar O'Reilly (Gary Burghoff) enters and informs Henry Blake that Blake has received all of the needed Army service points to be discharged and sent home. died in 1952 (plane shot down over Sea of Japan while returning back to the U.S.) When Henry Blake was killed off on MASH, it sent shockwaves through the television world. Henry Blake was a Korean War veteran and the commanding officer of the 4077th M*A*S*H unit. The odd thing is, both actors died within hours of each other in real life. It is normal to cold feet before wedding. This ending prompted more than 1,000 letters to series producers Gene Reynolds and Larry Gelbart, and drew fire from both CBS and 20th Century Fox. When the series concluded in 1981, the bear mysteriously disappeared for nearly 30 years, prompting my non-ending search for my little on-camera companion and friend. All were short-lived, and he later conceded that leaving MASH was the mistake of his career. His friends sent him off with a round of applause. The creators and also the network granted his wish. He did not survive the crash. He did not survive the crash. Family/Personal information During the summer 1975 break between seasons three and four, he quit the series. In the Richard Hooker novels and Robert Altman film, Henry Blake remained in command at the 4077th after Hawkeye and Duke went home. The creators wanted fans to experience the loss associated with war, so they ultimately decided to kill Blake off. In Henry in Love, Henry almost leaves Lorraine for a college girl named Nancy Sue Parker, who was less than half his age (20 to his 44). In a related note, Ive found that there are two times when you can judge a person very well: How they behave when they have nothing, and how they behave when they have everything. Henry Blake left 'M*A*S*H' because the actor was ready to move on. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Henry made good use of his own downtime, as he was an avid golfer and fisherman, the latter of which is in frequent display on his non-uniform bucket hat which is covered with numerous fishing flies and lures (along with his rank insignia). Trapper and Hawkeye threw him a big farewell party where everyone said their goodbye to him. When she arrives in camp she forgets about Henry and quickly develops a thing for Hawkeye. That was gracious. "Over the River and Through the Woods" (, This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 17:29. In reality, the Army stopped using the point system after World War II, and doctors were never rotated according to points. Several times throughout the series, the awards that Colonel Blake had earned during his service in the army could be seen on his uniform. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The character Henry Blake left the show because his discharge All were short-lived, and he later conceded that leaving MASH was the mistake of his career. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The episode centers on Henry leaving the 4077th MASH for the final time. Gary was born with a rare condition called Poland syndrome. He rushed to tell him goodbye but missed him at the airport. In the film, Henry is a career Army man, having been commissioned prior to World War II. McLean Stevenson, who played the Colonel decided to leave the show Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. "[7] Many of those who objected also cited the fact that M*A*S*H was considered a situation comedy, and that Blake's "cheap" killing did not belong in the show; one caller to Reynolds stated after the episode aired that they "don't know why [they] did it; it's not necessary, it's just a little comedy show" and that "you've upset everybody [in the family]," before vowing never to watch the show again. According to multiple accounts, one most famously from co-star Loretta Swift, corroborated by writer Ken Levine, McLean left because he wanted to be No. What did the Nazis begin using gas chambers instead of mobile killing units and shooting squads after a while. But Gelbart and fellow creator Gene Reynolds used his exit to drum up emotion. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Thirty-nine years ago today (March 18, 1975) one of the most memorableand shockingmoments in American television was broadcast: In the final episode of the third season of MASH, Lt. He was in charge of the 4077th. He left the show at the Season 3 finale. Even when they were alive, there were other odd coincidences. It was a huge deal at the time because no one had ever seen anything like it before. But as doctors, theyre forced to continue with their jobs despite their grief. One time when Klinger was being particularly obnoxious, Henry threatened Klinger by saying, Klinger, Ive never hit a woman before.. He was portrayed by Harry Morgan, and replaced the departing character of Henry Blake as commander of the 4077th MASH. Actor McLean Stevenson, who played Henry Blake, had grown unhappy on the show and wanted to leave to pursue other opportunities. And they really could not believe what was on the page.. Actor McLean Stevenson, who played Henry Blake, had grown unhappy on the show and wanted to leave to pursue other opportunities. supporting, role in the series, and he thought he could do better Your email address will not be published. Blakes death was a turning point for the show. Who is Jason crabb mother and where is she? Who was the first Colonel Blake in Lieutenant Colonel Henry Braymore Blake is a character introduced in the 1968 Richard Hooker novel M*A*S*H. He also appeared in the 1970 film, played by Roger Bowen, and more famously in the first three seasons of the television series by McLean Stevenson. Burghoff was born in Bristol, Connecticut, moved to Clinton, Connecticut, and then later moved to Delavan, Wisconsin. Henry's primary concern was that the hospital ran smoothly, and he couldn't care less what the others did while off duty. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. McLean Stevenson originally auditioned for the role of Hawkeye, but was convinced by producers to take the role of Lieutenant Colonel Blake instead. Henry is Christian, having mentioned his faith in many episodes, but his denomination remains unknown. Actor McLean Stevenson, who played Henry Blake, had grown unhappy on the show and wanted to leave to pursue other opportunities. Hair Color: By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Henrys Exit In the third seasons finale, Abyssinia, Henry, Blake had finally gained enough points to get him discharged from the unit. Colonel Henry Blake Written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, it was first aired by CBS on March 18, 1975. One is that the actor who played Henry Blake, McLean Stevenson, wanted to leave the show and they couldnt come to an agreement on his contract. [7] The final scenes have always been shown in syndication, and were uncut on the DVD release of the series' third season in 2003. (Saying goodbye to camp, Klinger wearing a fruit-basket hat) "Klinger, (Saying goodbye to Radar) "You behave yourself or I'm going to come back and kick your butt.". All I try to do is patch kids up and run a hospital. The 4077th were happy for him. The staff follow Henry to the helicopter pad, which also bears a wounded soldier that Henry tries to care for before the other doctors nudge him on. Weight: Is Tom Sandoval Dating Raquel? When he goes home he wears a civilian suit, which was against army regulations; first of all, though he had earned enough rotation points to go home he has not been actually discharged from the army, and his civilian garb would have subject him to arrest by the MPs for being out of uniform. 1." A Katherine Baumann played a 21 year old girlfriend. the CBS television comedy M*A*S*H from 1974-75. It spun in. The episode centers on Henry leaving the 4077th MASH for the final time. Colonel Sherman Tecumseh Potter appears in the M*A*S*H and AfterMASH television series. RIP McLean and Roger. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Henrys Exit In the third seasons finale, Abyssinia, Henry, Blake had finally gained enough points to get him discharged from the unit. Henry spots an emotional Radar saluting him and approaches to return the salute, hug him, and chide him like a loving father to behave himself, before boarding and flying away. Trapper and Hawkeye threw him a big farewell party where everyone said their goodbye to him. Bloomington, Illinois They called it gin as many have already said, but despite that it couldnt have been gin. Blakes death showed that television could be more than just entertainment and it revolutionized the medium. The departure took place in the last episode of the third season. The episode ended with Henry Blakes helicopter going down off the coast of Japan, off-screen. Appearances In the movie the girlfriend was played by actress Indus Arthur "Abyssinia, Henry" is the 72nd episode of the M*A*S*H television series, and the final episode of the series' third season. RELATED: Ten Of The Saddest Moments From M*A*S*H. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. The next morning, Frank attempts to assemble the company for a formal send-off, but Hawkeye and Trapper are out of uniform and unshaven, and Corporal Klinger (Jamie Farr) wears a particularly elaborate dress made specially for the occasion. Ex-WhatsApp Exec Pays $22.3M For New Beverly Hills Home, A New Requirement Decided by IRS for R&D Credit Refund Claims, The social security cost of living: Updated news, Real-Life K-Drama Is Streaming on Your Samsung, SEC Sets Clock for Delisting Chinese Companies Over US Audit Demand. Stevenson left the set almost immediately after the end of filming, and the party was canceled due to the dour mood of the cast. Sadly, McLean died of a heart attack on February 15, 1996. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Whatever the reason, it worked. It seems their lives were always meant to intertwine. Gene and I thought we should use the departure of the character in some meaningful fashion. Look, all I know is what they taught me in command school; there are certain rules about a war, and Rule Number 1 is that young men die. In a double whammy for the show, it also had to absorb the loss of Wayne Rogers, who was Trapper John. There were no survivors. The title of the episode refers to the 1920s1930s slang use of "Abyssinia" for "goodbye". Similar to Henry, Potter was easygoing, fun-loving and compassionate enough to earn the deep respect of his staff (including Margaret, but not Frank, who resented being passed over for command), but in contrast, Potter was a career soldier and consummate leader and surgeon, and never hesitated to put his foot down when things got out of hand. ", "Ever since the dark days before Pearl Harbor, I've been proud to wear this uniform". "Klinger, it's 4 o'clock in the afternoon and you're still in a housecoat?! And that's not good. WebOn the rare occasion when Henry actually stood his ground the maverick captains would criticize Henry for not being one of the guys; for example, when Henry decided to send a lost Korean boy to an orphanage, accurately insisting that the unit wasn't qualified enough to look after him, Hawkeye called him a villain, which offended Henry. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. On June 16th, 1963, Radar OReilly began his life term at the Iowa State Pen in Fort Madison. We decided his character could, not should, could die. Mike Farrell is best friends with Alan Alda and no stranger to Hollywood stars. According to Wikipedia, Alan Alda had McLean Stevensons character (Lt. Col. Henry Blake) killed off. For instance, McLean Stevenson played Col. Henry Blake on TV but Roger Bowen played the role in the movie. Many were from people that didn't. After bringing Meg to the hearing to testify in Henry's behalf, the presiding officers were ready to drop the charges with Frank's approval, which he naturally refused at first, but when Hawkeye and Trapper threatened to tell Frank's wife about Margaret, Frank abruptly changed his mind.
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