If you are a fan of MAS*H like I am, you probably believe that you have seen all there is to see, including the embarrassing moments, the heartwarming scenes, and the characters that will be with you forever.
MASH immediately became a popular cultural touchstone and a mainstay of American television programs due to its sharp writing, emotional depth, and clever humor. It was also known for its incisive writing.
On the other hand, the show was not devoid of its fair share of errors, errors in continuity, and anachronisms behind the scenes, the most of which went unnoticed by its devoted audience…
The theme song from MASH would play shortly before bedtime when I was a child growing up in the 1980s. The show was always playing in the background. I wasn’t able to make it past the opening credits before I had to turn off the television. However, many years later, I decided to give the series a chance, and ever since then, I’ve been a huge fan of it.
The television show MASH was more than simply a television program; it was a cultural phenomenon that brought families together. The final episode, which aired in 1983, managed to garner the attention of about half of the population in the United States, and it continues to be the prime-time episode that has received the most viewers to this day.
There is a group of medical professionals working at a mobile army surgical hospital (MAS*H) during the Korean War, as you are surely aware. The story of MASH centers on these individuals. As they manage the problems of war, medicine, and personal relationships, they do it while employing humor and feelings of compassion in order to cope with the turmoil that is occurring around them.
It is one of those shows that makes an indelible impression, and now that I am watching some of the episodes again, I am finding the little-known flaws and bloopers that serve to make the show even more enjoyable to watch. To what extent were you aware of these?
A case of hepatitis that was fatal
In the fifth season of the show, William Christopher, who played the beloved Father Mulcahy, was once diagnosed with hepatitis and suffered a bad case of the disease.
He was on the verge of being permanently removed from the show due to the illness. A possibility was even entertained by the producers to remove Mulcahy from the series. Alan Alda, being the stand-up comedian that he is, was not going to put up with that. This is where things start to get interesting. He was aware of how essential consistent employment was for Christopher, particularly in light of the fact that his son was autistic.
In order to skillfully weave Christopher’s condition into Mulcahy’s tale, Alda created an entire episode titled “Hepatitis.” When it comes to maintaining Father Mulcahy’s presence in the equation, this is not only an excellent buddy but also an even better answer.
Prophecy on the tumor of Frank Burns
I’m going to give you goosebumps with this additional fascinating piece of MASH information.
A sharp-tongued Hawkeye, played by Alan Alda, is doing an examination of Frank Burns in the episode titled “Hepatitis.” Frank nonchalantly adds, “I do have a pea-sized tumor under my sternum.”
Larry Linville, the actor who played Frank, passed away from a cancerous tumor that was located under his sternum more than a few years after the film’s release. The most unexpected and slightly eerie manner in which life imitates art can be found at times.
From a one-episode marvel to a fan favorite of the audience
Despite the fact that Jamie Farr, who played Klinger in MASH, was one of the few actors who would be prepared to wear dresses and skirts, he managed to pull it off with tremendous charm and humor. In all honesty, the show would not have been the same without him because he totally nailed the role of Max Klinger.
Would you be surprised to learn that Farr was only supposed to make an appearance in a single episode at first? On the other hand, he achieved such widespread popularity among viewers that he was given a recurring role on the show.
An explanation of the dog tags’ true nature
And what about the dog tags that Jamie Farr wore while he was on the show? The dog tags were in fact genuine military dog tags that he had worn throughout his time in the military before to coming into the entertainment industry.
The tags contained Farr’s personal information, such as his name, serial number, and even his faith, as Farr himself disclosed in an interview with the Medicine and Martinis box set. To say that you brought authenticity to the part is an understatement!
Is it possible that you noticed the military’s errors?
The show not only provided some legendary moments in the classic episode from season 2 titled “For the Good of the Outfit,” but it also caused a few eyebrows to be raised in terms of the veracity of the military depiction. A mistake that stands out the most to others? Henry Blake’s workplace features a Bell Huey UH-1 helicopter that is suspended from the ceiling. What’s the twist? The Huey did not even make its maiden voyage until 1956, which was several years after the end of the Korean War, which is the setting of MASH. In light of this, it is safe to claim that that tidbit of military history does not quite correspond to the timeframe!
In the event that Lieutenant Colonel Blake passed away
One of the most stunning and widely discussed events in the history of television was the passing of Lieutenant Colonel Blake, who appeared on the television show MASH. In 1975, McLean Stevenson, who was leaving the program, was killed off in such an unexpected and dramatic fashion (a aircraft accident on the way back to the United States). Fans and critics alike were astonished by this turn of events.
The sudden death of a prominent character in a primetime series was unheard of at the time. It was a shocking development. The authors and producers of the show justified the decision, claiming that it was intended to make a forceful statement about the fact that war is a cruel reality. However, many people were surprised by the decision.
Producers came to an agreement.
The story of Colonel Blake, however, did not come to a conclusion with that breathtaking event.
Following the unexpected untimely death of Lieutenant Colonel Blake, the writers and producers of the show came to an agreement after receiving an excessive quantity of hate mail.
When it came time for any performer to depart MASH* in the future, they all came to an agreement that they would never again offer their character such a sorrowful farewell. Because of the magnitude of the criticism, the show made a change in the way it dealt with the departure of characters.
The hidden power that lies within Radar’s left hand
Cpl. Walter “Radar” O’Reilly, a naive farm lad who worked as the company clerk and sometimes bugler, was portrayed by Gary Burghoff in the series, which spanned seven seasons from 1972 to 1983. Burghoff played the role of the lovable character.
However, have you ever noticed that Gary Radar had a feature that was not widely known and that he made a concerted effort to maintain behind the scenes? Gary would deftly conceal his left hand during scenes, despite the fact that he was born with a disease known as Poland syndrome, which causes the pectoral muscle to be underdeveloped and sometimes results in “webbed fingers.”
It didn’t matter if he was grasping a clipboard or tucking it away in his pocket; he made sure that the attention was directed toward his performance rather than his hand.
Reasons why Radar left S.H.M.G.
It was claimed that Burghoff’s rigorous schedule was putting a strain on his family life, which led to the reduction of his character’s appearances to 13 episodes, which is a decrease from his previous 24 appearances. This was after Burghoff had appeared on every episode for the first three seasons.
In the seventh season, Radar left the show, and he was accompanied by a two-part farewell called “Good-Bye Radar,” which provided an explanation for his release from the military.
The amount of money that Burghoff took with him when he left MAS*H was not high.
The statement was made by Burghoff in an interview with People magazine. “I did not leave MAS*H a wealthy man,” he added. Although I had the ability to renegotiate my contract, I chose not to do so because money was not the most important thing in my life… You have two goals in life: either you want to be wealthy and famous, or you want to be a father. You can’t have it both ways.”
Treatment for rabies using radar
Within the context of the episode Mad Dogs and Servicemen (1974), Radar is confined to bed due to what may be considered an extremely uncommon case of rabies.
“Diddy Wah Diddy” by Bo Diddley and “The Wayward Wind” by Gogi Grant are two of the most popular songs in the world, and Margaret reads them to him in order to cheer him up. What’s the twist? 1956 was the year when both songs were released, which was several years after the conclusion of the Korean War.
Inappropriately fashionable for the front lines
Not every single one of the MASH characters has a haircut that is suitable for the 1950s and is appropriate for the Army. As the narrative progresses, it becomes abundantly evident that only Colonel Potter and Major Winchester appear to have the physical appearance of individuals who could have served in an Army unit sometime during the 1950s. All the rest? For the sake of argument, let’s just suppose that they were a little bit too stylish for the regulations of the military.
The history of Hawkeye, which is always evolving
The origin of Hawkeye is a bit of a roller coaster ride throughout the entirety of MASH. His parents are still living, he has a sister who is married and sends him a huge knitted sweater, and he even has a nephew. At first, he appears to be from Vermont.
On the other hand, his story evolves as the series progresses. His mother passed away when he was only ten years old, and he ended up being an only kid. He was born in Crabapple Cove, Maine. One may say that the particulars were somewhat… adaptable! Nevertheless, Alan Alda, who played Hawkeye, did not find the adjustments to be objectionable. The notion that his character could develop and mature throughout the course of the series was something that he cherished, even if it meant a little bit of artistic license.
The sarcasm of Hawkeye and the brilliance of Alda
The fact that Alan Alda was the first person to win Emmys for acting, writing, and directing for the same series is something that you probably did not know. That demonstrates a remarkable level of talent.
“Don’t blame me, I didn’t write this stuff,” Hawkeye says in a witty response to Winchester’s complaint about him and BJ singing in the shower during the episode of Comrades in Arms. To add insult to injury, the actor who played Hawkeye, Alan Alda, was the one who actually wrote it!
The ability of Alda to combine humor and character-driven storytelling is excellently demonstrated by this brief scene.
Authentic information regarding Loretta Swit and Alan Alda
The early seasons of MASH were a brilliant comedy, while the later seasons transformed into an exceptional blend of drama and comedy. This is something I would say to folks who enjoyed the earlier seasons of MASH but did not enjoy the later ones as much, as well as to those who felt the opposite.
At this point, let’s talk about the most famous pair from the show: Hawkeye and Margaret Houlihan, who were portrayed by Alan Alda and Loretta Swit, respectively. As the tone shifts from comedic to dramatic, their connection comes in as an intriguing addition to the mix.
As the tone shifts from comedic to dramatic, their connection comes in as an intriguing addition to the mix. Over the course of the first few seasons, their relationship was characterized by mutual respect for one another as highly trained medical experts, with a touch of attraction that was just beginning to develop. As the program progressed, their relationship became more profound, transitioning from a humorous banter to a more dramatic and emotional link for the audience.
One of the most important moments for Hawkeye and Margaret
The following is an explanation that Swit provided in an interview with Yahoo: “They became loving friends.” It is true that there are many different forms of love, and the love that existed between them was extremely powerful. Examining the series over the course of time reveals that their friendship developed and became more profound. In the beginning, Margaret had the impression that he was an exceptionally talented surgeon, which resulted in respect between them.
By the time they were stranded together overnight, surrounded by North Korean bombs, the sparks finally ignited in the two-part episode of Season 6 titled “Comrades in Arms.” They gave in to their desires and spent one passionate night together after having a heart-to-heart conversation about it.
Swit claims that their night together was a significant turning point for both of the characters, despite the fact that it did not result in a romantic relationship that would survive.
“Swit disclosed that Alan had written ‘Comrades in Arms’ for us several seasons prior to actually doing it. This was due to the fact that the creators were uncertain whether or not the audience would accept it.”
It was a turning point, and it spoke to the entirety of MAS*H; it held everything: it contained tears, laughter, silliness, and survival. All of these things are contained in it. It is for this reason that many tuned in.
The fingernails of Loretta Swit
One thing that jumps out about Loretta Swit’s performance as Margaret Houlihan in MASH is the fact that her nails are the focal point of the scene.
Within the context of the episode of Comrades in Arms, her fingernails are longer than one inch. That’s no joke! It is not possible for a nurse, particularly a chief nurse working in a conflict zone, to have nails that are that long. While it’s possible that Margaret had a thing for glitz and glamour, it’s also possible that this was not the most practical choice for a hospital worker during the war.
It was never something that Loretta Swit enjoyed being called “Hot Lips.”
An infamous nickname was given to Loretta Swit’s character, Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan, and she was not exactly delighted about it.
“I get that nicknames come from affection, but to me, it felt like an insult,” she said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “It was a challenge for me to accept that.” When she was a major in the United States Army, she was more than just a bodily component; she deserved respect.
When Swit looked back on the situation, she stated that she took events into her own hands in order to change the nickname “Hot Lips.”
The statement that she made was, “I believe that my perseverance probably became very annoying.” However, I was of the opinion that it was necessary for the women who were doing their part to help our nation. Throughout the entire process, I kept reminding the writers, “She is so much more than this.”
The plastic surgery performed by Loretta Swit
Many individuals have seen what appears to be certain changes in Loretta Swit’s appearance, which may be attributed to plastic surgery, when they look at images of her now. There are a few photographs that do cause concerns to be raised, despite the fact that Swit has never directly addressed this issue. On the other hand, is it possible that this transition started from the very beginning of MASH*? An intriguing observation was reported by bettinafarichild, a user on Reddit:
After watching all of the episodes of MAS*H for the first time in chronological order, I noticed a number of minor things that I had never noticed before. I have seen all of the episodes a million times. Is it just that I am not paying attention, or are these things more subtle? Take, for instance: A plastic surgery procedure is performed on Loretta Swit in the middle of the sixth season. It is a fairly noticeable alteration that she has a cleft chin, and at some point in time, she also gets a nose job. I am not sure which season she received the nose job, but it could have been season 9.
Fans have expressed a significant amount of curiosity regarding this matter, despite the fact that it continues to be a subject of discussion.
A kiss that lasts the longest;
However, the show’s conclusion provided us with one of the longest kisses in the history of television. Fans of MASH are aware that the show had its share of emotional moments, but the finale took the cake.
Bringing “Comrades in Arms” full circle, Hawkeye leaves Margaret with a kiss that is so awkward and lengthy that it leaves their remaining coworkers feeling rather uncomfortable. This kiss is the final goodbye to Margaret.
Swit reflects on the tender moment as she brings Margaret’s journey to a close. “It’s the longest kiss in the history of television,” she stated.
As the only two main cast members to have participated in both the series premiere and the series finale, Alda and Swit formed a unique connection that lasted throughout the entirety of the show’s existence. Swit was also the one who directed the final episode.
It was basically about bringing everyone together and satisfying the audience, who all have their favorite characters, and the ending was all about doing that. Following the conclusion of the show, Alan penned a letter to me in which he expressed his gratitude for the chance to play the role of Margaret and to witness her experience significant development.
In the event that you are a fan of MASH*, why don’t you consider sharing this post with your loved ones and friends? We may remember about the great characters that made us laugh and cry, and it is the ideal approach to start some fun conversations along the road. Please tag someone who would appreciate a trip down memory lane; together, let’s spread the feeling of nostalgia!
