#Col. Henry Blake

[theprotagonistisdead]

even mildly emotional stuff with henry will almost always make me cry. he is so doomed by the narrative!!! re-watched s1e24 "showtime" where his son is born and he's sad about being away and not getting to see his kid. and he's never gonna see that kid. he's never going to go home.

[256kbps]

thinking about a certain mr lt col henry blake on this rainy friday night

[tuttle-did-it]

I also had a problem with it— for all your reasons and more.

I will also admit Ezri never grew on me. This is not Nicole de Boer’s fault- she played the character as written.

but I think it was a mistake to make her a Dax. A massive mistake.

their excuse reason that Jadzia and Lenara could not be together was that Trills are not supposed to just pick up and live the life of the old host, but live their own life with a new partner, new job, new circumstances.

then they bring Ezri right back to DS9 to replace Dax. so obviously that excuse to keep Jadzia away from her wife was rubbish. I, like Worf, was not over losing Jadzia. Having a sudden replacement that was her but wasn’t her was very upsetting. And since this version of Dax was afraid of everything, and hugely insecure, it made it easier to compare and prefer Jadzia’s vibrancy and confidence over Ezri.

I know what they were trying to do- M*A*S*H discovered that of your going to replace a character, you bring in their opposite so the two of them could not be compared. Frank Burns replaced with Charles Winchester III. Potter replacing Henry. BJ replacing Trapper. All completely the opposite of the person who was there so comparing them was apple and oranges.

and they started out, right- Ezri was 180* from Jadzia. The problem was, by making her a Dax, she suddenly is Jadzia’s replacement. And Jadzia was a hard act to follow. Terry played her with such Joy and bravery and courage. Ezri’s nervousness, her unprofessionalism, her insecurity- instead of character traits to grow on, these were just reasons to miss Jadzia more. No longer apples and oranges, just Dax and a less better version of Dax.

This would be like if they made BJ Trapper’s little brother— but also incompetent and unprofessional. Like, no one is going to like this new guy. They’re just going to be mad there’s a shadow of the old guy left and this new person cannot hold a candle to the previous person. If BJ had been Trapper’s incompetent little brother, why the fuck would we want him there? Especially when people could die from someone incompetent.

Star Trek has always been bad at writing therapists. 99% of the time Troi tells the captain that an angry person screaming on the view scream is… is angry. When someone comes to her for advice, she says ‘well what to do you think?’ And ‘how did that make you feel?’ Like. Trip is awful at her job. Awful.

But the difference is, DS9, like M*A*S*H, is basically in a war zone. People’s lives and well-being depend on having professionals who can help them. So making her so incredibly incompetent, and then rewarding her— and erasing Garak’s suffering because it’s convenient? Bad choice. But also, she’s just a terrible character.

this is not Nicole’s fault. She played Ezri exactly as instructed, she played what she was asked. She did exactly what was on the page. The problem was what was on the page. And a large part of me (most of me) never forgave Ezri for not being Jadzia. And the rest of me couldn’t forgive her for being incompetent.

They should have never made her a Dax. Because I never got to appreciate Ezri, I was just constantly reminded that she was not Jadzia.

So when she failed to help Garak, I wasn’t like ‘aww poor baby worm is struggling. How endearing. She will grow and learn,’ it was just ‘she’s not competent. This is inexcusable. She shouldn’t be here. People are dying. What the fuck are they playing at? She’s not good enough to be on this crew. She’d not good enough to be a Dax. She’s a shadow of who Jadzia Dax was.’

it was unfair to the audience, because it made it harder to appreciate her character. It was unfair to the DS9 characters like Worf and Sisko (but all of them, really) because she’s not Dax but they have to accept her anyway, and she’s a constant reminder of Jadzia— of the person we loved and lost because Berman is a piece of shit. A constant reminder that Jadzia is no longer there. Even worse, she wasn’t doing a good job helping people like Garak. And poor Garak is on his own cos here’s this baby worm terrified of her own shadow, how can she possibly help him? And, it was massively unfair to Nicole, who was doing a very good job with what she had.

And it proved that the whole ‘trills have to live a different lifetime’ bs excuse to keep Jadzia out of a lesbian relationship with her former wife Lenara was, as predicted, a bs excuse.

basically, what I’m saying is, the writers lost my trust over Jadzia/Ezri in season 7 and never got it back.

But honestly, I also have to say, I really hated season 7. I thought it was awful. And barring a few episodes, I find the entire season completely unwatchable.

On rewatches, I usually stop at Far Beyond the Stars. Sometimes I will watch that and then skip to Under the Pale Moonlight. And then I’m done. As far as I’m concerned, that’s where the show stops. Because everything that comes after that is just awful.

Afterimage is one of my favorite DS9 episodes ever and, in my opinion, the most underrated episode featuring Garak. But I have A LOT of problems with it, and they can pretty much be summed up by this reply to someone’s post on the episode. I screenshotted this because I don't want to derail that person's post more than I have already whoops.

But I have a lot of thoughts so here's a rant! below the read more, please mind content warnings for discussions of abuse, substance use, and suicide.

[also, @ettaberrytea , please let me know if you want me to remove the screenshot]

The promotion thing I can live with because it seemed like an inevitable part of her remaining on the station. That seemed like the only likely conclusion of her character for this episode even on my first watch.

But Garak's anxiety and claustrophobia being 'fixed' at the end actually upsets me. There's the obvious 'it's not that easy!'. But also, she did not provide any kind of actual therapeutic technique that would help him here. Which I KNOW is nitpicking but I think given the context, less so.

The big problem for me is a bit more complicated. It's obviously not just 'He doesn't like small spaces'. Even with Afterimage having the most explicit mentions of this part of Tain's abuse, the focus is on claustrophobia. And it just really irks me how Ezri presses him and presses him about it and doesn't try to delve into what seems to be a huge reason behind it. That is, besides 'you blame yourself for this just like how I blame myself for getting space sick', which... I'm gonna be honest felt like a really unfair comparison.

To me, a lot of this doesn't feel on purpose/like she's supposed to be learning still. I will say that her delivery in this reminds me so much of myself in social work classes! I've been there! But especially as the episode continues, it feels more and more like this is supposed to be a huge breakthrough and she's cracked the code and this all makes sense psychologically.

Also, that scene with Garak trying to open the airlock just. Hurts so, so bad for me. It's one of my favorite moments of Garak's character and it hits me really hard.

But the fact that the scene after it is a nice little 'sitting in the holosuite' scene staring at the sunset off a cliff... I just kinda hate that! But I really liked their conversation and Garak saying that it's not really such a large space and none of it is real -- that's one of my favorite moments in Afterimage, actually.

Also I have to say this somewhere, and this is absolutely based on my interpretation only. But that airlock scene felt like Garak being the most explicitly close to suicide we've seen since The Wire. To have him just sitting in a holosuite [on a cliffside no less] isn't a great followup to that, even setting aside my interpretation. And to kinda respond to the reply I screenshotted above, I feel like it's not such a stretch that he relapsed.

I think Ezri is a great character and like I said, this is one of my favorite DS9 episodes! But I've never talked about this in detail and wanted to put it out there.

Reminder that this is just my opinion, and if you have a different take on this episode, I'd love to hear it!

[jax-winchester]

“Henry Blake was incompetent” Henry Blake was human and a great surgeon. He loved his kids, his wife, fishing, he loved Hawkeye, Trapper, Klinger, Radar, Mulcahey, he loved being a doctor. Just because he wasn’t walking military propaganda like Col. Potter doesn’t mean he was incompetent. Henry trusted everyone to make the good moral decision. They always did, and I happen to think he was a good, fair leader.

[mashhistorian]

Happy birthday, McLean Stevenson (1927 - 1996), M*A*S*H’s Lt. Col. Henry Blake

[pupsmailbox]

ACADEMIC ID PACK

NAMES︰ adeline. agatha. alastair. alex. alexander. alexandria. alisa. amber. ambrose. ambrosia. amorette. andrew. annabel. annabeth. annalise. anya. arden. artemis. arthur. ash. ashford. aspen. athena. atlas. atreus. augustus. avery. beatrix. blair. blake. blythe. bram. bronwyn. caspian. charles. charlotte. christopher. circe. claude. coraline. crimson. damian. damien. damon. daphne. darcy. demeter. diana. dorian. durant. ebony. eden. edgar. eleanor. elenor. elizabeth. elvira. emberl. enid. eris. everett. fantine. felix. fern. genevieve. george. grey. griffin. haven. hazel. hecate. henry. hester. holmes. hyde. inkesse. inkette. inkie. inky. isolde. ivie. ivy. james. jane. journalle. julian. julius. juno. kane. killian. lenore. lilith. lorelei. luna. magnus. malachi. mallory. maude. meredith. naomi. narissa. nicodem. nightesse. nightwing. nimue. noire. noiresse. noirette. odessa. odette. oliver. ophelia. orion. percy. persephone. peyton. phineas. phoebe. quill. quille. quinn. raven. ravenesse. ravenette. ravenne. remus. romero. rory. rosalind. rose. rowan. rowena. rufus. salem. scriptesse. sebastian. stoker. sylvain. tanith. theo. theodore. theodosia. trista. tristan. victor. victoria. vincent. virgil. wilhelmine. willow. wynona. xanthe. zoltan.

PRONOUNS︰ acade/academia. amber/amber. an/antique. arch/architectself. arch/archive. art/art. art/artist. arti/article. arti/fact. artifact/artifact. baro/baroque. bea/beauty. bis/bisque. book/book. bookworm/bookworm. calligraphy/calligraphy. can/vas. candle/candle. cer/ceramic. char/charcoal. chess/chess. clas/classic. clay/clay. clock/clock. co/collect. coco/coco. cocoa/cocoa. cof/coffee. coffee/coffee. col/color. coll/collection. collage/collage. con/cept. crea/cream. crow/crow. cur/curate. dra/drama. dust/dust. essay/essay. fea/feather. feather/feather. fig/figure. fil/film. flicker/flicker. gal/gallery. glaze/glaze. globe/globe. gold/gold. hazel/hazel. his/history. history/history. hon/honey. hue/hue. hypo/hypothesis. illus/illustrate. ink/ink. journal/journal. ki/kiln. knowledge/knowledge. le/letter. learn/learn. letter/letter. li/library. lig/ligature. lit/literature. mar/marble. mur/mural. murder/murder. muse/muse. muse/museum. night/night. no/note. novel/novel. page/page. paint/brush. paint/paint. paint/painting. paper/paper. para/dox. pen/pen. pho/photo. pi/pigment. piano/piano. poe/poet. poem/poem. por/trait. porcel/porcelain. print/print. qui/quill. quill/quill. raven/raven. rea/read. read/read. ren/renaissance. rev/revolution. scrapbook/scrapbook. script/scripts. scroll/scroll. sculp/sculptor. sculp/sculpture. sketch/sketch. speci/specimen. spine/spine. sta/stamp. stai/stain. stamp/stamp. statue/statue. story/story. stu/dy. study/studie. study/study. surreal/surrealism. tea/tea. theo/theory. theory/theory. thes/thesis. time/time. tweed/tweed. violin/violin. wheel/wheel. ⌛. ⌛︎. ☕. ✒︎. ✒️. 🏛️. 🏺. 📜. 🕯️. 🖼️.

[the-mad-prince-of-denmark]

M*A*S*H, 1970, dir. Robert Altman / M*A*S*H, 1970, dir. Larry Gelbart

Donald Sutherland/Alan Alda as Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Jr.

Elliott Gould/Wayne Rogers as Capt. John Francis "Trapper" McIntyre

Sally Kellerman/Loretta Swit as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan

Roger Bowen/McLean Stevenson as Lt. Col. Henry Braymore Blake

Robert Duvall/Larry Linville as Major Frank Burns

René Auberjonois/William Christopher as Father John Patrick Francis Mulcahy

[coffeeandacig]

HUGE M*A*S*H NEWS!

Direct of the MASH Matters Facebook Page

M*A*S*H: THE COMEDY THAT CHANGED TELEVISION, AN ALL-NEW TWO-HOUR CELEBRATION OF TELEVISION’S MOST INFLUENTIAL SITCOM

NEW ORIGINAL SPECIAL AIRS MONDAY, JANUARY 1, ON FOX

Featuring New Interviews with Cast Members Alan Alda, Gary Burghoff,

William Christopher, Jamie Farr, Mike Farrell, Wayne Rogers and Loretta Swit,

as well as Original Series Executive Producers Gene Reynolds and Burt Metcalfe

Plus Rarely-Seen Archival Interviews with Writer/Producer Larry Gelbart,

and Stars Larry Linville, Harry Morgan, McLean Stevenson and David Ogden Stiers

In the all-new two-hour special, M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television, premiering Monday, January 1 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, join the men and women who made M*A*S*H as they celebrate one of the most beloved, enduringly popular, often quoted and influential comedies ever created.

As the definitive look at the 14-time Emmy-winning television classic, the special centers around new interviews with original cast members Alan Alda (Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce), Gary Burghoff (Cpl. Walter "Radar" O'Reilly), William Christopher (Father Francis Mulcahy), Jamie Farr (Cpl./Sgt. Maxwell Q. "Max" Klinger), Mike Farrell (Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt), Wayne Rogers (Capt. "Trapper" John McIntyre) and Loretta Swit (Maj. Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan) and series executive producers Gene Reynolds and Burt Metcalfe. In these intimate, highly personal remembrances, the creation and evolution of the show’s iconic characters are revealed, alongside rare and never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, photos and stories.

Writer/producer Larry Gelbart, as well as additional series stars Larry Linville (Maj. Frank Burns), Harry Morgan (Col. Sherman T. Potter), McLean Stevenson (Lt. Col. Henry Blake) and David Ogden Stiers (Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III) are remembered through a vibrant collection of clips from the series as well as in rarely-seen archival interviews. With unique experiences, observations and memories from 11 seasons of M*A*S*H, this special will make audiences laugh, touch their heartstrings, and leave them on a nostalgic high while celebrating the sustained brilliance of the iconic sitcom.

“M*A*S*H is not only a great television series, it is a cultural phenomenon. It has made multiple generations of viewers laugh, cry and think, often in the same episode,” said Executive Producers John Scheinfeld and Andy Kaplan. “We are excited to team with FOX to create this unprecedented window into an innovative television classic.”

"M*A*S*H is among the most iconic sitcoms in the annals of television history. It's a timeless show that comedically captures the 4077th medical corps and how they managed to maintain their sanity while saving lives on the front lines of the Korean War,” said Dan Harrison, EVP, Program Planning & Content Strategy, FOX Entertainment. “Larry Gelbart, Gene Reynolds and Burt Metcalfe brought this incredible comedy to life thanks to their ensemble cast led by the incomparable Alan Alda. FOX is proud to celebrate the landmark achievements of one of the best comedies ever created."

The M*A*S*H two-and-a-half-hour series finale that first aired on CBS in 1983 remains the highest rated telecast in television history, delivering an incredible 77 audience share and 60.2 rating. To-date, the show has never left the air, continuously running in syndication, on basic cable and now streaming on Hulu. The series was produced by 20th Television.

M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television is directed by John Scheinfeld (Reinventing Elvis: The ’68 Comeback, The U.S. vs. John Lennon and What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears?) with Scheinfeld and Andy Kaplan as Executive Producers.

Viewers can watch M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television next day on Hulu, Fox.com, On Demand and FOX Entertainment’s streaming platform, Tubi. On Demand is available for customers of Cox Contour TV, DIRECTV, DISH, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Optimum, Spectrum, Verizon FiOS, XFINITY, YouTube TV and many more.

[addicted2coke-theothercoke]

Edit: I accidentally put Hawkeye twice, my bad

[boonesfarmsangria]

Mike Farrell Reflects on Captain B.J. Hunnicutt’s Ahead of ‘M*A*S*H’ TV Special

Scott Fishman, TV Insider Dec 21, 2023 Updated Dec 22, 2023 0

Mike Farrell knew he had a lot to live up to when he joined the 4077th Medical Corps and cast of M*A*S*H as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt. The well-versed actor already had an impressive career including a stint on Days of Our Lives. However, this was a completely different kind of pressure coming into season 4 of a highly successful series after the exit of Wayne Rogers, who played Captain “Trapper” John McIntyre.

He was up to the challenge with viewers connecting with the devoted family man and what would be a long-time bond with Alan Alda’s Captain Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce. Viewers will ever forget the shot during the historic series finale where B.J. yells out that he left a note for Hawkeye. As he flies away in the helicopter, he soon notices that his good friend spelled out the word “Goodbye” with rocks on the ground.

It’s these types of iconic moments and characters that are celebrated during FOX’s upcoming M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television. Executive-produced by John Scheinfeld and Andy Kaplan, this two-special delves into the Emmy-winning run over 11 seasons through the perspective of the cast and visionaries behind the scenes.

Joining Farrell and Alda on the doc is Gary Burghoff (Cpl. Walter “Radar” O’Reilly), and Loretta Swit (Maj. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan) to name a few, as well as series executive producers Gene Reynolds and Burt Metcalfe. Those who have since passed, including show creator Larry Gelbart, Rogers, Larry Linville (Maj. Frank Burns), Harry Morgan (Col. Sherman T. Potter), and McLean Stevenson (Lt. Col. Henry Blake) are spotlighted through archival photos and footage.

Here Farrell opens up about his emotional reaction to the special. The 84-year-old also describes what it’s like to see the beloved sitcom still resonate more than 40 years after it ended.

Michael Farrell

How often do you go back and watch the episodes back?

Mike Farrell: The popularity of the show continues to astonish me and thrill me, frankly. I get constant emails, and mail, calls to keep it fresh in my mind, and its extraordinary impact. I don’t make a point of looking for it on television, but sometimes it’s there. And when it’s there, I can’t stop looking at it and watching those people I love so much and care about. To see and remember who they were and what we did together. It’s something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I’m so thrilled to be a part of it that it’s hard to put into words.

I remember seeing Alan Alda share a photo of you two toasting to the 50th anniversary of the show’s premiere. How is it for you to still have these close connections after all these years?

For us, it’s a family situation. We enjoyed working together and having this kind of bond that continues to this day. We talk about how much we love each other and stay in touch regularly. It has been something that brings an ongoing extraordinary rush of gratitude and appreciation for all of us here…Then you see David Ogden Stiers, Harry Morgan, Larry Linville, and others on the special. There is that sense of longing for somebody who you knew, loved, and enjoyed working with. It’s piercing at the heart when you see that sometimes. For me, I’m overwhelmed with the warmth that comes back from seeing Harry, remembering the relationship we had not only during the show but afterward. Watching Alan and his incredible wit and hijinks. Some of those things stay with me today. When I tell stories, I can’t help but get misty about those memories. It’s an everlasting love affair for me.

It’s fun to think about what would have happened if social media had been around during M*A*S*H’s original run. For example, B.J.’s mustache would be a hot topic of conversation.

People often ask me, “What do you think of the mustache?” I will say my mother hated the mustache. The mustache was a fun thing. Alan called me at the beginning of one season and said, “They think we are too much alike. What do you think about growing a mustache?” I thought it was a great idea. We made a lot out of it, which was fun to do. I wore what started as a red long shirt. Through many washes, it came out pink. I thought it was hilarious to be wearing a pink shirt in the middle of all that. I get many comments from people in the gay community who tell me they loved my pink shirt and ask if that was a signal. I tell them no, but that I’m glad they noticed it.

One of the topics that gets tackled in the special is B.J.’s character and moment of infidelity with a nurse divorcee. After all this time, I even saw a Reddit thread asking if B.J. cheated on his wife Peg.

I remember when I first met with the guys and they were talking about the possibility of Wayne leaving. I told them the one thing I didn’t want to do as an actor was come in and step in the boots of “Trapper.” They understood. They had in mind a fellow who was married, not a womanizer like “Hawkeye” or “Trapper,” who had a child at home. And he is going to be true to his wife and family. You’re talking about modeling fidelity on television, I didn’t mind that at all. We laughed. It stayed that way. One year we did a show where Blythe Danner played the guest star. She and “Hawkeye had been having a love affair in medical school, and she was temporarily assigned to our station. She was married, but the affair popped up again.

There is a scene where “Hawkeye” asks B.J. if he has ever been unfaithful. I said never. He said, “You ever tempted?” I said, “Tempted is a different question.” He said, “So, you have been tempted?” I said, “No, it was a different question.” It was a good gag. Larry Gelbart, who wrote the scene was ont eh stage when we finished that shot. I said, “Larry, that was wonderful, but let me suggest the idea. The fact B.J. is a faithful husband is great by me, but to suggest a man was not tempted goes too far. I don’t think we need to paint in that pristine manner.” He said that was a good thought. A year later Gene remembers that conversation with Larry. He asked, “What do you feel about B.J. falling off the fidelity wagon?” I said, “It depends on how you resolve it.”

How do you feel it came out?

I loved the whole process that they cared enough to hear me out, and decided it was worth dealing with that question. I thought they resolved it in a classy way. B.J. was upset about what he had done. It was brief and a misstep. He was miserable about it. “Hawkeye” gave him hell because he was going to write home and tell Peg. He said, “Don’t do that to her. If you must confess for whatever the transgression, wait until you get home where you can be with her and talk to her. I thought it was great that they were willing to explore the kind of experience people are put through in these circumstances.

It was almost like it didn’t matter how far they went, but didn’t matter. He would feel the same way.

Exactly. But the idea of them spending the night together in a bed, under those circumstances, and didn’t go far sounds a little stretch to me.

When was the moment you felt how big a show M*A*S*H was?

I was in Southeast Asia during one of our breaks. After my second or third year there on the show when I went around, I was astonished at the no matter what part of the world, the show meant something to the.m. This one man said, “Your show constantly underscores for me the meaning of peace and the need for peace in this world.” I came back to set and Alan and I were sitting together during the first day of the season back. I said, “Are you hearing what I’m hearing out there?” He said, “Yeah, we need to be aware of the way the show is affecting people.

We decided on a regular meeting as a cast and talked through the issues of the day. Alan and I both made it a point that this show is having an impact that is beyond just being a popular television show. We need to be seriously committed to making sure we do the best work we can do. Everyone got it and agreed and rededicated ourselves to commit to doing meaningful work because of the audience’s respect and appreciation for the show.

What are your overall thoughts on the FOX special while screening it? 

I watched it with tears streaming down my face while laughter burst from my mouth. It was an extraordinary tribute. Not only to the show and people involved but the people involved behind the scenes. I’m glad they included the clip of Gene, Larry, and in particular Burt Metcalfe, the casting genius who brought many of the characters to the show; me included. He was a powerful force in maintaining the integrity of the show. It was deeply touching and I think the audience will love it. It shows the significance and the work of the characters and the way the show was built and what it became. I was thrilled when I saw it. 

How do you think the show would do in today’s TV landscape? 

I think it would remain a touchstone for people I can’t tell you how many veterans have contacted me. Even children of veterans. They would say. “My dad would never talk about his experience in the war until he saw your show. Then he would say, ‘That’s the way it was.”…That it has stayed relevant and meaningful to people for generations speaks volumes about the show. 

M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television premiere, January 1, 8/7c, FOX

@stroyent 🤝

[mash4077confessions]

Col Blake character bingo

Henry was a fun character.

I enjoyed his sex/health lectures and the fact that he couldn't say half of anything that he needed to say during said lectures.

I loved watching him going toe to toe with Margaret and Frank, at the height of their scheming.

He was a funny, awkward, sweet, fishing enthusiast who left in such an impactful way

[connectionxterminated]

I still don't understand why Radar made me sign all those things I had to sign that I didn't even know what I was signing for and he didn't even know what I was signing for and then proceeded to forget to give me something to sign and gave me it later on instead of giving it to me when I was signing all those other things that I didn't even know what I was signing for! -Col. Henry Blake

hey what -Willow

[omicheese]

i miss Henry Blake but i'm liking Col. Potter so far

[kwebtv]

Character Actor

Edgar "Mac" McLean Stevenson Jr. (November 14, 1927 – February 15, 1996)  Actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake in the television series M*A*S*H, which earned him a Golden Globe Award in 1974. Stevenson also appeared on a number of television series, notably The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Doris Day Show.

Before becoming a star, Stevenson appeared as a contestant on the Password television game show in New York City, winning five pieces of luggage.  After this he appeared in New York City on stage, and in television commercials. He also performed on Broadway, and began to establish himself as a comedy writer, writing for the seminal That Was The Week That Was—in which Alan Alda appeared—and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, performing occasionally on both shows. He also was a regular on the 1970 The Tim Conway Comedy Hour variety show on CBS. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, he also appeared in TV commercials for products such as Kellogg's, Libby's fruit cocktail, Dolly Madison and Winston cigarettes, in which he was shown sprinting around a parking lot of Winston delivery trucks and painting over the product slogan, replacing the "like" in "like a cigarette should" with the grammatically correct "as."

After guest-starring in That Girl with Marlo Thomas, he was cast in The Doris Day Show in 1969, playing magazine editor boss Michael Nicholson until 1971. Originally, he auditioned for the role of Hawkeye Pierce in M*A*S*H, but was persuaded to play Lt. Col. Henry Blake instead.

Stevenson appeared as a guest panelist for several weeks on Match Game in 1973, and again in 1978 on the daytime and nighttime weekly syndicated version. In 1981, he became a regular panelist on the daily syndicated version of Match Game, staying with the show until its cancellation a year later. He would make occasional appearances on the subsequent Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour in 1983 and 1984.

After his departure from M*A*S*H, Stevenson's acting career declined. While occasionally filling in as guest host of The Tonight Show, Stevenson's first attempt at his own show was an NBC variety show special titled The McLean Stevenson Show on November 20, 1975. The program finished 41st in the ratings that week, and the planned series was ultimately scuttled. He then starred in a series of sitcoms: The McLean Stevenson Show (1976–77), In the Beginning (1978), Hello, Larry (1979–80) and Condo (1983).   During the 1988–89 television season, he returned to a supporting TV role in an ensemble, playing Max Kellerman in the short-lived CBS series adaptation of Dirty Dancing.  (Wikipedia)

[mashhistorian]

The groundbreaking M*A*S*H episode “Abyssinia, Henry” first aired on CBS 50 years ago this month. It was advertised as the final episode for one beloved character, but it ended up being the final episode for two. See a script and learn more about the episode in this week’s post!

[rawr-gorg-smash]

And follow up question - best M.A.S.H character after Father Mulcahey?

That’s such a hard question.

My knee-jerk hot take: Dr. Sidney Freedman.

Every episode he’s in is a banger, and he has this wonderful ability to bring sanity to insane places. I also think the way he’s portrayed is a great way to see how attitudes about mental health care have shifted over time. I’ve always resonated with him because the procedures to heal wounds inside your head need to be respected just as much as the ones in your body. Plus, there’s something about the way Allan Arbus plays him that just makes me happy.

After that, probably a five-way tie with Col. Potter, BJ, Klinger, Radar, and Hawkeye. I love the hell out of all of them for different reasons.

That said, there are very few characters I find unredeemably terrible. Honestly, I think that list might just be Col. Flagg. Hate that guy.

Bonus round – my least-favorite character that lots of others love: Henry Blake. He’s supposed to be the lovable doormat and the gentle giant, but I especially hate the way he behaves while we see so much about his family overseas. Trapper is almost as bad, but Henry has enough interactions with Lorraine and his kids that I just can’t make myself forget how much he’s screwing around on them. Plus, once he and Trapper are off the show, the sexual harassment level on the show ratchets down about fifty notches. I don’t hate him the way I hate Col. Flagg, but I really don’t like him most of the time.

EDIT: On case it wasn’t obvious, absolutely agree that Father Mulcahey is the best character. I LOVE THAT MAN.