{From ". Your email address will not be published. supporting, role in the series, and he thought he could do better This highly rated episode remains notable for its shocking ending: the (off-screen) death of Colonel Henry Blake.. How did McLean Stevenson die? When it comes to breaking news stories in the entertainment industry. WebThe episode is notable for its shocking ending, in which the unit's amiable commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake (played by McLean Stevenson) receives an honorable discharge and leaves for home, but in the Only two actors have portrayed the character of Henry Blake: Coincidentally, both actors died one day apart; Stevenson passed away on February 15, 1996, and Bowen the day after; both died of a heart attack. McLean Stevenson originally auditioned for the role of Hawkeye, but was convinced by producers to take the role of Lieutenant Colonel Blake instead. They tried to hide it throughout the series run by having Radar hold a clipboard or other hand-obscuring prop in virtually all his scenes. Second, the death of Colonel Blake was significant because it showed that even fictional characters were not immune to the horrors of war. WebOriginally Answered: On the TV show M*A*S*H Why was colonel Blake killed off? In the premiere of season four, Hawkeye learned that Trapper John had been discharged. Heart Both aired on ABC during the 8:30 p.m. time slot. The Chicago Tribune's Gary Deeb, for instance, revealed Blake's death nearly two months before the episode aired. But M*A*S*H writers had another idea. Henry is married to Lorraine (called "Mildred" throughout Season 1), and they have three children, Jane, Molly and Andrew, the latter of whom was born shortly after Henry shipped out for Korea. 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. Radar walks into the operating room, without a mask, and announces that Blakes plane had been shot down over the Sea of Japan. They knew the public may be confused since they were both best known for playing the same character. The night before Blake left, Hawkeye, Trapper John and Radar threw a going-away party for him. But as doctors, theyre forced to continue with their jobs despite their grief. we covered some top articles, you can check the. Rogers didnt decide to leave until after season three, so his departure from the show couldnt be planned with an entire episode. M*A*S*H fans sent hundreds of letters to complain about the ending. Commanding Officer/Senior Surgeon at the 4077th M*A*S*H The cigars that Colonel Henry Blake smoke in M.A.S.H are candela cigars,which are known for their distinctive green color.This color comes from the quick drying process that locks in the natural chlorophyll in the tobacco leaves before it can degrade. Actor McLean Stevenson, who played Henry Blake, had grown unhappy on the show and wanted to leave to pursue other opportunities. "[13], In 1997, TV Guide included this episode in their list of the "100 Greatest Episodes of All Time," ranking it number 20. His character dies, and he was that character., Gary Burghoff, who portrayed Radar, said he felt devastated by the cruel finality of it all., Burghoff said: I took Mac aside and said, If you dont want me to do this scene, I wont. I was hoping the shock of it would get him to change his mind. The episode centers on Henry leaving the 4077th MASH for the final time. After the production of this episode, both Stevenson and Wayne Rogers, who played the character of Trapper John McIntyre, left the series to pursue other interests. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. After a quick phone call to Lorraine set up by Radar, Hawkeye and Trapper are worried that Henry will wreck his marriage, but realizing what he has back home, Henry thinks better of mentioning Nancy to Lorraine and ends the call with his marriage still intact. One plot hole is Blake being a Lt Col after only being in the service 10 years {Since Dec 1941}; according to the 1959 US Army Almanic [p.148] the allowed service of time to rise up to the rank of Lt. Col. is 21 Years service; in real life his 10 years in the service rank would be that of Captain (US Army Alamanic service time 7 years). Rogers. Death. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Major Margaret Houlihan and Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger both got married (Margaret in person, Klinger over the phone) and divorced during their service at the 4077th. Henry's primary concern was that the hospital ran smoothly, and he couldn't care less what the others did while off duty. Henry Blake, the lovable and bumbling commanding officer of the 4077th on M*A*S*H, was killed in a helicopter crash off-screen. The death of Henry Blake was a turning point for television and proved that anything can happen on TV. They called it gin as many have already said, but despite that it couldnt have been gin. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Lorraine was a one-time Succotash Queen at Illinois Normal (now Illinois State). Rank: Last appeared in: He died in the final episode of the show, which aired in 1983. It is normal to cold feet before wedding. McLean Stevenson as Henry Blake in the M*A*S*H TV series. According to Wikipedia, Alan Alda had McLean Stevensons character (Lt. Col. Henry Blake) killed off. How did McLean Stevenson die? Just as he climbed aboard, Radar emotionally gave him a final salute. He rushed to tell him goodbye but missed him at the airport. Writing a character off a show can be a simple task, especially for a popular part like Henry Blake. He did not survive the crash. The expression Abyssinia, Henry comes from a Flapper era, 20s era. WebThe show's writers reluctantly penned him an exit in the final episode of the 19741975 season (entitled "Abyssinia, Henry"), in which Lt. Gene Reynolds, one of the executive producers of M*A*S*H, said the decision to kill off Blake was deliberate. Colonel Sherman Tecumseh Potter appears in the M*A*S*H and AfterMASH television series. [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. He said something similar to Hawkeye and Trapper when explaining that he had not, in fact, signed a dishonorable discharge for a soldier who was homosexual, despite Frank threatening to go over his head again. Blake, Commanding officer of the 4077th. Your IP: You never know who might be coming around! Henry was the commanding officer of the 4077th. Henry Blake left 'M*A*S*H' because the actor was ready to move on. They don't complain about that because it is unfelt violence, it is unfelt trauma. McLean Stevenson, who played the Colonel decided to leave the show TIL Gary Burghoff, who played Radar OReilly on MASH, has a visibly deformed left hand, which ironically would have made him unfit for military service. On June 16th, 1963, Radar OReilly began his life term at the Iowa State Pen in Fort Madison. While "Abyssinia, Henry" is well known for the departure of McLean Stevenson from the series, it was also the final episode in which Wayne Rogers appeared. He admitted everyone loved Henry, but not necessarily McLean Stevenson. McLean said, I wanna get off the show, so we finally made a deal with him: Finish the year. 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. When she arrives in camp she forgets about Henry and quickly develops a thing for Hawkeye. Over time, however, Henry became more assertive and willing to stand his ground when it involved principle or serious medical matters. ", (Talking on the phone to his son) "I don't care if your sister. If they started filming the show knowing Henry was a dead man by the end of the episode, their performances would have been quite different. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The character of Trapper John McIntyre was subsequently written off the series in Welcome to Korea, the first episode of the next season. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Burghoff was born in Bristol, Connecticut, moved to Clinton, Connecticut, and then later moved to Delavan, Wisconsin. 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. They talked to the surviving cast members of M*A*S*H. Stevenson died in 1996. So why did they do it? Gene and I thought we should use the departure of the character in some meaningful fashion. He wanted more of a starring, instead of a Heart attack A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? 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?". Monster M*A*S*H is a FANDOM TV Community. We were working on the story of McLean leaving. M*A*S*H Cast and Crew Once Discussed Making Heartbreaking Lt. WebWho replaced Henry Blake on MASH? Stevenson was recovering from bladder cancer surgery at the Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center on February 15, 1996, when he suffered a sudden fatal heart attack. As M*A*S*H progressed, Alan Alda, who played Hawkeye, became the starring male lead, and others Whatever the reason, it worked. 185.126.219.251 As the tone of the series had evolved to more He wanted more of a starring, instead of a supporting, role in the series, and he thought he could do better because "everyone loved Henry". Routing number of commercial bank of Ethiopia? 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. Henry's affectionate individual goodbyes to the others are cut short by the imminent arrival of his helicopter, but Hawkeye pulls him aside and persuades him to give a long parting kiss to Margaret, to her surprise and Frank's annoyance. His condition is called Brachydactyly. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. His friends sent him off with a round of applause. Instead, he welcomed B.J. How Did Tom Sizemore Die? Lt. Col. Henry Blake This was a comedy/drama, but in the final scene about Blake, it was heart-breaking drama. WebMcLean Stevenson was Henry Blake, who in M*A*S*H, the TV series, was an Army reservist called up to serve in the Korean War as a doctor. M*A*S*H: Creator Larry Gelbart Opens Up About Killing Off McLean Stevensons Character, Henry Blake. Episodes following this represented a major change in focus for the show; the individual effects and psychological damages of war were explored more, often in parallel to the ending of the Vietnam War, and the Korean culture was portrayed in greater depth than had been done before, instead of focusing on a "boorish, military mindset" as before. Routing number of commercial bank of Ethiopia? 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. In the TV series, Henry is a reservist called up to active duty from his private practice in his hometown of Bloomington, Illinois. Henry said goodbye to the camp, taking a little extra time with Trapper and Hawkeye, who gave Henry a kiss on both cheeks, and then talked him into giving Margaret a big goodbye kiss before making his way to the chopper arriving at the pad. The creators and also the network granted his wish. Radar was visibly emotional throughout the whole episode. In the 1970 movie MASH, Henry Blake was portrayed by Roger Bowen. 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. Henrys Exit In the third seasons finale, Abyssinia, Henry, Blake had finally gained enough points to get him discharged from the unit. Henry dared him to do it saying "He's done it so many times I've got footprints on my scalp". For the first time, a major character had been killed off without warning and without explanation. Who turned down the role of Hawkeye in mash? 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. As the tone of the series had evolved to more serious storylines, Linville felt that he had taken the Frank Burns character, which had become increasingly one-dimensional, as far as he could, and chose to leave the series to pursue other roles. Even when they were alive, there were other odd coincidences. While he was beloved by most of the camp, particularly Hawkeye and Trapper for his down-to-earth, laid-back manner, he was disliked and scorned by Margaret and Frank, with Margaret preferring stricter military discipline while Frank yearned to take command. Roger Bowen. [3], To evoke genuine emotions of shock and sadness, the final O.R. (1941-1984). Not everybody, not every kid gets to go back to Bloomington, Illinois. WebMcLean Stevenson was Henry Blake, who in M*A*S*H, the TV series, was an Army reservist called up to serve in the Korean War as a doctor. "[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. What episode of Mash did Henry Blake die? "Whatever you guys decide is fine with me. The creators wanted fans to experience the loss associated with war, so they ultimately decided to kill Blake off. Several times throughout the series, the awards that Colonel Blake had earned during his service in the army could be seen on his uniform. 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). He was in charge of the 4077th. Lorraine (called Mildred in Season 1), ?-1952 (his death). The Hollywood Reporter did an oral history on the award-winning show back in 2018. 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!" All were short-lived, and he later conceded that leaving MASH was the mistake of his career. In the season 3 finale "Abyssinia, Henry", Henry had earned all his rotation points and was qualified for discharge. (to Trapper) Boy oh boy, you gotta stay on top of these guys every second! [14], In 2005, TV Land included this episode as part of its "Top 100 Most Unexpected Moments in TV History", ranking it number 15.[15]. Want Some Related Articles? Towards the end of the episode, in another typical operating-room scene, Radar enters, visibly shaken. Sandy Brown Henry is being discharged because he has earned enough points. In fact, CBS's distaste with the episode was so great that during a later rerun of the episode, the final O.R. The episode ended with Henry Blakes helicopter going down off the coast of Japan, off-screen. On the night before Henry's departure, Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda), Trapper McIntyre (Wayne Rogers), and Radar throw a drunken going-away party for Henry at Rosie's Bar and Grill, and present him with a tailored civilian suit as a parting gift. However, the army will credit time for civilian professional experience for commissioning officers with essential skills, such as medical doctors, and he may have received such credit. According to his colleague Loretta Swit, Blake left because he was tired of being in an ensemble and wanted to be number one. This was also confirmed by MASH writer Ken Levine. During the summer 1975 break between seasons three and four, he quit the series. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Colonel Henry Blake Scene. Your email address will not be published. Did Radars teddy bear on MASH have a name? How much money did Alan Alda make on MASH? Colonel Henry Blake Written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, it was first aired by CBS on March 18, 1975. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. But Gelbart and fellow creator Gene Reynolds used his exit to drum up emotion. The departure took place in the last episode of the third season. There were no survivors." It was a huge deal at the time because no one had ever seen anything like it before. Claire Mccaskill Husband illness: Unraveling the Health Crisis of Claires Spouse! His strongest bond in Korea was to Radar, for whom Henry became something of a father figure. WebThe show's writers reluctantly penned him an exit in the final episode of the 19741975 season (entitled "Abyssinia, Henry"), in which Lt.

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why did henry blake leave mash