Loretta Swit said it was because he was tired of being in an ensemble and wanted to be number one. (This is also confirmed by MASH writer Ken Levine) The departure would take place the last episode of the third season. The Reason McLean Stevenson Left MASH Lorraine (called Mildred in Season 1), ?-1952 (his death) Another is that the producers wanted to shake things up and create some drama for the show. Many were from people that didn't. Henry is being discharged because he has earned enough points. The episode centers on Henry leaving the 4077th MASH for the final time. He left the show at All were short-lived, and he later conceded that leaving MASH was the mistake of his career. 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. Written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, it was first aired by CBS on March 18, 1975. 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. Radar then leaves the operating room as the camera pans across the stunned staff, each visibly fighting to retain composure and continue with their work. 24th episode of the 3rd season of M*A*S*H. "Abyssinia, Henry." Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, it was first aired by CBS on March 18, 1975. And cast members still remembered how they felt when writers gave them the dialogue for the final scene with Blake. 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. Burghoff was born in Bristol, Connecticut, moved to Clinton, Connecticut, and then later moved to Delavan, Wisconsin. Gene Reynolds, one of the executive producers of M*A*S*H, said the decision to kill off Blake was deliberate. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved Radar walks into the operating room, without a mask, and announces that Blakes plane had been shot down over the Sea of Japan. The departure took place in the last episode of the third season. Henry never repents that he is a hypocritical serial adulterer. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Blake, Commanding officer of the 4077th. This highly rated episode remains notable for its shocking ending: the (off-screen) death of Colonel Henry Blake.. Heart Henry Blake Why did Henry Blake leave mash? Abyssinia, Henry They talked to the surviving cast members of M*A*S*H. Stevenson died in 1996. McLean Stevenson; Played Lt. Col. Blake Only one cast member knew Henry Blake would die beforehand, and that was star Alan Alda. But Gelbart and fellow creator Gene Reynolds used his exit to drum up emotion. M*A*S*H was both a television series and a movie, so several actors played the same character. He did not survive the crash. Who was the first Colonel Blake in 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. 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 Colonel Henry Blake Written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, it was first aired by CBS on March 18, 1975. 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. When Henry Blake died on M*A*S*H, it was a major event for television. M*A*S*H fans hearts broke everywhere when the show decided to kill off fan-favorite Henry Blake during the shocking Season 3 finale Abyssinia, Henry.. 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. 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. We all lamented that death on the show was as impersonal as it was on the news, Reynolds said. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Henry even ordered Hawkeye and Trapper to sober her up quickly for incoming wounded so that the incident would not show up on her permanent military record. submitted a fishing fly that once belonged to Henry; he suggested that it should symbolize all of the men who never made it back home. [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]. When she arrives in camp she forgets about Henry and quickly develops a thing for Hawkeye. years later that he regretted his decision to leave. the CBS television comedy M*A*S*H from 1974-75. They didn't expect it but it made the point. In the season 3 finale "Abyssinia, Henry", Henry had earned all his rotation points and was qualified for discharge. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. "[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. Why did Frank Burns leave? {From ". Even when they were alive, there were other odd coincidences. Your IP: He died in the final episode of the show, which aired in 1983. 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. [18], As a result, when the cast returned to begin filming the series' fourth season in September 1975, there were major changes in both the makeup and the direction of the show. The episode was called Abyssinia, Henry. It ran on March 18, 1975. Henry is being discharged because he has earned enough points. McLean Stevenson (11/14/27 - 02/15/96) played COL Henry Blake in Then, M*A*S*H and the 4077th go about the business of tending to the wounded. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Home: because he was tired of his supporting role to Alan Alda and Wayne But Gelbart and fellow creator Gene Reynolds used his exit to drum up emotion. Eye Color: 1." "We didn't want Henry Blake going back to Bloomington, Illinois and going back to the country club and the brown and white shoes, because a lot of guys didn't get back to Bloomington. Under Henry's watch, Hawkeye and Trapper repeatedly got away with numerous shenanigans, either because Henry looked the other way, or they were able to manipulate him into seeing things their way. February 15, 1996 All were short-lived, and he later conceded that leaving MASH was the mistake of his career. We got so much mail, said M*A*S*H executive producer Burt Metcalf. In 1983, they both starred in separate new sitcoms. Actor McLean Stevenson, who played Henry Blake, had grown unhappy on the show and wanted to leave to pursue other opportunities. As M*A*S*H progressed, Alan Alda, who played Hawkeye, became the starring male lead, and others There were no survivors." "[9] Initially, Gelbart and Reynolds hand-wrote letters in response to the feedback, but eventually, due to the overwhelming number of letters, a form response was created explaining the rationale of their decisions. Bloomington, Illinois Why did He studied tap dance and became a drummer, despite being born with brachydactyly caused by Poland syndrome, which made three fingers on his left hand significantly smaller than those on his right hand. Performance & security by Cloudflare. WebWho replaced Henry Blake on MASH? In 1975 Stevenson decided to leave the show. In The Trial of Henry Blake, Hawkeye and Trapper fought to secure Henry's command when Margaret and Frank brought formal charges against him for, as they put it, giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Henry Blake Hoda Kotb illness: Her Brave Fight Against Disease! As the tone of the series had evolved to more So why did they do it? died in 1952 (plane shot down over Sea of Japan while returning back to the U.S.) McLean Stevenson, who played the Colonel decided to leave the show Both were canceled the same year and the finale episodes aired one day apart. 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. Rogers said that aside from missing the castand his friendship with Alda in particularhe had no regrets about leaving the show after season three. Why Did Henry Blake Leave Why Did Henry Blake Leave Roger Bowen (film)McLean Stevenson (TV) The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. They even ripped out the last page of the script so the rest of the cast wouldnt know. Abyssinia, Henry 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 It seems their lives were always meant to intertwine. 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. He is best known for his role as Lt. 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 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. 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". Who turned down the role of Hawkeye in mash? Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2fea0c7a8cc2c8 Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Spouse(s): The departure took place in the last episode of the third season. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The creators wanted fans to experience the loss associated with war, so they ultimately decided to kill Blake off. MASH (film) /M*A*S*H/TV series In fact, CBS's distaste with the episode was so great that during a later rerun of the episode, the final O.R. Blue He rushed to tell him goodbye but missed him at the airport. Lt. Colonel Henry Blake [17] The character of Trapper John McIntyre was subsequently written off the series in "Welcome to Korea," the first episode of the next season. 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. ", (Talking on the phone to his son) "I don't care if your sister. That was gracious. Vanderpump Rules Stars Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix Split After Following Cheating Allegations. Colonel Sherman Tecumseh Potter appears in the M*A*S*H and AfterMASH television series. In the movie the girlfriend was played by actress Indus Arthur The creators and also the network granted his wish. Trapper and Hawkeye threw him a big farewell party where everyone said their goodbye to him.