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The odd thing is, both actors died within hours of each other in real life. 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. It seems their lives were always meant to intertwine. Henry claimed in one episode to be the best diagnostician in Bloomington, Illinois. The Hollywood Reporter did an oral history on the award-winning show back in 2018. He did not survive the crash. Henrys Exit In the third seasons finale, Abyssinia, Henry, Blake had finally gained enough points to get him discharged from the unit. We got so much mail, said M*A*S*H executive producer Burt Metcalf. [19], In general, the show began to take on a more serious tone as a seriocomic (or dramedy) series, in which the focus was on the character rather than the character type, and moved away from its status as a situation comedy.[20]. All I try to do is patch kids up and run a hospital. However, nowadays, Three cars and a motorcycle were involved in a fatal crash in Lee County on Friday. Second, the death of Colonel Blake was significant because it showed that even fictional characters were not immune to the horrors of war. Your email address will not be published. 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. Gene Reynolds, one of the executive producers of M*A*S*H, said the decision to kill off Blake was deliberate. Sandy Brown [9] Another, more lighthearted response to the episode came from an unhappy viewer in Lubbock, Texas, who sent a telegram stating that "Henry Blake has been found in a raft in Lake Lubbock. Certain journalists revealed Blake's fate in the weeks leading up to the episode's broadcast. Commanding Officer/Senior Surgeon at the 4077th M*A*S*H He and Radar embrace before Henry gets back on the chopper to leave camp for the final time. The creators and also the network granted his wish. The 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 final scene is reported killed by enemy fire. Birthplace: Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. WebThe show's writers reluctantly penned him an exit in the final episode of the 19741975 season (entitled "Abyssinia, Henry"), in which Lt. It also proved that television could handle complex issues like death with sensitivity and intelligence. . 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. Who turned down the role of Hawkeye in mash? Did Radars teddy bear on MASH have a name? Your email address will not be published. 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. They even ripped out the last page of the script so the rest of the cast wouldnt know. Actor McLean Stevenson, who played Henry Blake, had grown unhappy on the show and wanted to leave to pursue other opportunities. scene was kept a secret from the cast until immediately before filming; only then did Gelbart hand out the last page of the script. For the first time, a major character had been killed off without warning and without explanation. The Chicago Tribune's Gary Deeb, for instance, revealed Blake's death nearly two months before the episode aired. Roger Bowen. Trapper and Hawkeye threw him a big farewell party where everyone said their goodbye to him. The shows creators swore the writers to secrecy. How did McLean Stevenson die? When Henry Blake was killed off on MASH, it sent shockwaves through the television world. Though at one point he caved To Frank and Margaret's demand that Klinger undergo psychiatric evaluation. 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. Hawkeye, Trapper and Radar threw him a private going-away party in the back of Rosie's bar, while Margaret and Frank were even more overjoyed as Henry's departure automatically elevated Frank to commander (though their joy would be short-lived when Colonel Potter arrived as the new CO). (1941-1984). Rank: [17] The character of Trapper John McIntyre was subsequently written off the series in "Welcome to Korea," the first episode of the next season. we covered some top articles, you can check the. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Why did Frank Burns leave? 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. The expression Abyssinia, Henry comes from a Flapper era, 20s era. 1." The death of Henry Blake was a turning point for television and proved that anything can happen on TV. Your email address will not be published. In a double whammy for the show, it also had to absorb the loss of Wayne Rogers, who was Trapper John. Roger Bowen (born May 25, 1932 died February 16, 1996) was an American comedic actor and novelist, known for his portrayal of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake in the 1970 film MASH. He was portrayed by Harry Morgan, and replaced the departing character of Henry Blake as commander of the 4077th MASH. 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. But Gelbart and fellow creator Gene Reynolds used his exit to drum up emotion. Just hours later, Roger died of a heart attack as well on February 16th. "Abyssinia, Henry" (Season 3 TV series season finale) He left the show at the Season 3 finale. "Pilot" (M*A*S*H TV series, Season 1 opening) 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. Negative reactions were not exclusive to the home viewers of the program: both CBS, the network that aired M*A*S*H, and 20th Century Fox, the company that produced M*A*S*H, expressed their unhappiness at the killing of Henry Blake. According to Wikipedia, Alan Alda had McLean Stevensons character (Lt. Col. Henry Blake) killed off. Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake's plane was shot down over the Sea of Japan. "4/22/1979 - Steve Martin / The Blues Brothers" (, 37. 3 What episode of Mash did Henry Blake die? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Born: Loretta Swit, who played Hot Lips Houlihan, said, that in hindsight, it was best that the cast didnt know days beforehand about the decision to have Blake die. 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 show's writers reluctantly penned him an exit in the final episode of the 19741975 season (entitled "Abyssinia, Henry"), in which Lt. 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". We wanted to say a lot of boys dont make it home.. "[13], In 1997, TV Guide included this episode in their list of the "100 Greatest Episodes of All Time," ranking it number 20. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. RIP McLean and Roger. Of course, Mac was as torn apart as we all were. 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. Who is Jason crabb mother and where is she? Everyone was overwhelmed with grief and shock, even Frank and Margaret, who could be seen sobbing at the news. 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. One time when Klinger was being particularly obnoxious, Henry threatened Klinger by saying, Klinger, Ive never hit a woman before.. Eye Color: The creators wanted fans to experience the loss associated with war, so they ultimately decided to kill Blake off. In reality, the Army stopped using the point system after World War II, and doctors were never rotated according to points. McLean said, I wanna get off the show, so we finally made a deal with him: Finish the year. Your IP: The series never mentions how he came to receive a Purple Heart (for wounds in battle) and it is shown as being worn AFTER the Army Commendation Medal, which is incorrect. 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. [3], To evoke genuine emotions of shock and sadness, the final O.R. 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. On June 16th, 1963, Radar OReilly began his life term at the Iowa State Pen in Fort Madison. 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. Henrys Exit In the third seasons finale, Abyssinia, Henry, Blake had finally gained enough points to get him discharged from the unit. 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. In reality, the Army stopped using the point system after World War II, and doctors were never rotated according to points. Monster M*A*S*H is a FANDOM TV Community. Written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, it was first aired by CBS on March 18, 1975. While Stevenson's departure was announced prior to and written into "Abyssinia, Henry", Rogers unexpectedly left the series during the break between seasons, and so his character's departure takes place off-screen in the following episode, "Welcome to Korea", the first of the show's fourth season. Roger Bowen (film)McLean Stevenson (TV) What Is Willie Spences Net Worth At The Time Of His Death? On a later occasion (Life With Father), he gets a letter from Lorraine permitting him to cheat on her, but he jumps to the conclusion that she had cheated on him; when she told him over the phone that she was only attracted to someone else (See comment below], which hurt, but what hurt Henry even more was that the other man was an orthodontist. B.J. Its not often in your life that you see people stunned, Gelbart said. They don't complain about that because it is unfelt violence, it is unfelt trauma. Henry is being discharged because he has earned enough points. The creators and also the network granted his wish. What episode of Mash did Henry Blake die? M*A*S*H Cast and Crew Once Discussed Making Heartbreaking Lt. Some people thought it was great and others were very upset. 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. Remember, on the show, Henry Blake was going home, back to Illinois to his wife and son, who had been born while he was in Korea. He did not survive the crash. They didnt want us to suffer through a week of rehearsal, Swit said. 24th episode of the 3rd season of M*A*S*H. "Abyssinia, Henry." We were working on the story of McLean leaving. Sherman T. Potter. (to Trapper) Boy oh boy, you gotta stay on top of these guys every second! He was a skilled surgeon and a good friend to all of his staff. To avoid confusion, the Bowen family decided to wait a week to announce the death of Roger. Please whitelist to support our site. This highly rated episode remains notable for its shocking ending: the (off-screen) death of Colonel Henry Blake.. People like Henry Blake are lost in war. Colonel Henry Blake Written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, it was first aired by CBS on March 18, 1975. Both aired on ABC during the 8:30 p.m. time slot. He is shown as having earned the following: The National Defense Service Medal was indeed awarded to personnel serving in Korea. Lorraine (called Mildred in Season 1), ?-1952 (his death). As M*A*S*H progressed, Alan Alda, who played Hawkeye, became the starring male lead, and others 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. 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. 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. Blakes death was a turning point for the show. Just as he climbed aboard, Radar emotionally gave him a final salute. Lt. Col. Henry Blake Last appeared in: 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. 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.