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. Gary was born with a rare condition called Poland syndrome. ", "Ever since the dark days before Pearl Harbor, I've been proud to wear this uniform". To avoid confusion, the Bowen family decided to wait a week to announce the death of Roger. . In reality, the Army stopped using the point system after World War II, and doctors were never rotated according to points. 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 shows creators swore the writers to secrecy. 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. The cast was stunned when they learned about Blakes death. Certain journalists revealed Blake's fate in the weeks leading up to the episode's broadcast. It showed that even in a comedy, life could be full of tragedy. Henry is Christian, having mentioned his faith in many episodes, but his denomination remains unknown. Eye Color: Majors Margaret Houlihan (Loretta Swit) and Frank Burns (Larry Linville) celebrate privately that Frank will become the unit commander. In 1975 Stevenson decided to leave the show. The creators wanted fans to experience the loss associated with war, so they ultimately decided to kill Blake off. Trapper and Hawkeye threw him a big farewell party where everyone said their goodbye to him. (Ironically, during the real Korean War, a non-hostile air crash occurred in the sea of Japan in Sept 1950 and at least one medical personnel, US Air Force Medical Squadron Captain Vera Brown, was killed.). Roger Bowen. McLean Stevenson as Henry Blake in the M*A*S*H TV series. When the series concluded in 1981, the bear mysteriously disappeared for nearly 30 years, prompting my non-ending search for my little on-camera companion and friend. supporting, role in the series, and he thought he could do better 1." 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. Spouse(s): Gelbart acted as director for the episode, and the cast filmed all the other scenes before they learned of Blakes death. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. According to multiple accounts, one most famously from co-star Loretta Swift, corroborated by writer Ken Levine, McLean left because he wanted to be No. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Henry is being discharged because he has earned enough points. 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. We were working on the story of McLean leaving. WebThe show's writers reluctantly penned him an exit in the final episode of the 19741975 season (entitled "Abyssinia, Henry"), in which Lt. He was in charge of the 4077th. 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. Who turned down the role of Hawkeye in mash? Radar was visibly emotional throughout the whole episode. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Towards the end of the episode, in another typical operating-room scene, Radar enters, visibly shaken. All were short-lived, and he later conceded that leaving MASH was the mistake of his career. McLean Stevenson/Cause of death. He often portrayed roles as a stuffy defender of the upper class and had regular roles on a number of television series. The episode was called Abyssinia, Henry. It ran on March 18, 1975. In the 1970 film, though SFC Vollmer was the camps Sergeant Major, it was Radar who was company clerk and was invariably entrusted with everything by Colonel Blake. if we turned on the [television] set we would see fifteen people [killed in Vietnam every night]. Your email address will not be published. How Did Tom Sizemore Die? No, Blake is not still alive. During the summer 1975 break between seasons three and four, he quit the series. In 1983, they both starred in separate new sitcoms. Lorraine (called Mildred in Season 1), ?-1952 (his death). The odd thing is, both actors died within hours of each other in real life. Andrew (son) Jane and Molly (daughters) Unnamed newborn son (born during Season 1 episode "Showtime") 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 did not survive the crash. It is normal to cold feet before wedding. Mike Farrell is best friends with Alan Alda and no stranger to Hollywood stars. 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. Radar was visibly emotional throughout the whole episode. Rank: Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 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 ("Abyssinia", pronounced "ab-ee-SIN-ee-ah" can be understood as "I'll be seeing you".)[1]. 1." Stevenson decided to leave M*A*S*H after the third season when the series enjoyed the fifth highest ratings in the country. 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. And they really could not believe what was on the page.. 200 lbs. Henry was not completely incapable of following military regulation. Henry and Radar share a sentimental moment in which young Radar describes Henry as a father figure, and gives Henry an inscribed Winchester cartridge; a surprised Henry returns the favor by spontaneously giving Radar a rectal thermometer that once belonged to his father. Know the Real Truth! He is shown as having earned the following: The National Defense Service Medal was indeed awarded to personnel serving in Korea. For instance, McLean Stevenson played Col. Henry Blake on TV but Roger Bowen played the role in the movie. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Cast members didnt know how the final scene in the operating room would play out. 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. . Lorraine was a one-time Succotash Queen at Illinois Normal (now Illinois State). Conversely, he was also a considerable drinker; in To Market, To Market, when his treasured 100-year-old antique oak desk was stolen by Hawkeye and Trapper to trade for desperately needed medical supplies, Henry's initial concern was whether someone had broken into his liquor cabinet. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. the Season 3 finale. 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. 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. They didn't expect it but it made the point. 'M*A*S*H': 30th Anniversary Reunion (2002) at 1 hour, 4 minutes and 44 seconds in the movie, "Controversial Killoff True to MASH Form", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxmvqrCNwH8, "The 100 Greatest TV Episodes of All Time", "TV Guide and TV Land Join Forces To Count Down The 100 Most Unexpected TV Moments", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abyssinia,_Henry&oldid=1139542859, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes), Short description is different from Wikidata, Television episode articles with short description for single episodes, Pages using infobox television episode with unnecessary list markup, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 12. 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. It was probably actually Baijiu . Blake, Commanding officer of the 4077th. They both died of a heart attack as well. Most important to Ottumwa is the clerk, Radar OReilly, nicknamed for his acute hearing. I think that if there is such a thing as the loss of life there should be some connection. ", (Talking on the phone to his son) "I don't care if your sister. 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. 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. Then, M*A*S*H and the 4077th go about the business of tending to the wounded. They called it gin as many have already said, but despite that it couldnt have been gin. 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.. The creators and also the network granted his wish. He was only 68. As M*A*S*H progressed, Alan Alda, who played Hawkeye, became the starring male lead, and others The character of Trapper John McIntyre was subsequently written off the series in Welcome to Korea, the first episode of the next season. He was a skilled surgeon and a good friend to all of his staff. Commercial Photography: How To Get The Right Shots And Be Successful, Nikon Coolpix P510 Review: Helps You Take Cool Snaps, 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Marshmallow, Technological Advancements: How Technology Has Changed Our Lives (In A Bad Way), 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Lollipop, Awe-Inspiring Android Apps Fabulous Five, IM Graphics Plugin Review: You Dont Need A Graphic Designer, 20 Best free fitness apps for Android devices. Job/Role in Unit: Family/Personal information You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. One time when Klinger was being particularly obnoxious, Henry threatened Klinger by saying, Klinger, Ive never hit a woman before.. [3], To evoke genuine emotions of shock and sadness, the final O.R. However, it is later revealed that he did not die in the crash and was instead captured by the North Koreans. For the first time, a major character had been killed off without warning and without explanation. "Abyssinia, Henry" is the 72nd episode of the M*A*S*H television series, and the final episode of the series' third season. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 FAQS Clear - All Rights Reserved Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. First, it was one of the first times that a major character had died on a television show. As M*A*S*H progressed, Alan Alda, who played Hawkeye, became the starring male lead, and others Both were canceled the same year and the finale episodes aired one day apart. [10], Not all reaction to the airing was negative. 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. 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. 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). While they were on opposite sides of the country, they were both saying goodbye to their loved ones in the hospital around the same time. WebOriginally Answered: On the TV show M*A*S*H Why was colonel Blake killed off? Who was the first Colonel Blake in Why did Frank Burns leave? Lorraine was most likely feeling guilty for just considering an affair." McLean said, I wanna get off the show, so we finally made a deal with him: Finish the year. The odd thing is, both actors died within hours of each other in real life. Commanding Officer/Senior Surgeon at the 4077th M*A*S*H 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. Henry is being discharged because he has earned enough points.