From the M*A*S*H Library 22: “Jamie Farr & Red Skelton” (Documentary)

What is it?

Jamie Farr & Red Skelton: A Very Special Friendship. Eugene, OR: Timeless Media Group, 2008.

Why should M*A*S*H fans care?

This series of videos offers a glimpse into the early television career of Jamie Farr. He worked with Red Skelton for years and toured with him to entertain troops in Korea.

As a M*A*S*H fan, what part(s) should I watch?

If you are not interested in the episodes of The Red Skelton Show, then I highly recommend watching the interview with Farr. He tells stories of his time with Skelton and being on early television. There is also an interesting connection between his first appearance on the show with Skelton and his character of Klinger on M*A*S*H.

TL;DR Review

This is not a documentary as I first thought, instead, it is a series of four videos. Three of the videos are episodes of The Red Skelton Show. The fourth video is an interview with Farr in which we learn about how he met Skelton, got drafted into the Army, worked with Skelton in Korea, and got back into show business after leaving the Army. This is the story of Farr got his start in Hollywood…twice!

Full Review

When I first saw this DVD for sale, I expected it to be a documentary about Jamie Farr and Red Skelton. Instead, it is a far more interesting set of four videos. Three of the videos are episodes of The Red Skelton Show in which Farr guest starred with Skelton. But the highlight of the DVD is the 20 minute interview with Farr in which he talks about meeting Skelton, working with Skelton on television and in Korea, and how he credits Skelton with his career. This is a collection of videos that highlights the talents of Farr and Skelton, and shows how Farr got his start in Hollywood.

If you decide to watch this DVD, I recommend watching the interview first as it puts the episodes from the show in to context. Farr discusses how he was a fan of Skelton’s radio show as a kid, so he was starstruck when he got to meet him after a CBS show he was going to be on was not picked up. Instead, writer Sherwood Schwartz (who would go on to create shows like Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch) saw Farr and decided to introduce him to Skelton. They hit off instantly, and he joined Skelton’s variety show. In the mid-1950s, the show was broadcast live, so that challenged Farr. But he had a great time with it.

In 1956, Farr did two episodes of Skelton’s show as a character named Snorkel, which was a reference to Farr’s nose. He played opposite Skelton’s character Cookie, and they were sailors in the Navy who had a number of hijinks. His first appearance was an episode called “Cookie & Snorkel’s Bundle of Joy” in which Skelton’s character wanted to adopt an orphaned child in Korea. Since he wasn’t married, however, it was not allowed. So his sidekick, Farr’s Snorkel, dresses up as a woman and pretends to be his wife. This episode foreshadowed Farr’s later appearance as Klinger in M*A*S*H (wearing dresses and the connection to Korea)! A second episode appears on the DVD titled “Desert Island” in which Cookie and Snorkel are on their Navy vessel and go overboard. They are left on a deserted island and have to find a way off. Both episodes are very entertaining and the slapstick comedy of Skelton compliments Farr’s comedy style very well.

The characters of Snorkel and Cookie were going to continue, but Farr was drafted in to the Army. Farr talks about his military service in Korea. Part of his tour of duty was working with Skelton when he toured Korea to entertain troops. Before the end of his tour, Skelton told Farr to contact him when he got back from Korea because restarting a career in Hollywood would be a challenge. Farr was touched, but skeptical that Skelton would help him. But he did! Skelton hired Farr to work for him on the road, and he made another appearance on The Red Skelton Hour in 1959. This episode, “Appleby the Weatherman,” is also on the DVD and Farr plays a henchman who kidnaps a weatherman, played by Skelton, who is very good at predicting the weather. Farr concludes the interview by crediting Skelton for giving him his career.

One very interesting fact is that Farr had not yet changed his name when he appeared on Skelton’s show, and he is credited as Jameel Farah. The best part of this DVD is the interview with Farr. Getting to hear him tell his story, hearing the passion in his voice, and getting to see his eyes light up as he talks about Skelton. It is clear that Farr had a great deal of respect for Skelton’s comedy and his ability to navigate the treacherous world of show business. The title of this DVD is accurate saying that Farr and Skelton shared “a very special friendship.”