The major plot point throughout season five of M*A*S*H revolved around the character of Major Margaret Houlihan. In the second episode of the season, “Margaret’s Engagement” (05×02), she returned from Tokyo with big news: she was engaged to Lt. Col. Donald Penobscott. For the remainder of the season, she ended her affair with Frank Burns and talked about her engagement. Viewers had to wonder whether or not Margaret would actually get married. Fans got their answer in the season finale, “Margaret’s Marriage” (05×24), when Penobscott comes to the 4077th to marry Margaret. This would be the second wedding we saw in M*A*S*H (the first being Klinger’s marriage over the radio in “Springtime” (03×05)), so it was a big event, and CBS wanted to publicize it. This week, we look a series of press photos released by CBS previewing Margaret’s marriage to Lt. Col. Penobscott.
The episode “Margaret’s Marriage” aired on CBS on March 15, 1977. In the lead-up to the episode, CBS promoted it with a series of press photos released on February 18, 1977. This gave publications plenty of time to publish their stories about the forthcoming marriage. I have three photos in the collection that were released to promote the episode. One photo of Margaret in her wedding dress, a photo of Col. Penobscott and Margaret, and a photo of Frank, Col. Penobscott, and Margaret during the wedding ceremony. The details attached to the photos call out the names of the actors, and Penobscott was played by Beeson Carroll. Interestingly, when Penobscott returned to the 4077th in season six for “The M*A*S*H Olympics” (06×10), he was portrayed by Mike Henry (see press photos promoting “The M*A*S*H Olympics”). The details on the photos also provided the original air date for the episode.
The lead up to “Margaret’s Marriage” was important for M*A*S*H because it advanced her character. She had moved on from Frank, and was getting something that she thought she wanted. In the promotion of the episode, CBS and 20th Century Fox Television wanted to excite viewers for the wedding. It was an important episode for Margaret’s character, but it ended up being the final episode for another character: Major Frank Burns. While that wasn’t advertised, Larry Linville’s contract ended after season five, and he chose not to renew it. Margaret’s happiness in season five seemed to come at Frank’s expense, and Linville’s decision not to renew his contract was good for the character and a good choice for him as an actor. These press photos represent a major turning point for Margaret’s character as she went from Frank’s mistress to Donald’s wife over the course of a season. As the series continued, Margaret’s character continued to grow and change. Unfortunately, for Margaret’s character to further develop, Frank could not stay.
The M*A*S*H Historian 
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