In March, I wrote a post about the press images that were released teasing the episode “Margaret’s Marriage” (05×24), which was the second wedding we saw in M*A*S*H. The three images in that post previewed the wedding by showing Margaret’s wedding dress and introduced Beeson Carroll as Lt. Col. Donald Penobbscott. This week, we look at a single image that was released in 1977 featuring the entire cast and Carroll as part of the wedding party. In the image, we see the full cast in their wedding attire, including the Class-A uniforms worn by everyone but the bride, groom, and Klinger. From the photo, it is clear that Penobbscott is not wearing his dress uniform, nor is he wearing a tuxedo. This is a hint at the events of the episode. This week, we take a look at the press photo and discuss the episode “Margaret’s Marriage.”
As I mentioned in my season five recap, one of the primary threads of the season was Margaret’s engagement to Penobscott in the second episode, and the season concluded with their wedding. As a byproduct of Margaret’s engagement, the ongoing affair between Frank and Margaret came to end. This left the writers, and Larry Linville himself, struggling to find a place for Frank Burns. That is what led to Linville leaving at the end of the fifth season, so this press photo doesn’t just celebrate Margaret’s marriage, but it also marks the final photo with this cast as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III was introduced in first episdoe of season six. The marriage of Margaret meant the end of Frank, but that was not apparent in the episode “Margaret’s Marriage.” The writers wisely waited until the beginning of the next season to write Frank out of the show (although, rather unceremoniously). This photo of the cast marks the beginning of a new Margaret and the end of Frank. The caption for the photo reads:
“MEMBERS OF THE WEDDING — Maj. “Hot Lips” Houlihan weds Lt. Col. Donald Penobscot in the “Margaret’s Marriage episode of “M*A*S*H,” on CBS-TV Tuesday, March 15. Wedding party: front (L to R) Mike Farrell, Alan Alda, Bride Loretta Swit, Harry Morgan: (rear) Gary Burghoff, William Christopher, Groom Beeson Carroll, Larry Linville, Jamie Farr.”
In hindsight, “Margaret’s Marriage” was a pivotal moment for her character. While her marriage wouldn’t last, she developed a strong sense of who she was and realized that she didn’t need a relationship to define her. For the first four seasons, Margaret was “Frank’s fling” and often the butt of jokes. She was “Hot Lips” Houlihan, a one dimensional character. But beginning in season four, it seemed that her relationship with Frank was suffering. Then with her engagement in season five, she became Margaret, a relatable human. She had vulnerable moments, and we saw her relationship with the other members of the cast change for the better. Sadly, the same was not possible for Frank Burns. The one dimension character had been written into. corner, so the only choice was to write him out of the show. Thankfully, Margaret was allowed to grow, feel, and evolve as humans do, and that is a major factor in why the character was able to remain in M*A*S*H for all eleven seasons.
The M*A*S*H Historian 
I’ve often wondered if the producers knew for certain that Linville was leaving when this episode was produced, or did they hope he could be convinced to stay. And while Frank’s departure storyline in “Fade Out/Fade In” is totally believable, it’s a shame he didn’t take part in it…and I’d like to know if it was even attempted.
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Linville’s contract was set to end after season five, and they likely knew that his chances of renewal were low. I’m sure they left the opening in case he did renew. I don’t think they wanted to upstage Margaret’s wedding with a “goodbye, Frank” either. I do wish though that they brought him back for the season six premiere, even if it was just a side by side of Hawkeye and Frank talking on the phone for the scene where they find out he was going back to the US as a Lt. Col.
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