By the early 1980s, M*A*S*H was a mainstay in American popular culture. The series had remained in the top ten in ratings since the second season, and it would end with the best ratings ever for a scripted television series. M*A*S*H had some famous fans including King Charles III of England (then Prince Charles) andContinue reading “Press Pass 45: “First Jacket””
Category Archives: Press Pass
Press Pass 44: Alan Alda AP Photo (1973)
When I first started collecting M*A*S*H items in 2007, I quickly realized that the scripts, press materials, etc. from the late 1970s and early 1980s were fairly easy to find. However, since M*A*S*H wasn’t as popular in its first season, it is harder to find anything that was saved from the earlier seasons. This isContinue reading “Press Pass 44: Alan Alda AP Photo (1973)”
Press Pass 43: Members of the Wedding
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 lookContinue reading “Press Pass 43: Members of the Wedding”
Press Pass 42: McLean Stevenson and Cher (1975)
For years, M*A*S*H fans swore that a show in the mid-1970s had a scene of McLean Stevenson as Lt. Col. Henry Blake in a raft saying that he had survived the plane crash. Then, in 2016, RJ at mash4077tv.com found the clip and solved the mystery! There was a scene in which Blake says thatContinue reading “Press Pass 42: McLean Stevenson and Cher (1975)”
Press Pass 41: Margaret’s Marriage Teaser Photos
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 BurnsContinue reading “Press Pass 41: Margaret’s Marriage Teaser Photos”
Press Pass 40: Gary Deeb Column (January 1981)
In January 1981, PBS aired a 90-minute documentary called Making M*A*S*H. Filmmaker Michael Hirsh followed the production of M*A*S*H, talked to cast members, and offered a behind the scenes look at how the series was produced (in 2022, I wrote about a press release announcing the documentary). The documentary was successful, but this post isContinue reading “Press Pass 40: Gary Deeb Column (January 1981)”
Press Pass 39: “M*A*S*H Heading Stateside”
In December 1982, 42 years ago, M*A*S*H was winding down. It had been announced that the eleventh season would be the last for the series, and the end was near. Publications were gearing up for the anticipated finale with articles, and in late December 1982, Associated Press (AP) Television Writer Jerry Buck penned an articleContinue reading “Press Pass 39: “M*A*S*H Heading Stateside””
Press Pass 38: King Charles III Visits M*A*S*H Set (1977)
M*A*S*H was a popular show in its original run, and its popularity went beyond the United States. The series found audiences in other countries including Canada, Australia, France, and the United Kingdom. In the UK, there was one fan of the show that might surprise you: King Charles III. At the time, he was theContinue reading “Press Pass 38: King Charles III Visits M*A*S*H Set (1977)”
Press Pass 37: Loretta Swit in “Cagney & Lacey” Movie
Casting can make or break a series, and I believe that Loretta Swit was perfectly cast as Major Margaret Houlihan in M*A*S*H. Sally Kellerman portrayed Margaret in the Robert Altman film, but on television, it would be hard to imagine someone other than Swit in that role. In 1981, however, the creators of M*A*S*H wereContinue reading “Press Pass 37: Loretta Swit in “Cagney & Lacey” Movie”
Press Pass 36: “Cameras Rolling on Eleventh M*A*S*H Season”
As I mentioned last week, September is when all the new network shows began airing in the early 1980s. Each network would publicize their fall lineup and highlight the new and returning shows. For new episodes to be ready to air in September, production for a new season typically began in July. However, in SeptemberContinue reading “Press Pass 36: “Cameras Rolling on Eleventh M*A*S*H Season””
The M*A*S*H Historian 