In the summer of 1981, M*A*S*H was headed into its tenth season, and executive producer Burt Metcalfe had been at the helm of the show since Larry Gelbart left the series after the fourth season. Metcalfe had creative control, and this week’s press release announces some decisions he made in the show’s creative staff. ThisContinue reading “Press Pass 20: “Burt Metcalfe Promotes Quartet to M*A*S*H Creative Positions””
Category Archives: Press Pass
Press Pass 19: “M*A*S*H won’t Last Forever and Jamie Farr’s Preparing”
In October 1980, M*A*S*H had begun its ninth season and was humming along in the ratings. In the television world, however, there are not many shows that run beyond nine seasons. That reality was not missed by many of the M*A*S*H cast members, and in this 20th Century Fox Television Feature Story press release, weContinue reading “Press Pass 19: “M*A*S*H won’t Last Forever and Jamie Farr’s Preparing””
Press Pass 18: “M*A*S*H Move is Almost Like Starting New”
The first season of M*A*S*H was not a ratings success. Far from it, in fact. But the show’s second season was more successful and finished the year solidly in the top ten in ratings. While M*A*S*H did see some ratings success during the summer re-runs, it was CBS’s decisions to move the show from SundayContinue reading “Press Pass 18: “M*A*S*H Move is Almost Like Starting New””
Press Pass 17: “It’s ‘Goodbye, Farewell and Amen’ to M*A*S*H”
Tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of the M*A*S*H finale, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen.” It would be the most viewed television program ever to that point, and would gain critical success. The two-and-a-half hour finale ended the Korean War and allowed fans to say goodbye to their favorite characters. The last half hour of the finaleContinue reading “Press Pass 17: “It’s ‘Goodbye, Farewell and Amen’ to M*A*S*H””
Press Pass 16: 1976 Emmy Award Nominations
Entering a new year, television show runners begin to turn their attention to award season, specifically the Emmy Awards. This was no different when M*A*S*H was on the air in the 1970s and early 1980s. In fact, the awards were even more important then because there were only three major networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC)Continue reading “Press Pass 16: 1976 Emmy Award Nominations”
Press Pass 13: “Ninth-Season Premiere Episode [Letters]”
Released October 28, 1980, this press release announced the season nine premiere episode, “Letters.” However, if you look at the DVDs and any M*A*S*H episode guide that is in broadcast order, you quickly notice that is wrong! According to the release, on November 17, 1980, M*A*S*H would premiere on CBS with that episode. However, “Letters”Continue reading “Press Pass 13: “Ninth-Season Premiere Episode [Letters]””
Press Pass 12: “The Move that was ‘Almost Permanent'”
The first episode of season five is called “Bug Out,” and in it, the 4077th has to pack everything up and move down the road. We see how much work and effort went in to moving a MASH unit, but what I am sure many fans don’t know is that M*A*S*H almost had to bugContinue reading “Press Pass 12: “The Move that was ‘Almost Permanent’””
Press Pass 11: “Will Real Jamie Farr Please Stand Up?”
In the 1970s, fans of television relied on local news publications, national publications such as TV Guide, and talk shows to learn about their favorite actors. Networks and production studios would release information about upcoming seasons of a series and the next week’s episode. Occasionally they would release what are sometimes called “feel good” piecesContinue reading “Press Pass 11: “Will Real Jamie Farr Please Stand Up?””
Press Pass 10: Season 1 Promo Images
This is a bonus post this week to make up for the July 4th holiday. As we approach the fiftieth anniversary of the M*A*S*H pilot episode, I started looking through my collection of press releases and press photos to see if I had anything from season one. Materials from the first season are very hardContinue reading “Press Pass 10: Season 1 Promo Images”
Press Pass 9: “M*A*S*H Cast to Muster Annually for Reunion”
After M*A*S*H ended, fans couldn’t get enough of the show. There was the hugely successful Binding Up the Wounds Smithsonian Exhibit, several books released, and even a LaserDisc of the series finale sold. Meanwhile, the actors, some of whom had worked together for eleven years, vowed to keep the cast together. Following the finale, aContinue reading “Press Pass 9: “M*A*S*H Cast to Muster Annually for Reunion””
The M*A*S*H Historian 