Press Pass 26: Season 9 Premiere

By the premiere of season nine, M*A*S*H had moved to Monday nights on CBS. It was a tentpole series for the network, and the start of a new season was a major event. In a press release, CBS announced the season nine premiere episode would air on Monday, November 17, 1980. The episode, “The BestContinue reading “Press Pass 26: Season 9 Premiere”

Press Pass 24: Season 5 Preview Documents

Before the start of each season, 20th Century Fox Television sent a set of press release documents for M*A*S*H (see full press kits for season 10 and season 11). These press materials typically included information about the series, the premiere episode, and cast photos. For season five, I do not have a full set ofContinue reading “Press Pass 24: Season 5 Preview Documents”

Script Spotlight 24: “Bug Out”

As we begin September, we are quickly approaching fall. In 1976, this meant it was almost primetime television premiere season, and M*A*S*H began its fifth season that year. That premiere episode was “Bug Out” (05×01), and it was the second season in a row that the season premiered with an hour episode. This episode isContinue reading “Script Spotlight 24: “Bug Out””

M*A*S*H-ish 6: MASH (1970) Scripts

When Richard Hooker published his novel, MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, in 1968, 20th Century Fox bought the rights to produce a film. At the height of the Vietnam War, anti-war sentiment was high and a movie based on wise-cracking surgeons during the Korean War was a risky bet. When the film wasContinue reading “M*A*S*H-ish 6: MASH (1970) Scripts”

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”