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””

Script Spotlight 19: “No Laughing Matter”

This week I chose a script from later in the series, “No Laughing Matter” (09×13). I don’t just have one script for this episode, I have two! One of the scripts, like several others in my collection, belonged to Albert Frankel, the men’s wardrobe director. The other script I got from the actress who usedContinue reading “Script Spotlight 19: “No Laughing Matter””

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””

Script Spotlight 18: “Radar’s Report”

Typically I try to choose a script that is related to an event or holiday that is coming up. However, there isn’t much happening in March besides St. Patrick’s Day and the beginning of spring. So this week I decided to pick a random script from the collection to review. The episode that I selectedContinue reading “Script Spotlight 18: “Radar’s Report””

MishM*A*S*H 18 (Follow-Up): The Officers’ Club Sign

UPDATE 4/9/2023: Two more names have been identified! See the additions and updated images below. Thanks to the Smithsonian to providing higher detailed images and to Dan Harrison for his eagle eye and knowledge of the series. On Monday, I published a look behind the scenes at the Smithsonian in which I featured a numberContinue reading “MishM*A*S*H 18 (Follow-Up): The Officers’ Club Sign”

Script Spotlight 17: “In Love and War”

Since last week was Valentine’s Day, it seemed fitting to look at a M*A*S*H episode with a love story at its core. As I was looking through the possible episodes, I noticed that I have two copies of the script for “In Love and War” (06×07). In this episode, Hawkeye falls in love with aContinue reading “Script Spotlight 17: “In Love and War””

From the M*A*S*H Library 17: “Entertainment Nation”

What is it? Cohen, Kenneth and John W. Troutman, eds. Entertainment Nation: How Music, Television, Film, Sports, and Theater Shaped the United States. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books, 2022. Why should M*A*S*H fans care? The Smithsonian is currently displaying (2023) the M*A*S*H signpost, and the exhibit catalog features the signpost and discusses M*A*S*H in its introduction. As a M*A*S*H fan,Continue reading “From the M*A*S*H Library 17: “Entertainment Nation””

MishM*A*S*H 17: M*A*S*H Signpost at the Smithsonian

In late January, I had the opportunity to visit the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC. In December, a new exhibit featuring objects from television, movies, sports, music, and more opened at the museum. Entitled “Entertainment Nation,” the exhibit explores entertainment in the United States from the mid-1800s to the modern era. ThisContinue reading “MishM*A*S*H 17: M*A*S*H Signpost at the Smithsonian”

M*A*S*H-ish 5: Battle Circus (1953)

“Long before M*A*S*H, there was Battle Circus. Made during the Korean War, this tribute to the indomitable human spirit takes an authentic, almost documentary-like look at the nurses and doctors who operated in the battlefront Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals. Major Jed Webbe (Humphrey Bogart) is a brilliant, hard-bitten Army surgeon with a weakness for womenContinue reading “M*A*S*H-ish 5: Battle Circus (1953)”

MishM*A*S*H 16: MAD Magazine

MAD is an American humor and parody magazine that began publication in 1952. With MAD, no topic is off limits. They tackle movies, television shows, politics, news makers, celebrities, and more. It is known for its over-the-top parodies and stylized artwork. Being featured in MAD was a point of pride for some, just like beingContinue reading “MishM*A*S*H 16: MAD Magazine”