The real reason Larry Linville WALKED AWAY from M*A*S*H
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- MASH was one of the biggest tv shows of all time! It was a show we watched regularly in our house when I was young. In fact, later on when the show was in syndication, it was on twice a day in my city, once after the 5pm news, and again after the 10 o'clock news. People couldn't get enough of it! In this video, I talk about Larry Linville, who played Frank Burns, and his decision to walk away from the show after the 5th season. Thanks for watching!
*CORRECTION - I inadvertently state in this video that the television show debuted in 1973. It actually debuted in 1972. #MASH #FrankBurns #LarryLinville
Thank you for this amazing video of my great uncle:)
You are so welcome! His portrayal of Frank Burns always makes me laugh. He was such a talented actor. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts!
Pierce, your Great Uncle was VERY funny in the way he played Major Burns. Thank You Larry for the memories!
I don't blame the actor but I hated his character for different reasons than most: bringing the Bible into it. No real Christian would ever act like Frank Burns. They would be faithful to their wives and hate injustice like B.J. Obviously the show writers hated Christianity. Otherwise a great show.
@@steveelsholz5297 Grow up
The fact that his character as a person was so contrary to his character on the show is indicative of how talented your uncle was. That it is difficult to fathom that Frank Burns could be a sweetheart like Larry Linville is proof of how skilled he was as an actor.... and on top of all that, he was funny as hell. Loved MASH. Loved Larry on MASH
Mr. Linville was a gifted actor and gave up studying aeronautical engineering to accept a scholarship to a prestigious acting school in England (I believe). The part of Frank Burns was a hard part to play, one-dimensional as it was and the guy everyone loved to hate. Can you imagine a harder role? And he did it with dignity and professionalism, and made his character an integral part of the show’s chemistry. I think he left at the right time...there was nothing more to give to his character and its (Frank’s) time was up. Thanks, Larry...we miss you!
Great comments James!
Frank Burns was certainly the person everybody loved to hate!😄😄😄😄
Ferret face!
L
I love the whole series of MASH start to finish. There are no bad seasons, all made it work. MASH will go down as the greatest show in U.S. History. MASH 4EVER!
Troy, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I met Larry Linville when spoke at my college back in the 80’s. A truly wonderful guy.
That’s cool! Thanks Ralph!
I too had heard he was a really nice guy and nothing like the character of FB.
He stopped at my college, too, in the mid-80s. He must have been doing a tour. Anyway, I got to go up to the mike during the Q&A session and asked why he left MASH. He mentioned that he was going through a divorce as well as a lawsuit around the time he left. I suppose there were other reasons but no mention of them...
Cool
Larry typecast himself as a stuffy, unpleasant person. That was a shame. He was as relaxed and nice as the character B.J.
For me MASH is one of the happiest memories from my childhood. That was my dad’s favorite show ever. We had to go to bed before it came on.... but sometimes I’d quietly sneak into the living room and tell dad I couldn’t sleep.... just so I could watch it with him. My dad passed away in 2014 from COPD. I can binge watch this series over and over again. Yep, it definitely takes me back to when I was very young and helps me to heal from his passing
Kimberly, thank you so much for sharing this personal story! I'm sure those are some great memories. Thanks for watching my video and I hope you have a great weekend!
My husband watched it with his dad, who was in the Korean war. RIP
My dad was trained to serve in a M*A*S*H unit, though he mustered out of the Army two weeks before the US entered the war. We watched this show because he was so pumped about it. He loved to point out what they got right.
My grandfather and father died from COPD in 1989 and 2015. So I feel for you!
Cast members have said that Larry was the complete opposite of Frank Burns and was the type of guy everyone wanted to be around. They also said he made many contributions to the show both in front of and behind the camera. He was a remarkable man and talented actor.
I’ve read the same. Thanks!
Major Burns: I really like the United Nations, if weren’t for all the foreigners.
Comedy gold!
Frank as the english teacher:" Get us out of the U.N.", Hawkeye as english teacher:" Frank Burns eats worms"
I liked the eiler seasons of M*A*S*H
Trapper to Frank. "Frank why don't you let that cut underneath your Nose Heal..."
lol
Frank: Why does everyone take an instant dislike to me?
Trapper: It saves time Frank.
Awesome line from the show!
Trapper : I thought you were Frank’s bag!
There were times when you got glimpse into Frank Burns history and kinda understood why he was the way he was. Either season 4 or 5 when Burns had a sorta breakdown (over Margaret's engagement, if I'm not mistaken) and held Potter, Hawkeye and BJ hostage at gunpoint. Radar tells him he has phone call from his mother, in tears Burns tells her how no one there likes him either, just like his father. It was a brief and emotional scene. Apparently his mother was the only real friend he had. Explains a lot. 🎬👌
@@andrewilson7538 He said that this person (Margaret) just pretended to like him, "you know, the way Dad did."
@@orbyfan Yup. That's the line. 🎬👌
The older I get and still watch 2 episodes of MASH every night on MeTV I've come to fully appreciate Larry's work as Frank on the show no one could've done it better. RIP Larry thanks for the laughs.....
Great comments! Thanks!
Larry was the perfect Frank Burns. Even though Robert Duvall was very good in the film version.
Larry was brilliant ad Frank-he was asked "who did you base Frank on?" and Larry replied "every idiot I,ve ever met" I saw the cast on the Dinah Shore in the 70s and Larry was nothing like Frank-he was a talented, articulate man RIP Larry you were wonderful
It comes as no surprise to me that Larry Linville was one of the nicest people off stage. When I used to make regular trips down to Hollywood, in the pursuit of my career, I would collect bad guys. That is to say I would have a half hour coffee with the actors who played bad guys. Most every single one of them were the nicest people on earth. It was a Trope in Hollywood for ages. That it took a really nice person to have the courage to play a bad guy. The idea is that a truly bad person would be afraid to play a bad person, for fear that people would think that they were really like that. I had a 3-hour coffee break. With a background actress, she told me a lot of the clean-cut heroic Leading Men. Were total bastards. But almost everybody who played a villain. Were the sweetest people on Earth off camera.
Great comments! Thanks RippingJack!
I found a similar situation contrasting people in comedy to people in horror. The comedic people were rude and nasty while people involved in horror were the nicest funniest people.
@@MrGlenspace It makes sense since most of the great comedians suffer from depression.
Wow fully agree with your thoughts, in reflection I think that most would say that Larry Linville made a sacrifice to make people laugh, and we still do, good man. Steve , Brisbane.
A year late to this. I would think that good actors would want to play characters that are completely different than themselves.
Old "Ferret Face" was a riot. Rest in peace Larry.
👍
"Goodbye Ferret Face."
It’s nice to be nice to the nice. - Frank Burns
Classic line from Frank Burns! Thanks!
Great line! Love it!
Words to live by! Right on, Todd!
By the way, I was recently watching Kolchak: The Night Stalker and Larry, who appeared in the original made for TV movie, also appeared in the series (as did Jamie Farr). Each episode generally featured a humorless cop Kolchak butted heads with and Larry Linville excelled at playing humorless, which made him so darn funny!
😂😂😂😂😂
Frank's comment about the Chinese: "...And clever; they don't all look alike by accident."
Comedy gold!
While talking to Nurse Kellye!
I thought mash was at its best when BJ arrived and Frank Burns was there,; when Burns left the show went downhill.
I thought it was great after all the BS that Frank had to take that he got promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and got sent back home to Indiana
Chinese or Koreans? Would have thought it was the Koreans given that was the setting for M*A*S*H.
@@RoderickEtheria The circumstances of the war were that it was, most of the time, the American Army fighting the Chinese Army. As the first winter of the war approached, the Chinese invaded across the Yalu River with 300K men to save the North Korean communists whose army MacArthur had at that point destroyed. It’s why the war became the quagmire and stalemate that it became, and remains. The Chinese (Mao) would not accept an American ally on the border. After the first few months of the war American and allied troops mostly fought the Chinese, whose huge offensive quickly pushed the allies back to the border that exists between the two Korean states today. Most of the remainder of the war was fighting back and forth around the middle of the Korean Peninsula. As the supreme allied commander, MacArthur wanted to invade China to put an end to it but Truman rejected that option. He then fired MacArthur for insubordination when the general refused to accept his authority as commander-in-chief.
Also I think when the show started steering away from the comedic aspect and towards a more serious tone made it more well rounded in the end. It was a well furnished emotional journey that took you to different places with some great acting. I think Winchester's episodes really got to me the most the episode with the stuttering marine, the one handed piano player, and the Christmas one where his candy he had meant for the children was traded for rice and cabbage to feed them for a month. What he said and how he delivered it, "It was thoughtless of me to give a child a dessert who hadn't yet had a meal." I think I teared up watching it. It was very human.
Great comments! Winchester was a good addition to the show. I also loved the stuttering episode.
Winchester was a great addition but i’m sure Frank Burns could also have been great in the more poignant episodes. He’s a good actor and made you believe he could only do goofball, silly frank… yet in rare moments where they gave him a serious line he suddenly could really deliver - like saying goodbye to Margaret. Which I think is the moment in this pic.
In 1973, I was 10 yrs old and my father brought me to see “MASH” thinking it was a war movie; he also brought me to see “Blazing Saddles” thinking it was a western. Ah, my childhood....
That’s freaking AWESOME!!! Sounds like you have/had a great dad!
The sheriff is near!
Where were you the day I faked my death?
My Dad bought my sister a Mustang, even though he hated Fords. When I asked him about it, he told he thought Chevy started making the Mustangs for a while. We might be cousins. Lol.
Just imagine if they made blazing saddles in today's political climate
My wife and I saw Linville in an off-Broadway play some years ago, and then happened to run into him outside the theater. He very graciously stopped to talk with us for several minutes. We were struck by how totally different he was from the character in MASH, and from the character we had just seen him play, and thus what a really fine actor he was.
That's cool that you met Mr. Linville! Thanks for sharing that story. I would have loved to have met him. Thanks and Happy Holidays to you and your family!
I know a guy who spent time with him as he was touring with a theatre production in Saskatchewan if memory serves me. He said of all the actors he had met over the years Linville was one of the nicest, most genuine, and down to earth.
That’s cool and reinforces what I’ve read about him as well. Thanks for sharing those additional details!
I met him! He came to my college in 1986 to talk about the show. He was very funny and he actually hung out with the students at the local bar afterwards.
Cool story! Thanks for sharing that! I’ll bet he had a ton of cool stories to tell!
Stephen Sundstrom he got VERRERY drunk
“It’s nice to be nice to the nice.” - Frank Burns. I was just sharing some episodes with my daughter and she cackled the whole way through.
That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing.
The show was never the same after Frank left, his facial expressions said it all
I totally agree!
it got better
No wonder, the figure of Burnes was a rather important one. After all a Satirical Comedy does not work without an Antagonist giving contra to the statements of the "" heroos " of the play. - or in classical stage language said; he was the serious clown to the two funny ones Hawkeye and Trapper.
The problem was that many folks, even after school, never have learned the working mechanism and the meaning of such an intelligently done social play.
I still know people confusing Humoresque with social -political Satire. most of them were disappointed about the point that MASH never had been truly funny. But this was not the main purpuse of the show. In fact it still was an approach to evalutae the value of the military in the U'S-society - pro and con. For this the role Mr. Linville had played had been highly usefull. Only bad point in the elder episodes. The SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR was to much overdrawn by the writers. So at times in the show the episodes reminded more at a Swinger Club instead of a Military Camp.
BUT I can understand all liking the later seasons those happened to be mostly pro American comedies, even though they missed the old sting.
4:08 Sorry I have to say that I never ever have recognized Mr. Lineville in his later roles. But there is for me as a German a certain handycap. If you are not very well known with the actual looks of an actor you tend to not see them as the certain ones since dubbing voices change a lot.
All in all this was a fine review on MASH !
Just one addition to your great review. MASH was not just influenced by the novel and the theatre play MASH but also by the movie with Humphrey Bogart: BATTLE CIRCUS, about a physician on the battle fields in Korea. Ok, nowdays it is almost a forgotten movie but it is still on DVD and Blueray and with some clips on TH-cam if you want to check up on my words.
DAVID OGEN CAME ALONE AND MASH WAS MORE DRAMA
RATINGS WENT DOWN TOO
The show would always be spiced up with the occasional appearances of Col. Flagg & Dr. Sydney Freedman.
I love both characters!
...and Pat Morita. "Y'all look the same to us"- Captain Sam Pak
I agree
I love the few episodes where both Flagg and Freedman appear together!
@@e.b.1728 Those episodes were FUNNY & Awesome!
He did criticize the series later saying that it became judgmental and preachy, and he was not wrong about that.
Thanks Thomas!
@Thomas Hartman. I think that's because Alan Alda started writing and directing a lot of episodes. The show was basically under his control and influence.
I did like how Hot Lips and Klingers characters rolls changed with the departures of Burns and Radar.
daed right ! Linville was the "Republican " with all the nasty cliches attributed to them and Alda, Farrell, Swit etc. were the moral superiors. This was a pioneer show of leftist takeover in Television.
Well, since it was a number one show for so long, i guess thats what the public wanted/liked. The fans watching would not watch the show if they felt it was too “left”. I liked the later seasons of mash. Early seasons were a bit “raunchy”.
I had the good fortune to meet Larry in a bar in Urbana, IL . He seemed very approachable, and I talked to him briefly, telling him how I liked his comedic relationship with Hot Lips. Right on cue, he did a monologue like she was there, and it was 1975 instead of 1995-ish. RIP Larry- I know you were a great actor and a good man.
That is such a cool story! I’m so jealous and wish I could have met the man!
Larry was great in this role, and one of the nicest people in Hollywood.
His last words on the show were, "Goodbye Margaret." As she flew away on her honeymoon.
He said it so sincerely and sadly, it's heartbreaking.
In truth, he was saying goodbye to us, the fans. If you ever watch this scene, you'll see what I mean.
I saw Larry in several other shows, including Love Boat and Fantasy Island. He always made me smile. When I heard he had passed, it was like a death in the family. It's that way whenever a MASH actor passes. This show was my childhood as a 70s kid.
During the MASH reunion in 2002, Gary Burghoff said of him, "He was nothing like Frank Burns. He was a kind, gentle man."
That's how I will remember him.
Thanks for making me laugh so much, _everyone of MASH._ I had an awful childhood. But having something to laugh about saved my life.
Great comments! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and story!
Alan Alda took over the show and most of the episodes he was involved in became predictable about mental issues ...I missed Larry he made the show funny.
Great comment Pete! Thanks!
Yeah Pete C...mash is not referred to as 'The Saint Alan Alda Show' for nothing...you hit the nail on the head...
When Alda took over, the shows seemed to be leaning more towards drama and morals. Didn't care for them as they were drifting away from the original movie theme.
@@skypuppy7724 which was sexist and tired.
In large measure, that's because Alan Alda was doing directing in the later part of the series.
The character of Frank Burns was masterfully played my Larry Linville. I was watching an episode of the original Mission Impossible and Larry played the second in command of a foreign military prison. Many of his lines were a variation of "Yes, major" and he did an amazing job with such limited dialogue.
Frank Burns...one if my favorite characters
Scott, Thanks for watching my video on Larry Linville! Frank Burns was such a funny character in the early seasons of MASH, and while I liked Winchester, Burns was definitely missed.
Loved the early seasons. Frank, Trapper, and Henry Blake. The best!
Thanks Phyllis! Have a great weekend!
Henry’s death was the only time I ever cried on TV
@@BwoahBwoahBwoah Radar's announcement of Colonel Blake's death is still hard to watch everytime I see that episode.
Larry Linville was an amazing actor. He was so good at playing Frank Burns, I once saw an interview where he tells of people getting mad at him at the grocery store because strangers were thinking he really was Frank Burns.
That’s hilarious! I would have loved to see that interview.
As I grow older, and appreciate the substance that actors put into their performances, I love this guy more and more because he motivated me at first to hate him and then to appreciate him, and then to care about him. What more can an actor do? RIP Larry Linville ❤️
Agreed!
The early MASH cast was hilarious, and the writing irreverent, including so many great guest stars. To me, no comparison; arms and legs above the later episodes which I felt were too serious and sanctimonious. Felt flat. Linville was always especially brilliant as Frank. My heart broke when McLean and Rogers left. The early MASH won me over from the movie version about 3 episodes in. From there, I was a huge fan.
👍
"Unless we each conform, unless we obey orders, unless we follow our leaders blindly, there is no possible way we can remain free" ~ Major Frank Burns
👍
😂😂😂💀
That quote is one of my favorite quotes ever.
Sounds like the Republican Party agenda!
@@idavega-landow7821
Just like a communist, they never give up an opportunity to say something stupid.
It was kind of inevitable for the character after he broke up with hot-lips. Once he’d lost everything all the teasing of the other doctors just started to look like bullying.
Thanks for your comments!
Larry Gelbart admitted that Linville was shortchanged, as the Burns character was reduced to a buffoon by Season 5. The more layered Charles Emerson Winchester character fit in more with the new emphasis on drama under Alda.
It always was bullying! Hawkeye flat out punched Burns and everyone spent the whole time covering up!
@@communityparty5560 The whole point of Winchester was 1) they wanted someone who'd fight back against Hawkeye and 2) just might be a better doctor than he is. They also made it a point to occasionally show Charles wasn't a total jerk.
I think he broke up with Hotlips because he told them he was leaving at the start of the season.
Larry came to my college in the late 80s and did a show. It was called "A Night With Frank Burns" where he talked about his time on MASH, answered questions from the crowd ("How was Hot Lips?" was my favorite.), and played his favorite episode ("Margaret's Engagement"). He was welcomed on stage to a standing ovation, to which he responded with a Frank laugh (hee, hee, hee). He was terrific and I got his autograph after the show. Great night!
Wow...that’s so cool! Thanks for sharing this story with me. I would have loved to have been there. Do you still have that autograph?
@@stephensundstrom6379 Sadly, I don't think so. I've moved about a dozen times since then. Keep hoping to find it in an attic box someday though.
Larry Linville was absolutely brilliant as Frank Burns, he made the show. Such a great actor. 8)
👍
The show went from tragic circumstances and humor to the Hawkeye “Alan Alda” show!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
That is so true. He was the star we all tuned in to watch. But the writing and produced shows he did weren't as funny.
That is a fact!
i remember an Interview with Wayne Rogers where he said one of the main Reasons he left was Alan Alda, his behaviour and that the Series was more and more Centered about Hawkeye, who was even in the book and the film just a little sidecast
I agree! That's why I always enjoyed the earlier episodes. Harry Morgan, Mike Farrell and David Ogden Stiers were all excellent actors, but the slapstick humor and atmosphere of the earlier episodes were more like the original movie! I mourn for all the crew who have passed!
It started out great...then it just became the Alan Alda Show.
Those are the exact words a couple of my friends use to describe the later seasons...”the Alan Alda show”. Thanks!
I used to call it the Radar show. (Favourite character) even after he left, they left him on the intro for a good while. The camp- and therefore the show mostly- centred around him.
@@rossbrumby1957 Maybe...but Radar wasn't loud, obnoxious, and overbearing , like Alan Alda was. There was so much great talent in that show, but most were kept in the background most of the time, and were just support characters.. Wayne Rogers quit, I think after the third season, because he was supposed to have equal time, and good lines, as Alda. That didn't happen.
With whinny BJ ...it was tough in the later years.
Lol true
But Alan Alda was good in the aviator
Lol
I sat with my Dad to watch M*A*S*H. He was ex-military. He loved that show. There were only a few shows he was dedicated to. That was one of them, because he always had a good laugh.
That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing that Dave!
Dave Gibson,
I watched it w dad to.
He join the army when he was 17 years old and fought in Korea.
👍
I always find it interesting that some of the sweetest, kindest people in real life play some of the best heel characters on screen. Frank was such a weasel but I can't remember anyone saying anything negative about Mr Linville.
👍
I attended a meet-&-greet with Mr. Linville after he left M*A*S*H. He was such an accomplished actor, a great speaker, and an appreciative fan of his fans. Here's something I did not know... Apparently he was a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. He was a well trained, well practiced actor. We miss you "Ferret Face"
Thanks for sharing your comments! Have a great weekend.
Frank: "Another week of command and I'd have had you out of that dress!"
Klinger: "I'm not that easy.”
Major Franklin Marion Burns, M*A*S*H, Season 4: Welcome to Korea
Comedy gold!
The interactions between Burns and Klinger were hilarious! Those two really were great together!
@@e.b.1728 Well said!
Couldn't stand seeing Klinger in drag
"We're doctors; we're trained to ignore peoples' pain" maj. Frank Burns, M.D.
He had some of the best lines! Pure comedy gold!
I recall an interview LL gave were he indicated that his mash charecter was the only one that was not allowed to grow as the rest of the cast did
That's interesting and a bit of a shame! Thanks for sharing that info KarmannQ!
I loved Frank Burns, he was such a bafoon!! His interaction with the other characters was spot on.
I loved every season of MASH, it evolved very gracefully!! Happy Thanksgiving!! 🦃
Thanks Christopher! I hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving as well!
@@stephensundstrom6379 yes, thank you I did. I'm full of turkey as we speak 😁
Frank Burns: “ Individuality is fine ... as long as we all do it together.”
Comedy gold!
I LOVED Wayne Rogers in MASH!!!! Personally, I think the show went downhill after he left. Also, CRAZY about McClain Stevenson!!!! It definitely LOST ALOT after McClain left!!!!
I agree!
for me other way around got better feom season 4 and top was it from season 6 and sadly as it happens so often with succes series last season was the season too much
@@blackwind6580 Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I heard Wayne Rogers made a lot of money in real estate and didn't need to act anymore.
wrong
Houlihan: "Get out, Frank!"
Frank Burns: "I never meant to come in!"
- I enjoyed the earlier seasons the most, and as the show changed, I watched it less and less. I appreciated Potter and Winchester, but the original concept was the best show.
Agreed! 👍
Potter and Winchester were the only redeeming things about the later seasons.
Loved Frank --- same reason I love Costanza ---both are so neurotically hilarious. :-)
Couldn't agree more!
My wife and I still regularly watch reruns. I am definitely more a fan of the earlier episodes. Major Burns was a brilliantly written character and Larry Linville did an awesome acting job in the role. RIP Mr Linville.
Thanks! Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Larry Linville mades laugh when we needed it.(Thank you Mr. Linville)
So true!
“Goodbye Margaret” one of the more poignant lines of the series imo.
Agreed!
That was a tear-jerker. That scene is the textbook definition of the word "poignant", for real.
One of the few times you actually felt bad for Frank.
My favorite part was in the early years. When Frank drives the tank over the jeep. An Col. Potter slowly walks over to the jeep pulls his pistol and procedes to put the jeep out of it's misery. That scene will have me rolling every time.
That is a great scene! Thanks!
I love the earliest seasons.. It was priceless!!!
I totally agree with you Dave! Thanks for watching!
My favorite program. Larry played his role so good it was easy to dislike him.
Thanks for watching my video!
Nicely done Steve. I had to wonderful honor of interviewing many of the cast members of M*A*S*H and they all spoke well of Larry.
Thanks Rick! I’m sure that was a lot of fun getting to talk to that group of legends.
MASH jumped the shark when Alan Alda started being a "creative consultant " then began directing episodes. Got less and less funny.
That would be my sentiments exactly...
I know quite a few people who feel the same way, but there are those who really enjoy those later seasons. Thanks for your comments!
You're rite more serious
The comedy and drama mix was neccessary to keep the show fresh. MASH became more creative and mature in the Charles Winchester era. I love the show throughout. And Burns was crazy!
The last 3 or 4 seasons were almost unwatchable. At that point, the name should have been changed to A*L*D*A.
I enjoy all the seasons of "MASH." I don't think I could pick between the early seasons or later seasons.
Thanks Jennifer!
I agree. The Frank Burns era was fun but Frank just wasn't the equal to Hawkeye/Trapper/B.J. where as Charles Emerson Winchester III was the equal to Hawkeye/B.J. also no matter what pranks they pulled on each other there was a mutual respect between Hawkeye/B.J. and Charles that wasn't there between Hawkeye/Trapper/B.J. and Frank.
Agreed . I do not think of it as one part was better than the other , I think of it as both had unique things that the other didnt have and that makes both parts worth watching . Regardless , Vaudeville was still alive and well when this show was on .
@@I_am_Diogenes Very well said!!
Frank was brilliant as the show’s main antagonist and villain during those early seasons. The show definitely lost something after he left. As much as I love Charles, he just never really filled that role.
Agreed! Thanks!
One reason the show was special was that there was no preference for the "before" or "after". It maintained a high standard throughout its' run.
Great comment! Thanks!
The last pic in this video is from my absolute favourite Frank-Burns-Scene. "Bye Margaret!". Moves me to tears every time. He was a marvelous actor.
I totally agree! I love that scene as well. Thanks for watching my video!
His character had run its course - there was no real character growth left. He was just the punchline for most episodes.
Agreed!
Agree. Never was character growth really and he became a sad and pathetic punchline later on as someone else here said. Which is why I thought he was fired, but it turns out he resigned, recognizing this fact. Thanks for that info Stephen Sundstrom. I don't disagree with any of Linville's opinions about MASH. Sorry he died at 60.
"M*A*S*H" ranks as one of my all-time favorite shows-I enjoyed all 11 seasons.
For me as well! Thanks Scott!
Larry Linville, a very gifted actor, I remember seeing him on Mannix for the first time and thought he was great, I can still relive those fine episodes of MASH on MeTv six nights a week, I like all the seasons of that show, I can’t believe that 4 actors left that show in the height of its popularity, a classic TV show that will always be in my heart of my youth
Great comments!
One of the best shows ever. Love the whole cast. Grew up watching the show and still watch it in my 50s. Now that is great TV
I totally agree! Thanks Everett!
I watched this from the first episode to the last with my father on multiple occasions.
While Hawkeye was my favorite, Frank was my second.
Larry had a zest for life, and although he was the heel of the show, he was both respected, and revered by his co-stars.
I've been lucky enough to pass on the comedic brilliance of MASH to my kids, and they laugh every time they and or we watch it.
There will never be another show like it, nor will there ever be such an extraordinary group of actors willing to share the spotlight so graciously
I am fortunate enough to call Alan Alda a friend, and it makes my heart swell with pride to read these comments.
Phil, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and comments! That's so cool that you are friends with Alan Alda. I'm a big fan of his as well. Have a great evening!
As almost any MASH fan knows; Alda wanted the show to be more serious and reflect the useless harm and destruction of war and it's impact on the soldiers and doctors involved.
Thanks for sharing your comments!
There were some episodes that were pretty serious about the Korean War and what each person went through in those time!
Larry gave us so many wonderful memories, many laughs! RIP
So true!
I saw an interview with Larry Linville once, and he was explaining why he left the show. He explained that there was a group of actors with Alan Alda as the ringleader, who ridiculed him and isolated him, treating him as though he was the actual Frank Burns. It got bad enough that he had a smaller and smaller number of people who would talk to him and treat him like a human being. Eventually he dreaded going to the set each day, because he was ostracized badly. This was a big reason he left, but not the only one.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing that additional info!
He was an amazing actor with perfect comedic timing RIP
I totally agree! Thanks!
The sacrifice this guy made to be the fall guy just about every episode, he was so funny. His role was played so well done.
Sorry Frank, but we loved to hate you, thank you for the endless laughs.
It is a testament to Larry Linville the real person that he had the guts to play such a role so well, and entertain so many.
I think he would have been a good guy in person. Steve, Brisbane.
So true! Thanks for watching my video!
Later seasons got to sad and whiny
There was definitely a shift in tone towards the end. Thanks for watching!
Hard to keep making jokes with the background of a war.
GEEZ ! isn't that the truth !! Like WAR could BE SAD, huh ?? !! HaHaHa...Totally fake news, right ??
Maybe Alda's creativity would have fit better in St. Elsewhere?
I was a teenager when MASH was on TV. I loved watching the show each week with my family. I know that the last episode was the most watched TV in history. It was a sad to see it end. Thanks for the video.
Absolutely! Thanks for watching and supporting my channel!
The Mash early years were the best . Later years got a little preachy . The early years were the best to watch and laugh . Frank Burns was prime time to watch !
Jim...I totally agree...the early years were just fantastic television!
When I was a kid I wanted to watch MASH every night before I went to bed. Sometimes my dad didn't want me staying up that late but I usually got my way. It's the last thing I wanted in my head each night.
That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Attended a speaking engagement in 87’ or 88’ at Gonzaga University, and he was nothing like the character he portrayed. In fact, he was the polar opposite of Frank Burns. As a fan of MASH, it was a cool moment.
I would have loved to have been there! Thanks for sharing!
When the show went from a comedy to a soap opera- hell I would've left
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
The early seasons were by far the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Saw Larry L. In "The Night Stalker".
Am a fan of the earlier seasons
Thanks Kim!
He was in Night Gallery for an episode
Early seasons were great for comedy, later seasons for deeper subject matter, and the transition is what kept the show fresh after all that time. I can still watch it without it feeling dated.
Great comments! I totally agree with everything you said.
MASH was part of many childrens lives growing up!! Loved every episode ❤
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Another reason Linville walked was he felt his character was isolated when Margaret left him, that Burns had no one to play off of and nothing much to do. If you are going to be the heel, you need some kind of stature within the show or you become marginalized quickly. I think Blake being replaced by Potter also fed into this, because Burns now had a CO who could and would stand up to him.
As Burns is my favorite M*A*S*H character, I wish there could have been a few episodes in Season 4 where Blake was gone, Potter was not yet assigned, and Burns was in charge, and making a botch of it. Obviously not at the expense of the patients, but getting on everyone's nerves by being impossible. I think the show losing him made sense, but it never recovered as the seriousness and family spirit of later seasons strained the comedy of any tension or conflict (beyond us vs. the Army, which got old.)
Great comments Bill!
I imagine a character arc like Dennis Hopper's portrayal in "Hoosiers." Maybe Commander Frank could have done something right when it mattered, and built on it. Or maybe his wife dies stateside and HE ends up marrying a Korean instead of Klinger.
We are Trapper John fans so early seasons all the way!
Trapper was great on the show!
I love Trapper too! I always hated BJ.
“I’m not paranoid. It’s just that everyone’s out to get me!” - Major Frank “Ferret Face” Burns
Comedy gold!
"I'm only paranoid because everyone's against me."
im one of those who like the latter seasons. CEW3 is by far my fav character and how his run ended w/music going from his escape to forever being a reminder of the hell that was the war, was soul crushing.
Great comments Kenny! And I totally agree that scene from the last episode was so sad. Thanks for watching my video.
@@stephensundstrom6379 thank you for making such great content.
my mum loved mash i watched it as Young bloke here in Australia im now 57 and still watch it 5 days a week we are at the trapper/henry episode's at the moment but have seen all of this great show can watch it all day
That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing your comments. My wife and I are watching the series again right now and we’re in the middle of Season 3.
He had a shallow role. It is so good to hear how differently he was in real life, as acknowledged by his fellow actors.
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No one played unhinged idiot like Larry Linville. I was in a MUST( Medical Unit, Self-contained, Transportable) unit in the Army and I worked with doctors like all portrayed on MASH. Great video!
Thanks Mac! And....thank you for your service to our country!
“Movie Night” is my all time favorite M.A.S.H. episode
That is a great episode indeed! Thanks for watching my video!
Super M.a.s.h fan....loved all the seasons! Each season and character brought something special to the show!
Thanks Rita! I totally agree!
I remember being in the barracks in Monterey, CA with everyone in the day room, watching the last episode of MASH. The show was a let down, but it was something that nobody wanted to miss. Good times.
Thanks for sharing that story!
My favorite tv show of all time! Seen every episode so many times, but never gets old! I use to not like the frank character, but have grown to appreciate him alot! Wouldn't have been as good without him!
I totally agree!
I think the show "jumped the shark" when BJ grew his mustache.
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That 'stache was DEFINITELY non-reg.
i remember that. he turns around in the shower and has a mustache.
I never liked him much to begin with, but he definitely became a lot worse after he grew that mustache.
Yeah he was always whining about Peg and Erin back home in Sausalito after that, blah blah .
I liked the series at all stages equally. It saddened me as it became darker but I also appreciated that it was a show about the realities of war.
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The air raid ditch was my favorite Larry Linville episode ever!
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I love M.A.S.H and watch it still whenever it is on. All 11 years of it.It was and is my favorite television show
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Burns was my favorite character, when he left a lot of the humor left with him.
So true! Thanks Sonny!
The early seasons of M*A*S*H were the best. Even though the whole series is excellent
I totally agree! Thanks Thomas!
Me too
Totally agree and enjoyed it to the end.
I think so also
Thanks Thomas..well said.
Frank Burns to Klinger: "You make me wanna throw up!"
Klinger looks at Hawkeye: "See? It pays to dress!"
Klinger had some hilarious lines!
Among the HUNDREDS of quotes I'll remember are these:
"I'm only paranoid because everyone's against me." Frank
While wearing this huge winter suit in pre-op that his parents had sent him Hot Lips asks Charles: "How can you wear that in here?"
Charles: "It's a little bulky but I think I can manage."
The show did have some great comedy! Thanks for watching!
I loved M.A.S.H it was and is my favorite show all 11 years of it.
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I grew up watching M*A*S*H* ... I guess I equally LOVE all seasons of this comic classic.. ❤ Life-long fan of ALL!!
Julie, thanks for sharing your comments!