M*A*S*HCast #1 - Season 1, Episode 4: Chief Surgeon Who?
Special Guest Star: ScottX
Air Date: October 8, 1972
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Great episode! Always a pleasure to hear Scott X on the network. I need to find something we can talk about on one of my shows. I want him to be able to punch all the circles on his F&W Guest Host card!
I had no idea Sorrell Booke appeared on multiple MASH episodes! He’s so iconic as Boss Hogg I often imagine he appeared fully formed in his white cowboy hat and suit, complete with padding.
If MASH episodes were comics, this one would be worth more than episode 2 and 3, due to the first appearance of Klinger.
Great stuff, as always Rob.
Chris
Thanks Chris. Always a pleasure to appear on the Fire and Water Network. And I would love to find something we can talk about together down the road. By the way, I just came across something I think you and Cindy might be interested in. I will shoot you an e-mail about it in the near future.
Like you, when I think of Sorrell Booke I automatically go to Boss Hogg. Though he had a couple of demonstrative moments here as Barker, his performance was much more subdued than his typical over the top Boss Hogg. Exasperated by the 4077th or exasperated by Roscoe P. Coltrane… Booke does exasperated very well!
I also have to say that my comic brain went to this being Klinger’s first appearance as well!
Thanks again for listening and for your feedback Chris!!
Hello all!
I did a quick re-listen to this episode and thought I would point a little error I made. 🙁
In it I said that I thought that E.W. Swackhamer had directed the pilot for L.A. Law. Well, although L.A. Law was among his directorial credits, he did not direct the pilot. I got mixed up on my “law” shows. It was in fact Law & Order for which he directed the pilot…so he undoubtedly got even more residual money for that one!
Other pilots he directed that ended up going to series included S.W.A.T, Quincy, and Eight is Enough. All were shows I definitely watched back in the day! I loved me some Quincy!
I have to say that I liked this episode more and more the farther I got into my career.
Henry assigning Chief to Hawkeye and not Frank was doing what was best for patients and that should always be what physicians should be thinking about. When there are disagreements among doctors, they always say ‘what is in the best interest of the patient(s)’. So that rang true.
And Hawkeye’s comments about growing close to staff because of the situation is very true. I can say that from personal experience.
Most
Apt
Surgeon?
Hawkeye
Another great episode with another delightful Guest-Star. Welcome to THE SWMP Mr. X.
Rob, being a 70s kid means that MASH and I grew up together. It’s one of the shows (along with Star Trek) that my whole family would watch and re-watch together. We were lucky to have a VCR back when the final episode was broadcast. I recorded it and my brother and I watched it so many times we wore out the tape!
Your MASH at 45 crossover with Nostalgia Theater brought back some fond memories. When I learned you’d be hosting a regular podcast about the series I knew I’d have to get my hands on some episodes again. Thanks to a good deal at wallmart I now own a complete set on DVD and have watched through season 10. It amazes my wife (who grew up in Mexico City and never saw the series) that I can still quote whole episodes worth of dialogue without missing a beat. That’s a testament to the great writers and actors who made MASH something very special for its time…and all time.
Now for my one and only complaint about your podcast…what’s taking so darned long?!?! I really wish you’d pick up the pace a little. You’ve got eleven seasons to cover and you’ve barely scratched the surface. I don’t feel the series really hit its stride until Season 2.
You might consider covering two episodes per show (or two shows per episode if that’s easier) so we can get past the merely good episodes and on to the truly GREAT ones.
Thanks, as always, for producing another excellent podcast on my favorite network.
“Groovy” Mike Decker
Fun episode guys!
I liked the discussion about Klinger and Jamie Farr, especially how the character became a Lebanese American from Toledo because he was played by a Lebanese American from Toledo. I always liked the little cultural stuff — both ethnic and geographic — which the characters would bring to their compatriots. This is a good example of how the Army, if nothing else, brought people from all walks of life together.
Looking forward to more episodes in the future.
Another great episode! These make me want to break out my DVDs and watch some more episodes of the series….which is actually a bad thing, since I’m so behind in all my other stuff!
Was this the episode that pissed Wayne Rogers off, because he thought Trapper was the better surgeon, per the book/movie? I’ve read/heard him say something about Trapper being the better thoracic surgeon, but not sure if that was this episode or not.
Thanks for coming to the Swamp, Scott! Great job!
I can’t say enough good things about Jamie Farr. He made Klinger so funny and interesting, he was my favorite character on the show. Great to relive his first appearance.
If the podcast is covering the shows in their intended order, that makes this episode the first without a “caper”. There’s no big scheme by Hawkeye and Trapper with Frank and Hot Lips getting in the way. It’s a more dramatic and personal struggle between Hawkeye and Frank. Plenty of antics to be had, but the story has a different tone, and possibly starts M*A*S*H heading toward the compelling drama we all know. So good.
Not only the best ep of M*A*S*H so far, the best ep of the podcast…great job.
I am, however. a bit confused about the premise of the podcast…going thru the whole series one ep every month, are you planning on doing it for the next 21 years? If you are only going to do it monthly, I wish you would just review random episodes…the ones you love or the ones that warrant the most discussion. At this rate it’ll take ten years before you even get to Winchester.
I know I’m a little late for this one, but I wanted to share my favorite “exchange” from this episode…
Gen. Wilson Spaulding Barker: May I make a suggestion about Major Burns?
Henry Blake: Yes, Sir.
Gen. Wilson Spaulding Barker: Give him a high colonic and send him on a ten-mile hike.
Army Capt. ‘Trapper John’ McIntyre: With full pack.
Gen. Wilson Spaulding Barker: Good touch.
The look Barker gives Trapper and the way he says his response at the suggestion is priceless. Absolute gold.