M*A*S*HCast #1 - Season 1, Episode 8: Cowboy
Special Guest Star: Cory Drew
Air Date: November 12, 1972
Have a question or comment?
E-MAIL: firewaterpodcast@comcast.net
Theme music by Johnny Mandel
Subscribe to M*A*S*HCast on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/m-a-s-hcast/id1329304951
Follow M*A*S*HCast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MASH4077Cast
This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK:
- Visit the Fire & Water WEBSITE: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com
- Follow Fire & Water on TWITTER – https://twitter.com/FWPodcasts
- Like our Fire & Water FACEBOOK page – https://www.facebook.com/FWPodcastNetwork
- Use our HASHTAG online: #FWPodcasts
That is all!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Marital discord
Actuates
Saving
Henry
Yeah, I’m no expert, but I would think Cowboy would be court-martialed and imprisoned, if not executed for several attempts at murdering a superior officer. This is definitely more “sit-comy” than the MASH I remember.
A helicopter pilot with a cowboy hat and wild west-style six-shooter on his hip? Do you think Larry Hama (who has a MASH credit!) and the folks at Hasbro had this episode in mind when they created the G.I. Joe character, Wild Bill?
Chris
Didn’t get the Reno reference? Clearly you haven’t seen “The Women!” Schedule it for Turn It Off With Rob on Film & Water!
I agree that Cowboy is one of those memorable early MASH episodes. They would also do better whodunnit episodes down the road (e.g., I Hate a Mystery), but I don’t think any of the later whodunnits were as dark as this one.
On a side note, my daughter loves the exploding latrine scene.
I’ve spoken to two different people who worked on the series and asked about ad-libs. Both have told me that the director’s mantra was “If it’s not on the page, it’s not on the stage.” However I have seen several instances where it looks like that they are ad-libbing. For example there is a Potter episode where Potter has decided to leave because someone in the camp is sending in bad reports. In the final scene, Hawkeye, BJ, and Radar are trying to convince Potter to stay. Hawkeye, in a very soft voice says “Listen Colonel (beat) Sherman”. The reaction from Harry Morgan has always made me think that the Sherman line was an ad lib.
There is a funny story that Larry Gelbart used to tell. When the cast filmed on the ranch in the early going there was no way to communicate with Hollywood. They would drive back to Hollywood and watch the rushes each night. One night while they’re watching, a scene comes up where one of the Swamp rats says “Someone is at the noor.” Gelbart has the film stopped and angrily asks what that was. The actor said that it was in the script and they knew that “if it wasn’t on the page, it wasn’t on the stage”. They figured it was a joke that they didn’t get so they acted it as written. It was a typo. After that incident, they installed phones at the ranch.
“Boom!”
“Jeep crash. Tent…boom…crash…kill.”
Cowboy always reminds me of this guy.