MASH page 4

 MASH page 4 by ric gustafson

Producer Gene Reynolds wanted to adapt MASH into a television series. Reynolds enlisted the help of writer and producer Larry Gelbart. Reynolds interviewed doctors who had served in MASH units. These became story ideas for Gelbart. Reynolds also enlisted the help of producer Burt Metcalfe. The three producers then started finding the right cast.

The producers wanted Gary Burghoff to play Radar O'Reilly. Burghoff played Radar in the movie. To play Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake, the producers looked at an actor who was a performer on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. The actor's name was McLean Stevenson. A tough role to fill was that of a Christian by word and a bigot by deed. The actor they found to play Frank Burns was Larry Linville. To play Margaret Houlihan, the producers found Loretta Swit. To play the role of Trapper John, the producers found Wayne Rogers.

The last original role to cast was the hardest. That was the role of Hawkeye Pierce. Actor Alan Alda was given the pilot script. He loved it. The problem was that his family lived on the East Coast. Alda did not want to move his family to the West Coast. After talking with the producers, Alda agreed to fly back home on the weekends to be with his family. Alda took the role at the last minute.

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Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric