Posted on 03/03/2018 5:08:53 PM PST by lowbridge
David Odgen Stiers -- best known for playing Major Charles Winchester on "M*A*S*H" -- has died after a battle with bladder cancer ... according to his agent.
The actor joined the cast of "M*A*S*H" in 1977, playing an arrogant aristocrat and talented surgeon who filled the void left by the departure of the show's Frank Burns character. Stiers did it splendidly too ... earning himself 2 Emmy nominations.
(Excerpt) Read more at tmz.com ...
Wayne Rogers was a good conservative.
Good guy too, and funnier than Alan Alda, which cost Rogers his job.
I only like the first three seasons when Wayne Rogers and McClean Stevenson were on. After that the show became the Alan Alda show and he was so smug and full of himself I could not watch it again.
Stiers was a good actor and I liked him on other roles I saw him in.
Stevenson left because he was offered a huge contract at NBC, but sadly never was able to duplicate the success he had on MASH.
Ironically, Alda was the only one of the major cast members who actually served in the Army, including a one year tour in Korea (post-war). McLean Stevenson and Wayne Rogers both served in the Navy.
First, and to the point of the thread, David Odgen Stiers was a good actor. He had presence, and played his character convincingly.
And now to the Alan Alda issue.
Alda was and is a remarkably poor actor. Try this, watch a MASH episode, and turn off the sound. Watch Alda. Wooden, robot-like, he is not Hawkeye, he is Alan, he convinces few, if anyone.
Then, turn UP the sound, and close your eyes. Listen to Aldas repeating of his dialog. You have seen people who are not accustomed to public speaking who read ... every ... little ... word ... one ... at ... a time. This is Alda's delivery, sped up slightly, but he's repeating dialog, not acting.
I tell you who got stale and overused was the Klinger character. Farr was enjoyable for the three or four minutes an episode they used him. As they show went on and he got a bigger part and I could not stand him.
And Mike Farrell.
Rogers contract was up and naturally he wanted more money. Well they decided not to give it to him. He said later best thing that happened to him. He had a real calling for the markets and real estate and after that acting was a sideline for him. He was close friends with Peter Falk and eh was able to straighten out Falk’s messy finances to put him in great shape.
And like Maclean Stevenson before him, disappeared into obscurity.
I think the only movie I really liked that Alda was in was in cute little comedy called “Same time next Year”, and even in that he could be smug and annoying.
If you watch the old “Mannix” series, Larry Linville had a serious role in that as a police detective.
Charles Nelson Reilly.....
Great actor. RIP. I have to say I hated that show. Bunch of smart Asses. I know a Korean that told me that Koreans found the show offensive in the way they were portrayed.
“The Winchesters only recognize one six o’ clock each day and this isn’t it!”—Winchester, upon being woken early by wounded coming in. RIP to a great character actor.
I don't think it has aged very well. Never watch the reruns...
only moms can use middle names...
“MASH was an effective instrument of the Left’s ongoing effort to deconstruct American culture.”
I agree whole heartedly. I thought it was demeaning to the military. Can you imagine them making such a show about the IRS or the EPA?
That’s Exactly what I envisioned!
When Sherman T. Potter told him
of his staying at the 4077th...
Permanently!
Alan Alda needs s pink hat and Mike Farrell is a pink hat.
I also liked the one where he shows empathy to someone who stutters, and at the end he listens to a taped message that his sister sent him and she is also a stutterer.
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