Major Charles Winchester - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

davidmash · #1 03-04-2018, 12:51 AM

Dam it. Another one passed.

'M*A*S*H' Star David Ogden Stiers Dead at 75 | TMZ.com

Quote:

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.

ESchwab · #2 03-04-2018, 02:15 AM

My son grew up watching MASH. It was his favorite TV show, and we watched together when he was in junior high and high school. He continues to watch the re-runs and knows every episode in the sense that if he turns it on in the middle, he can tell you what happens next.

MASH had a great cast, and Stiers is helped make it great.

oldsinner111 · #3 03-04-2018, 08:50 AM

My father who fought in Korea hated that show.He said it was the worse place,bitter cold,snipers everywhere. Drugged out commie's didn't feel when you shot them,had to be a head shot,like zombie's.

davidmash · #4 03-04-2018, 09:44 AM

We still watch the show. Some station shows reruns all the time. I can remember most of the episodes similar.to.your son. I have a few that are my favorites.

When I lived in LA I had the food fortune of meeting Harry Morgan and Alan Alda where I worked. Spoke with them for a few min (separate occasions). Morgan came in with his wife. Nicest guy you would ever meet. Very down to earth and he seemed really genuine. Alda was also really nice. I remember asking for his autograph but he said no. Did not want people profiting off his signature (read that after the fact) but he would be more than happy to shake my hand. Very cool.

I loved the show. It dealt with various social issues and it could also just be goofy humor. I liked the way it I'm just looked at "normal" people in an abnormal situation. One of the few truly good programs in my opinion.

Idle · #5 03-05-2018, 02:25 PM

MASH, the TV show, was shot in a California state park that was often used for war movies. It was a state park until a film company rented it, then it was shut down for the shot. After the principal shooting stopped the park was reopened to the public.

If you watch old war movies from the late 50's and early 60's you will see the same hill in the background. This was an area like the one north of LA with the big rocks where a lot of early westerns were shot as well as more than a few of the original Star Treks.

But them MASH became a hit and just occupied the space for a few years. Today the park is visited by folks that want to visit the set of MASH and is a constant money maker for the state of California.

I was once told that the great thing about a concept like MASH was an Army unit cycles people in and out all the time. So if an actor dropped out they could be replaced with another character that filled the same role in a different way.

And this worked. I don't know if the later episodes were any stronger than the early ones but they were, at least to me, more entertaining due to some of the cast changes. Major Winchester was a big, and realistic, step up.

cmac2012 · #6 03-05-2018, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldsinner111

My father who fought in Korea hated that show.He said it was the worse place,bitter cold,snipers everywhere. Drugged out commie's didn't feel when you shot them,had to be a head shot,like zombie's.

I gather it was pretty awful. I saw footage of the Chinese swarming down from out of the hills. Sounds cliched but they did look like ants there were so many of them. Weird thing about the cold, Korea is on similar latitude to SF and northern cal. It gets cold here but nothing like Korea.

t walgamuth · #7 03-05-2018, 10:19 PM

Different currents I suppose.

cmac2012 · #8 03-06-2018, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Different currents I suppose.

Has to be. Both not far from ocean.

oldsinner111 · #9 03-06-2018, 11:12 AM

they say the larger the continent the worse the weather.Asia is huge

Maulem5-235 · #10 08-18-2018, 05:39 PM

A little bit Off-Topic -

Had a very wealthy client who lived in LA about 10 years ago. They were the nicest couple you could ever meet. They were talking about the pleasant dinner they had with "Alan" the night before. I didn't think anything about it until they mentioned that they had talked with him about Loretta. I finally put it together and asked if it was Alan Alda. They said he was just the nicest person and a good friend.

What struck me was the absolute lack of pretension. When a good person says nice things about another, I tend to believe them. Makes me think that Alan Alda must be as nice a person as I had hoped he would based on his character in MASH

t walgamuth · #11 08-18-2018, 11:05 PM

It was a good show. I have seen many of the episodes many times.

vwnate1 · #12 08-18-2018, 11:27 PM

Damn ~ he's far too young to have passed away .

I too liked the movie and the TV show althought I doubt I've even see half of all the episodes .

davidmash · #13 08-19-2018, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maulem5-235

A little bit Off-Topic -

Had a very wealthy client who lived in LA about 10 years ago. They were the nicest couple you could ever meet. They were talking about the pleasant dinner they had with "Alan" the night before. I didn't think anything about it until they mentioned that they had talked with him about Loretta. I finally put it together and asked if it was Alan Alda. They said he was just the nicest person and a good friend.

What struck me was the absolute lack of pretension. When a good person says nice things about another, I tend to believe them. Makes me think that Alan Alda must be as nice a person as I had hoped he would based on his character in MASH

I worked at a mall when I lived in LA. I had the good fortune to meet both Alan Alfa and Harry Morgan. Both men were more than generous. Mr Morgan was the grandfathely type of guy you think he would be.

While the encounter were brief, I'll always remember them.

pj67coll · #14 08-20-2018, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idle

If you watch old war movies from the late 50's and early 60's you will see the same hill in the background. This was an area like the one north of LA with the big rocks where a lot of early westerns were shot as well as more than a few of the original Star Treks.

Mash is a hit worldwide I believe. We used to watch it in SA back in my youth. I know what you mean about the location of those shows. I remember it dawning on my some time in my teens that the scenery in a lot of shows I'd been watching was awfully similar. Then I realized pretty much all the worlds TV was shot in and around LA.

Well not "all the world" of course but that background scenery has made its way around the planet all right.

- Peter.

Jorn · #15 08-20-2018, 02:07 AM

When my mom visited me for the first time in Los Angeles, she felt very at ease because it was all so familiar to her as she had seen everything on TV. For myself it’s always special to work or visit a set where my favorite films or tv shows were filmed. After 20 years working in Hollywood I only have to see a door knob or a window to know what location it is, what can be somewhat distracting when watching a movie.