Larry Gelbart on killing off "Henry Blake" on "M.A.S.H" - EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG

See the full interview at www.emmytvlegen...

[@emmaduncan2991]

I still remember that scapel drop. the only time, I ever felt that a television show kicked me in the gut.

[@nessadavis-henry7817]

That scene shown that the reality of war is, people you love can and will die.

[@Jamaicafunk]

I'll never forget seeing that episode. Those were the days when there was no Entertainment Tonight or Extra to give you any idea that Stevenson was leaving the show in advance. I remember sitting in front of the TV frozen after Radar made that announcement that Col. Blakes copter went down. I sat there expecting a scene where a wet Henry would walk from the ocean onto the beach with smoke coming from his clothes. I couldn't believe it.

[@Jamaicafunk]

John W Landry It was a comedy. They'd done numerous far fetched scenes before that... Especially with Stevenson. Remember Klinger trying to escape on a hang glider wearing the bunny slippers?

[@jamesmyers7884]

It was a good idea to kill off Henry. It remnds us that you can make friends in war but it's still war and people die even the best people can die.

[@joeyb4ever]

It broke my heart when they killed off Henry. I loved the character. It was, after all, war time, though.

[@onejazzdrummer]

I well remember the original airing of this episode. Wife and I agreed that the "director's decision" to have a dropped instrument was a stroke of genius. What a wonderful moment when we discovered that "director's decision" was, in fact, a total, complete, and unanticipated accident. It drove home the real meaning of the show in a way that a planned and scripted event could have never done...and to think the show just picked up and ran with Harry Morgan in the Colonel's part for the duration!

[@5inthehole]

The inicial reaction at my home was sadness that was slowly being overcome by an incredible anger. How could these bastards kill off Henry Blake? One of the best dramatic scenes in sitcom television.

[@Sargebri]

That was the moment the show changed. It became more dramatic after that and, in some cases, more preachy in tone. However, it still is what quality television is supposed to be.

[@dadaevan]

Brilliant. Just brilliant.

[@FreethinkingSecularist]

That was one of the most powerful episodes and a marker for the beginning of a new more dramatic direction for the show. Some joke about the show being shit later, but I personally enjoyed the last years more than the more slapstick beginnings.

[@highjim7778]

this scene showed the horror of war, as did hawkeye losing his mind at the end of the show after all the shit he saw and went through that one moment tipped him over the edge. Shame they didnt do a spinoff of hawkeye trying to get his mind back into shape

[@cainster]

that actually happened, but the video footage of it is rare. usually it's in a network station's archives or vault somewhere.

[@forkliftman]

Loved Henry Blake best commander of the 4077

[@TungstenKid]

A more dramatic end for Blake would have been for him to be among the wounded brought in by chopper, but despite the efforts of the team to save him, he dies. Final line of the show from Pierce could have been "We lost him"..

[@TheVestini]

True gentleman- VALE COLONEL HENRY BLAKE-

[@jmad627]

For me it was the beginning of the end for this show. Yes there were good episodes in the coming years, but it wasn't the same, nor as entertaining, IMHO.

[@beastofsteel]

It didn't have to be that way. I myself wished for the best for Henry Blake and i admit that the rest of M*A*S*H series to me was tainted after that.

[@HuntiPunti]

I dont know if my previous comment was posted or not but if it wasnt ill try again. Im looking for a scene in which Henry Blake is in a life-raft after his plane was shot down waving his arms and yelling "im ok im ok!". Supposedly this was shown on the The Carol Burnett Show. Anybody got any ideas on where i could see this intro? Thanks.

[@colin6768]

I never forgave them for killing off Henry. I appreciate the drama of the later episodes but them killing off Henry left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

[@ValandilTelrunya]

So true

[@joebananatube]

That was the episode when M*A*S*H* jumped the shark.