In this episode of MASH Matters. Jeff & Ryan cover a range of listener-inspired topics including plungers, mice, mess tent coffee, and Klinger’s magical tank. Plus, international mail, an update on Jeff’s cookbook, and a special appearance by Bob Newhart as… Father Mulcahy?

Klinger’s Magic Tank

Special thanks to Joel McDonell for the screenshots

M*A*S*H Notes

Watch the documentary about the legendary studio musicians known as The Wrecking Crew

Read the full interview with Robert Bain, one of the musicians who played guitar on the M*A*S*H theme song

RIP Cathy Drake, a real-life inspiration for M*A*S*H

Listen to Bob Saget’s interview with Bob Newhart here:

What the heck is in that urn?

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Jeff & Ryan welcome the dynamic duo of Ken Levine and David Isaacs to MASH Matters!  The legendary Emmy Award-winning writing team discusses their journey from the real-life Army Reserves to writing for the fictional 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. Ken & David also talk about their writing process, working with Gene Reynolds, their favorite MASH speech, why they left the series, and why the heck Radar was so angry in his final episodes.

Photo Source: By Len Levine – 3/15/18

M*A*S*H Notes

Check out Ken Levine’s blog

Ken also has a podcast named “Hollywood & Levine.” Here’s an interview he did with… David Isaacs!

Watch Ken & David talk about M*A*S*H in this interview from the Archive of American Television

A great story about Larry Gelbart’s unique writing style from Ken Levine

Order Degopunk’s M*A*S*H trading cards

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Email questions, comments, show ideas, and more to MashMattersPodcast@gmail.com

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Jeff & Ryan open up the MASH Matters mailbag for another round of listener questions. Topics include Radar’s headgear, military haircuts, background music, the chopper pad, Private Rich’s familiar voice, Igor’s long-lost line, and that one time M*A*S*H popped up on St. Elsewhere. Also, we make a surprise phone call!

Hot Cher-O-Kees! That was supposed to be Igor’s line! (photo courtesy of Eric White)

M*A*S*H Notes

Click here for more information about the CD of M*A*S*H background music composed by Johnny Mandel

Do you agree with Rolling Stone’s ranking of the top 100 sitcoms of all time?

RIP Nathan Jung

How did Alan Alda get revenge on high school bullies?

Noisy, dusty, and messy

“Paging Doctor Igor” – A Treatment by Philip Raven

The character arc that will be explored is that Private Igor prefers things as they are.  Theme emerges in the conversation about how little he enjoyed Tokyo and pays off in the climax. 

As we begin:  Igor and Hawkeye both independently returned from Tokyo(R&R) and Klinger picked them up from the airport.   Klinger is dressed in full nurse’s garb and explains it by saying this helps him get waved through checkpoints (the wardrobe is important later). 

Opening: In the jeep ride there’s a bit of banter about how Igor wishes he’d known the captain was in Tokyo at the same time so they could have gone out together which Hawkeye shrugs off with a comical excuse (Igor misses the nuance).  

Inciting Incident:  Their jeep comes upon a farmer tending to his injured child (perhaps a broken leg).  The injury requires Hawkeye’s attention.   They are only a few miles from the 4077 and he sends Klinger to go get a medical bag and bring it back.  Hawkeye figures he can splint the boy’s leg here, then bring him back to the 4077 to properly treat him. 

Rising Actions: Igor asks if it’s ok to be dismissed along with Klinger; “Gee sir, I don’t suppose it’d be ok if I head back too?  It’s getting on to be lunch time and someone’s gotta open those cans of bread”.  Hawkeye is rather dismissive to Igor and sends them both away.  All things being equal, Igor would rather be at the 4077. 

The action leaves Hawkeye and follows Igor and Klinger.  A short while down the road they hear the beeping from a jeep behind them.  BJ pulls alongside and they all stop to have a conversation.  BJ is coming back from the 8063^rd where he was lending a hand for a day or so and is going back to the 4077 as well.  Klinger and Igor explain the situation about needing a medical bag.  Amiable BJ reaches into the backseat and produces a bag, tosses it towards Igor’s lap, and says they are welcome to his.  He checks one more time with Klinger that he’s sure Hawkeye has the medical situation under control, assured by Klinger’s assessment he roars off.

Klinger swings the jeep into a U-turn and Igor springs into pleadings of ‘wait, let me go with BJ’ before quieting down and realizing it’s too late and he missed his chance to get out of the hassle. 

On their way back to Hawkeye and the broken leg, Igor and Klinger’s jeep is intercepted by a North Korean soldier who rushes out from the bushes when they are forced to slow down for a turn.  The North Korean needs help with a soldier friend of his who is under duress (note: I realize how similar this situation is to a situation in ‘Best of Enemies’).

Things are quite tense and Klinger and Igor are both faltering under the pressure of the rifle and language barrier.  The North Korean is able to use the word “doctor” and Igor steps up.  He grabs the doctor bag and proclaims himself to in fact be a doctor and Klinger is his nurse.   The North Korean is a bit skeptical, but the bag and uniform are good convincers (insert obvious jokes about a baritone nurse who needs a shave).

Climax:  There is a bit of side talk with Klinger and Igor as they approach the situation.  Igor assures Klinger that this is the best and seemingly only way to proceed.   Thankfully the medical situation is one which appears serious but is relatively manageable for Igor’s abilities.  Another soldier has passed out and is laying in the sun.

Igor looks the soldier over and has his eureka-moment.  He steps aside to have a ‘medical consult’ with his nurse.  Igor excitedly explains that this is just like the lettuce in the mess tent; sometimes it gets too close to the heat lamps and gets all saggy.  Klinger is a bit sarcastic and asks “Ok, Dr. Igor, what steps would you recommend in those similar cases?”  With some convincing pantomiming, Igor replies that he would move the lettuce away from the heat lamp and spray it with water and add a bit of salt.  Klinger is on board and together they drag the soldier out of the sun and into shade.  Igor orders Klinger to grab a canteen from the jeep.  While Igor is administering the water, he asks Klinger to find some salt tablets in the doctor bag, which they also administer. 

The tense situation diffuses quickly when the soldier comes to.  He starts conversing with his comrade and Igor and Klinger slink back towards the jeep unnoticed.   As they speed away, they have a bit of light-hearted banter about “their next patient” and the medical bag is off to the proper destination. 

End

Every story needs a B-Plot:  Charles has never had a hamburger. When Margaret and Mulcahy find this out they make efforts to ensure that he has one for dinner that evening.  This could connect to the A-Plot upon Igor’s return in the episode stinger (“you be the doctor; I’ll cook the burgers”).   Stinger also gives opportunity to close the episodes arc/theme. 

Radar, sans beanie

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Major Houlihan just keeps coming back for more! Jeff & Ryan welcome Loretta Swit back to the Mess Tent for more jocularity. Topics include the magic chemistry among M*A*S*H cast members, meeting Turhan Bey, the evolution of women on TV, and Loretta’s involvement in the upcoming CNN series about sitcoms. We even talk about her guest stint with The Muppets! (Just don’t ask her to watch your favorite TV show.)

Follow Loretta Swit on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

M*A*S*H Notes

Read more about Loretta’s appearance on The Muppet Show

Where does M*A*S*H rank on the 25 best shows about nursing?

Which M*A*S*H cast member’s dressing room was covered in ants?

Whatever happened to the *other* Trapper John?

Loretta Swit and Jeff Maxwell are on Cameo!

Connect with Jeff & Ryan

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Want to send an autograph request to Jeff Maxwell? Click here for the address.

Email questions, comments, show ideas, and more to MashMattersPodcast@gmail.com

Call and leave a voicemail at 513-436-4077 (NOTE: Voicemail has a three-minute time limit)

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She’s back! Loretta Swit makes her triumphant return to MASH Matters! In part one, Loretta talks to “Jefigor” & Ryan about her career, her art, and the creation of Margaret Houlihan. PLUS – Did she want the show to end? What did Margaret really do after the war? What did she think of AfterMASH? Why did she choose M*A*S*H over Cagney & Lacey? And why didn’t poor Igor ever find love at the 4077th?

Follow Loretta Swit on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

M*A*S*H Notes

Nobody worked harder on M*A*S*H than Loretta

Listen to our first interview with Loretta: Part One Part Two

Watch the full Cagney & Lacey movie

M*A*S*H Imitates Life Under Quarantine

Cagney & Lacey

Connect with Jeff & Ryan

Visit the MASH Matters website

Support MASH Matters on Patreon

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Follow MASH Matters on Twitter

Follow MASH Matters on Instagram

Subscribe to MASH Matters (and leave a five star review) on Apple Podcasts

Listen to MASH Matters on YouTube, Spotify, Sticher, iHeart Radio, or your favorite podcast player.

Want to send an autograph request to Jeff Maxwell? Click here for the address.

Email questions, comments, show ideas, and more to MashMattersPodcast@gmail.com

Call and leave a voicemail at 513-436-4077 (NOTE: Voicemail has a three-minute time limit)

MASH Matters is on Patreon!

Support the podcast for as little as $3 per month and unlock exclusive perks and early access to new episodes.

Select your rank – Enlist today!