McLean Stevenson came to regret his decision to leaveMASHduring its third season - despite his character’s death becoming a landmark moment on American television.ManyMASHactors exited the showduring its early years, though this arguably helped it in the long run, as it meant new characters kept the cast dynamic fresh. “Abyssinia, Henry” from the third season was hugely important since it featured the last appearances of both Wayne Rogers' Trapper andthe shock death of Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson).
Rogers and Stevenson enjoyed their time on the show and recognized its quality - but they both wanted to front their own projects too. After Stevenson announced he was leaving, it was the showrunner’s call to kill Blake off. It was decided his departure opened up a unique opportunity to underline the show’s anti-war message, and that not everybody is going home alive.Blake’s death led to a backlash from angry viewers, while Stevenson went on to front several sitcoms as the lead star, including the fittingly titledThe McLean Stevenson Show.
McLean Stevenson Regretted Leaving MASH During Season 3
Stevenson’s MASH follow-ups all tanked
MASHeventually ran for 11 seasons, so Stevenson’s exit came quite early in its lifespan. The show quickly replaced Blake and Trapper with Potter (Harry Morgan) and B.J. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell), and remained one of the biggest shows on television for its entire run. Sadly for Stevenson, his bid for solo success quickly faltered. His sitcomThe McLean Stevenson Showdebuted in 1976 to much fanfare - only to get canceled before it reached the end of season 1.
The star followed up with the equally short-livedIn The Beginning, andwhile Stevenson’s next showHello, Larrylasted for two seasons, it received savage reviews and remains poorly regarded. The press was equally unkind to Stevenson, only mocking his decision to leaveMASHso he could front underwhelming sitcoms. Stevenson worked steadily in the years after but commented in 1991’sMemories of MASH(viaThe Los Angeles Times) that he held regrets about leaving.
The mistake was that I thought everybody in America loved McLean Stevenson. That was not the case. Everybody loved Henry Blake. So if you go and do ‘The McLean Stevenson Show,’ nobody cares about McLean Stevenson.
MASHwas such a huge series that many of the actors who exited - including Stevenson - found it tough to escape their typecastingafterward. Actors like Larry Linville (who played Frank Burns) or Gary Burghoff (Radar) struggled to find material of the medical sitcom’s quality and soon became guest stars on other shows instead. In Burghoff’s case, some of his most high-profile post-MASHappearances came with spinoffs likeAfterMASH.
Why McLean Stevenson Exited MASH So Early
NBC made Stevenson an offer he couldn’t refuse
Hindsight may have declared McLean Stevenson totally wrong for leaving - but it’s easy to see why it made sense back in 1975.The McLean Stevenson writer Mark Evanier recalled on his blogNews From MEa long conversation he had with the star, who detailed his reasoning for quittingMASH. During this time,Stevenson was a regular guest host forThe Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and with rumors Carson would step away, Stevenson was being lined up as his possible replacement.
Why Henry Blake’s Death In MASH Was So Controversial & Sparked A Major Backlash
The 1975 death of MASH commanding officer Lt. Col. Henry Blake had audiences reeling, critics conflicted and became a watershed moment in TV history.
This coincided with Stevenson becoming frustrated with makingMASH, including perceived disrespect from the production company over filming conditions. They also refused to raise his salary, claiming that, unlike stars like Alan Alda, he didn’t have much to do with its continuing success. At this point in his career,Stevenson felt he’d served his time playing supporting roles, and despite being promised that Blake would become a bigger character, this never manifestedin the series. So when NBC offered Stevenson a big payday to jump ship, he took it.
From McLean Stevenson’s perspective, it’s easy to see why the NBC offer was the better career move - even if time proved that decision wrong.
Not only was he being paid far more than he was onMASH, but the offer came with the enticing possibility of hostingThe Tonight Show.Of course,Carson ended up staying as host, while Stevenson’s sitcoms all failed. From his perspective, it’s easy to see why the NBC offer was the better career move - even if time proved that decision wrong.
The Death Of McLean Stevenson’s Henry Blake Was A Groundbreaking TV Moment
Television was never the same after this MASH scene
In the modern television landscape, it’s not that uncommon for TV shows likeThe Walking Deadto kill off major characters, but back in the 1970s, this was unheard of. Before Blake’s demise onMASH- where the plane bringing him back to America was shot down over the Sea of Japan - there simply had never been a show that killed a major supporting player. In addition to the shock and heartbreak it created onandoff screen, Blake’s death had a story purpose.
One of McLean Stevenson’s final projects was a supporting role on CBS adaptation ofDirty Dancing, which ran from 1988 to 1989.
It underlined that in war, good people can die at any time.Henry’s death isMASH’sultimate anti-war statement, and there is a reason this ending sequence from season 3’s “Abyssinia, Henry” has lingered so long. Even if he came to regret it, McLean Stevenson’s decision led to one of TV’s most impactful scenes and one that became part of his legacy.
MAS*H
Cast
MAS*H is a drama-comedy series set during the Korean War, centering on the lives of the staff at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital as they navigate the challenges of wartime medical service with humor and resilience.
