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McLean Stevenson and Roger Bowen (Feb. 15 and 16 in '96)
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News
Feb 16, 2013, 3:18:09 AM2/16/13
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LEGENDS & LEGACIES
Lt. Col. Henry Blake of the 4077th
2/15/2013
http://www.legacy.com/ns/news-story.aspx?t=lt-col-henry-blake-of-the-th&id=1246
Seventeen years ago, two actors died a day apart: McLean Stevenson on
February 15, 1996, and Roger Bowen on February 16. These two men were bound
by more than just their dates of death, more even than just a shared
profession. They both played the same well-loved character: Lt. Col. Henry
Blake of M*A*S*H.
In 1970, Roger Bowen first brought to life the character created in Richard
Hooker's novel M*A*S*H: A Novel about Three Army Doctors. The movie's Blake
was a career Army man, serving as commanding officer of a hospital near the
front lines of the Korean War. But this CO did more playing than commanding,
leaving the 4077th a wild place to serve.
When the tale came to the small screen in 1972, McLean Stevenson took over
the role of Lt. Col. Blake, playing him as a reservist called up for the
war, leaving behind a family practice in central Illinois. Blake on TV had
just as relaxed a commanding style as he did in the movie, drinking and
carousing with the soldiers in his command.
Over the course of the movie and the TV show, Lt. Col. Blake captured the
hearts of viewers everywhere. But Stevenson was not as happy with the role
as his viewers were. The first three seasons of the show saw the ensemble
cast eclipsed by the star power of Alan Alda, who played Hawkeye. Characters
like Blake, who were important in the book and movie, became secondary on
the show. Stevenson was unhappy with playing second fiddle, and after the
show's third season, he left, along with Wayne Rogers, who played Trapper
John and was also unhappy with the downgrading of his role.
Stevenson's departure from the show was planned out and his character's
departure was written as an honorable discharge - Blake would simply go home
and resume his medical practice. But the show's writers shocked both the
viewers and Stevenson's costars when they wrote in a surprise ending that
had Blake's plane go down on its way out of Korea, killing all its
passengers. The show's stars weren't told of the plot development until
moments before they had to film the scene, and their disconcerted surprise
made great TV.
Twenty years later, the two men with the intersecting careers died, and
their deaths were eerily similar to each other. Stevenson was 68, Bowen 63.
Their deaths, just a day apart, were both due to heart attacks. Indeed, when
Bowen died, his family was justifiably concerned that the news would get
mixed up with the reports of Stevenson's death the day before, so they
waited a week to announce it. And though they played the same role, they
deserve to be remembered as individuals - both of whom made us laugh with
their portrayals of one of our favorite soldiers.
Written by Linnea Crowther
Lt. Col. Henry Blake of the 4077th
2/15/2013
http://www.legacy.com/ns/news-story.aspx?t=lt-col-henry-blake-of-the-th&id=1246
Seventeen years ago, two actors died a day apart: McLean Stevenson on
February 15, 1996, and Roger Bowen on February 16. These two men were bound
by more than just their dates of death, more even than just a shared
profession. They both played the same well-loved character: Lt. Col. Henry
Blake of M*A*S*H.
In 1970, Roger Bowen first brought to life the character created in Richard
Hooker's novel M*A*S*H: A Novel about Three Army Doctors. The movie's Blake
was a career Army man, serving as commanding officer of a hospital near the
front lines of the Korean War. But this CO did more playing than commanding,
leaving the 4077th a wild place to serve.
When the tale came to the small screen in 1972, McLean Stevenson took over
the role of Lt. Col. Blake, playing him as a reservist called up for the
war, leaving behind a family practice in central Illinois. Blake on TV had
just as relaxed a commanding style as he did in the movie, drinking and
carousing with the soldiers in his command.
Over the course of the movie and the TV show, Lt. Col. Blake captured the
hearts of viewers everywhere. But Stevenson was not as happy with the role
as his viewers were. The first three seasons of the show saw the ensemble
cast eclipsed by the star power of Alan Alda, who played Hawkeye. Characters
like Blake, who were important in the book and movie, became secondary on
the show. Stevenson was unhappy with playing second fiddle, and after the
show's third season, he left, along with Wayne Rogers, who played Trapper
John and was also unhappy with the downgrading of his role.
Stevenson's departure from the show was planned out and his character's
departure was written as an honorable discharge - Blake would simply go home
and resume his medical practice. But the show's writers shocked both the
viewers and Stevenson's costars when they wrote in a surprise ending that
had Blake's plane go down on its way out of Korea, killing all its
passengers. The show's stars weren't told of the plot development until
moments before they had to film the scene, and their disconcerted surprise
made great TV.
Twenty years later, the two men with the intersecting careers died, and
their deaths were eerily similar to each other. Stevenson was 68, Bowen 63.
Their deaths, just a day apart, were both due to heart attacks. Indeed, when
Bowen died, his family was justifiably concerned that the news would get
mixed up with the reports of Stevenson's death the day before, so they
waited a week to announce it. And though they played the same role, they
deserve to be remembered as individuals - both of whom made us laugh with
their portrayals of one of our favorite soldiers.
Written by Linnea Crowther
Wiseguy
Feb 16, 2013, 8:49:18 AM2/16/13
to
"News" <m...@sb.net> wrote in
news:PrqdneK-g41Y3YLM...@earthlink.com:
And if it hadn't been for "Arnie," the relatively-forgotten situation
comedy starring Herschel Bernardi and Roger Bowen (1970-72), the part of
Blake surely would have been offered to Bowen who, like Gary Burghoff,
would have accepted the role in the pilot (he had already been in a TV
sitcom, like Stevenson). Unlike Stevenson, he probably would have
stayed with the series. There would have been no Col. Potter character.
Maybe the situation with Rogers would have been different. Maybe
Stevenson's actions convinced Rogers to leave. Maybe the series would
not have been so popular with the continuing Blake character. Maybe it
wouldn't have lasted 11 years or had the 2-1/2 hour finale. Who knows
what would have been different?
All because of a sitcom few remember today.
news:PrqdneK-g41Y3YLM...@earthlink.com:
comedy starring Herschel Bernardi and Roger Bowen (1970-72), the part of
Blake surely would have been offered to Bowen who, like Gary Burghoff,
would have accepted the role in the pilot (he had already been in a TV
sitcom, like Stevenson). Unlike Stevenson, he probably would have
stayed with the series. There would have been no Col. Potter character.
Maybe the situation with Rogers would have been different. Maybe
Stevenson's actions convinced Rogers to leave. Maybe the series would
not have been so popular with the continuing Blake character. Maybe it
wouldn't have lasted 11 years or had the 2-1/2 hour finale. Who knows
what would have been different?
All because of a sitcom few remember today.
George
Feb 18, 2013, 11:24:36 PM2/18/13
to
"Wiseguy" <epw...@yahoo.com> wrote
> And if it hadn't been for "Arnie," the relatively-forgotten situation
> comedy starring Herschel Bernardi and Roger Bowen (1970-72), the part of
> Blake surely would have been offered to Bowen who, like Gary Burghoff,
> would have accepted the role in the pilot (he had already been in a TV
> sitcom, like Stevenson). Unlike Stevenson, he probably would have
> stayed with the series. There would have been no Col. Potter character.
> Maybe the situation with Rogers would have been different. Maybe
> Stevenson's actions convinced Rogers to leave. Maybe the series would
> not have been so popular with the continuing Blake character. Maybe it
> wouldn't have lasted 11 years or had the 2-1/2 hour finale. Who knows
> what would have been different?
>
> All because of a sitcom few remember today.
Interesting comment. I guess I'm one of the few who remembers Arnie. The
> comedy starring Herschel Bernardi and Roger Bowen (1970-72), the part of
> Blake surely would have been offered to Bowen who, like Gary Burghoff,
> would have accepted the role in the pilot (he had already been in a TV
> sitcom, like Stevenson). Unlike Stevenson, he probably would have
> stayed with the series. There would have been no Col. Potter character.
> Maybe the situation with Rogers would have been different. Maybe
> Stevenson's actions convinced Rogers to leave. Maybe the series would
> not have been so popular with the continuing Blake character. Maybe it
> wouldn't have lasted 11 years or had the 2-1/2 hour finale. Who knows
> what would have been different?
>
> All because of a sitcom few remember today.
first time I saw Mash the movie on tv I instantly recognized the guy playing
Col Blake as the guy from Arnie. Him playing the tv Blake is an interesting
'what if' scenario.
Will Dockery
Jul 20, 2014, 4:44:53 AM7/20/14
to
"Wiseguy" <epw...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:XnsA1694F8AE386...@69.16.185.252...
was sort of a "working man" comedy character or something? I'm sure I can
look him up but I'm right now just testing my memory... it seems like he
wore a hard hat, and some of the stories centered around his family and home
life, and some on... a construction site?
Anyway, I am personally thankful we have Mcclean Stevenson's version of
Henry Blake, and Harry Morgan's Potter, two of my favorites of M*A*SH.
ryoun...@aol.com
Feb 16, 2016, 1:15:27 PM2/16/16
to
Roger Bowen was a 2nd cousin of mine and he was considered for the part on the Mash TV series but was already under contract with Arnie. I don't know how long he would have stayed because Roger's first love was writing novels. He worked in Movies, TV and commercials to provide an income for his family. Roger was a very sincere and unassuming family man.
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