TV Tearjerkers #2: M*A*S*H's Abyssinia, Henry

[RandyMantoothlover51]

I can't help but bawl my eyes out every time. :'(

[DCandHAZ]

Unfortunately, Henry Blake died with mclean stevenson's career

[sixtwentysix]

And that's what happens when an actor plays hardball with the producers of a show. They write you out and kill you.... for ratings.

[Delahock]

really.....do you have any decency at all...you should be ashamed....

[dishes2wash11]

Love the scene, but lose the crap at the end. Really?!

[TheMashwatcher585]

I have one word..............disrespectfu­l

[Pug40]

WTH!!! Way to ruin one of the must poignant memories from my youth. Fix it!!

[NoMoWireHangers]

I was crying, then as the last 5 seconds popped up, was horrified. Then I laughed while all shocked, then I got really pissed. Started reading all the comments below, and now I'm cracking up because everyone else feels just like I do! And for just those reasons, I must say, thank you, for ruining a cherished memory of my youth, and then making me laugh, all of you, with your righteous fury and... the person who made this video.

[Aeolis7]

That part at the end was really fucking stupid. To clerify (because you are apparently either pretending to be stupid, or you really are) the part where the M*A*S*H scene pulls back to look as if the cast of Modern Family is holding a picture frame with the M*A*S*H scene on it. Really stupid.

[KatzBeatles]

Radar should have won an Oscar for this scene, even if it isn't a movie.

[progrocker9]

@KatzBeatles I agree. The sad thing about this scene (besides it's content) is that Gary had to re-shoot this part for technical reasons. The rest of the cast did not know the outcome of the season finale. The conclusion was kept under wraps in hopes that the director would get the most natural humane response from all the actors. The existing scene is very powerful, but could you imagine how much more effective it would have been if they were able to keep the first take?!

[strawberry246810]

this is a really touching scene and it potrayed the very real reality that in the time MASH was set, death could happen just like that :(

[LMmccallL57]

Though I LOVE the show "Modern Family" (clip at the end, for those who don't know), I don't understand the tie-in to M*A*S*H. It was unexpected, I'll give you that.

As for M*A*S*H, I didn't watch it a lot, but there are some moments, like this one, that you'll always remember.

[IWDTC]

Pointless ending...

[eramthgintsrow]

Way to RUIN a scene with the commercial at the end. What a lame ass

[bigdgc2005]

why was the ending so disturbing? You messing with one of the saddest moments of Mash! Wow

[TheMashwatcher585]

this was the saddest moment on mash

[PsYcHoFaB]

Why ruin one of the most emotional moments of this show with such an irrelevant ending? Makes no sense at all. Sorry.

[Tralman1965]

Why would you ruin it at the end??!!!

[MarkRiddles]

@Tralman1965 what

[DanteDevilDan]

@MarkRiddles That shite at the end

[StygianWhite]

@MarkRiddles Why are you acting like you don't know what we're talking about?

[7beers]

@Tralman1965 True. The ending is completely tasteless.

[hellothere0517]

@7beers

not everyone survived, made it home

[7beers]

@hellothere0517 Not sure what your comment has to do with mine.

[Hanzochu]

@Tralman1965 its simple why they added it . They actor played Henry said the director his opinion, and thus they made sure he could never return to the show

[MarkoOhNo]

@Tralman1965 Yeah, seriously. What the hell was up with that last few seconds?! That's nearly flag-worthy.

[barett1962]

truly the saddest moment on TV.

[GojyotheFeared]

Hey, I like modern family for pure entertainment value you prick, but you fucking ruined it for me now by making this video!

Asshole!

[denver924471]

What the Fuck You goddamn asshole. The last 5 seconds were a total fucking disgrace.

[FranksWarJournal]

Where's Dr. Sam Beckett when you need him? :(

[MrJimmyTide]

Who do I see about a Section 8? :P

[Suavepebble]

The ending speaks upon the nature of time, triumph, television, and tlife

[o2bnparadise]

This episode was on recently, it's so sad! @TheFatAlmighty that's right, no one knew at all until it was time to shoot the scene, it's amazing how everyone stayed in character.

[TheFatAlmighty]

those were real emotions. none of them knew the what the line was. the directors changed it at the last moment

[Jeronami]

@TheFatAlmighty But he wasn't really dead, so basically it was the same in actuality had he just been sent home.

[MSsexie95]

@TheFatAlmighty my mom just told me about that. that wasnt acting. that was for real

[7beers]

@MSsexie95 Well, it's still acting, as Blake was a fictional character.

[ChristopherSaindon]

About as inappropriate as playing the song "I'm a Little Teacup" during a hockey fight. THAT was an abomination..

[MrMike1790]

It's is a sad when radar say it and the end off this video ruins the inthire video!!!!!

[MoniqueADyer]

One of tv's saddest moments ruined by dumb commercial. 

[n11n12]

That was worse than getting Rick rolled.

[jksonny]

What an insulting ending.

I wonder if Hawkeye, Trapper, and Radar felt any guilt over Henry's death. In any early episode, Henry had been transferred to Tokyo and Hawkeye and the gang conned him into coming back b/c they didn't want Frank in charge. If they had left Henry in Tokyo, he never would have been on that plane.

[vccstudents]

@jksonny McLean Stevenson CHOSE to leave the show because NBC offered him a sitcom called "Hello Larry." Stevenson told Loretta Swit if he didn't take the offer, it might not happen again. The writers waited until the last possible moment to put Blake's demise into the script to inject the "War is Hell" reality into the show. This episode also turned out to be Wayne Rogers's (Trapper) last episode as well as he left in a contract dispute. The writers had planned on a new CO after this episode.

[cochranexyz]

Yeah, what the fuck is is with that goddamned commercial????

[Zippertheslipper]

That was a touching scene and always makes me feel sad, but that bunch of crap commercial afterwards, makes me mad, they can go to hell, and burn burn burn.

[ACoKyo]

way to ruin what is probably the most heartbreaking scene in TV history

[ooohyeahnachoman]

could they have ruined that scene any more with the advert for modern family?

[claytonaut]

As seen on: Best Week Ever. Oh, irony.

[chasonr2]

Look, jerk, this is one of the great sad moments of TV. And then you ruin it with some cheesy ad. I hit stop once the jazz started playing. Whatever it is you're advertising, I ain't buying.

May the mods remove this video, and ban your filthy ass. And may you burn in Hell for all eternity.

[MusicOTNight2096]

Stevenson would later state in an interview that he was deeply hurt that his character's death was revealed just prior, and the party was "ruined."[4] Gelbart later said of the event, "Now I wish we could say to him, 'We didn't mean it, Mac.'

[MusicOTNight2096]

As a result, Stevenson was still on the set to see the final scene being filmed.[4] After shooting was completed, a season-ending cast party was planned; however, McLean Stevenson left the set almost immediately after the end of filming, and the party was canceled due to the poor mood of the cast. (concluded in last post)

[MusicOTNight2096]

To evoke genuine emotions of shock and sadness, the final O.R. scene was kept a secret from the cast, with the exception of Alan Alda (who later served as a creative consultant for the show) until the moment of filming; only then did Gelbart hand out the last page of the script. (continued in next post)

[made757]

Ohh my God! im from Czech republic n I love Mash. But what about the american dubbing? Bohemia aint very good in movies, but we have great dubbing artistes n czech dubbing is much more better than this. Radar sounds like 8years old child. Dont be angry because of it on me, I like USA n I ♥ MASH nevertheless

4077 rules!!

[kavtoM]

@made757 That's not dubbing, those are their real voices.

[made757]

@kavtoM Wow...i though its dubbing for example from England bc english people hate american accent or i dont know what...

[kavtoM]

@made757 I watched Alan Alda's interview lately. He's so old but he's voice is exactly the same.

[DoctorScrumpy]

@made757 Bollocks, we hate American politicians, not the voices of Americans themselves.

[beatlequeen06]

I cry every times I see this. I hate that they killed Henry, but at the same time it's a reality of war.

[CSavageSr]

Why the Fuck a Goddamn Motherfucking commercial. What the FUCK is wrong with you people. This moment is fucking sacred (notice the irony).

[kaytheliberal]

The surgical tool dropping was an accident but they decided to keep it in.

[Ringo84]

That's a great scene. Even Frank and Margaret are shown to be stunned and upset about the news.

[lutralibre]

Throughout the filming of this episode, no one was told about this last scene. Every reaction in that room is the reaction of both actors and characters. Only the writers and Gary Burghoff (Radar) knew what the announcement was, and he was only told before they shot the scene.

[271tixe]

@lutralibre Not true. Check Snopes. Not only did the actors know the final scene before they shot it, they had to shoot the scene twice because of a production problem with the first take.

[finalconflictpro]

@271tixe They knew the scene for a few minutes before filming. Alda and Stevenson were the only actors to know of Blake's death before they went to film the scene.

[drawswithcrayon]

What does Hawkeye say before that little fat boy and his Satanic family take over the show?

[RatherStrangeCat]

@drawswithcrayon Hawkeye doesn't say anything, it just ends in silence as they carry on with surgery.

[flokatirug]

I can't even make it through the announcement, much less the ad break. It says a lot about M*A*S*H that I still tear up as soon as this scene approaches.

[TheMashwatcher585]

the ending of that was so disrespectful

[JoshMalinaFan]

@TheMashwatcher585 Yeah, Ed O'Neill should have been the one to hold the picture. How many years does a guy have to be in the biz to get center position in a title sequence.

[robotmastercutman]

A fantastic, depressing conclusion capped with the most inappropriate WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK clip ever. Of all time. I don't normally play this card, but...this fails.

[stirlwm]

Turned out to be Wayne Rogers' last scene as well since he left the show that summer of '75...

[valjoedg]

Man Frank Burns was crying! THAT got me.

[DerekBayRoberts1]

This is one of the 3 classic fav TV deaths. The other was the death of James Evans (John Amos) in "Good Times" and Maude Flanders in "The Simpsons"

[DarrylXE]

Mr. Riddles, you are a genius. The protests on here prove the very sad rule to which the protestors themselves are oblivious, as they waste away emotionally and mentally in front of the tube.

[Sener]

Why is this in the Modern Family opening?

[MysticalSelah]

The ending?

[MrChetwannabe]

while everyones crying some guys on the tabel ...."uhhh im dyin here fuckers !"

[gargoyle2bad4u]

No one was told of this scene to make sure the tears were real.

[DerekBayRoberts1]

@gargoyle2bad4u

I wonder if that's how did TV deaths on other shows, was it like that on "Good Times" when Esther Rolle (as Florida Evens) read that telegram?

[SeeTimeRun391]

Well, what we actually witnessed here was the death of McLean Stevenson's career. That in itself is sad enough.

[zaxmack]

ok..who's the jackass that allowed some jerkoff editing at the end of this scene??!! ..and WHY THE HELL CAN'T ANYONE FIND A SINGLE FULL EPISODE OF THIS SHOW ON HERE?? ...WHAT IS THIS....COMMUNIST CHINA??!!!

[ArrowX]

@zaxmack nope, its Capitalist america! Can't watch MASH if you don't watch it on TV or buy it on DVD.

Its totally worth buying tho.

[CrownedWithLaurels]

*single manly tear*

[00RSZEX]

If you did not shed a tear during this episode you simply are not human

[royjv30]

it's not a commercial at the end of the clip. it's supposed to be funny. tv tearjerker #1 is better.

[DeathIsMySalvation]

This was actually a shock for everyone in the room.

The death wasn't in the script and was added to the scene to make the sadness and faces look legitimately depressed.

The next day, however, the actor who played Henry Blake was on the beginning of The Carol Burnett Show on a raft exclaiming "I'm okay!"

(My name is actually Henry Blake. <3)

[TheLastBrainLeft]

@DeathIsMySalvation This is a myth. They all knew. The scene would not have worked had they not prepared for it.

[digerydoo1]

@TheLastBrainLeft I cant see the comment your referring to but I assume it has to do with the shooting of the scene itself, it is not a myth that only Radar (Gary Burghoff) was the only one who knew about the scene, the rest of the cast knew nothing about the final scene, however due to a mistake it had to be shot a second time in which the whole cast knew what the scene was.

[LaikVictoria49]

@DeathIsMySalvation that's not true. That was a common myth, but was just that. A myth. Everyone knew what was going to happen beforehand.

[BettinaBalser]

Screw your ad and screw you.

[blueeyesaf]

Raidar (or rather the guy who played him) didn't want to do this scene, he asked Mclean Stevenson to reconsider and no leave the show in fact. I like the guy they got to replace him more though.

[legalboxers]

down with the 13 downraters! they were probably POWs

[Aquaria]

@legalboxers They're probably protesting the stupid ugly ad for a worthless show tacked on at the end. It ruins one of the best sad scenes on TV, ever.

[legalboxers]

I hope so :(

[Lennon4life1968]

wow...I think some folks are holding on a little too tight. Is having that commercial at the end really that traumatizing?

[julienkip]

@Lennon4life1968 Yes.

[Fartingbellybutton]

This makes me think of my Uncle who died the Day after Thanksgiving of this Year.

[Bot2Talk2]

GET RID OF THAT STUPID COMMERCIAL AT THE END DUMBSHIT

[glenh75]

This could have been one of the greastest youtube uploads.. untill that stupid ending part and fucked it all up.. MarkRiddles, you need to redo this without that dumbass ending... ok.. here... " Yeaaaa!!! You know how to do S/Fx on video!!! Yeaaaa!!!!!" Now take it off of this one!

[Captmiloman]

IIRC, Stevenson appeared a week later on the Carol Burnett Show as Henry in a life raft Telling the audience "I'm okay."

[highchief42]

who the fuck are these dipshits at the end? I mean really?

[landrykkb]

This episode had certainly steered M*A*S*H into a more dramatized direction,but they'd been flirting with "dramedy" right from Day 1,pretty much.

[CalibanFlamingo]

AW HELL NAAAW

nice ending

[TheMashwatcher585]

you tube should be ashed of themselves for putting that tv commercial in :-( because that was one of the saddest moments on tv.

[hunnybeemnm]

@TheMashwatcher585 it's not an advertisement, it's the video maker being a dumb ass. he/she messed with the ending of another sad tv moment.

[lxAUGBuckeyesxl]

im in the waterworks right now... :(

[seairra117]

WTF Modern Family???

[FyAthyRio69]

Be advised - I put this clip up a year ago. It was popular. Lasted MONTHS. Then it got torn down, courtesy of Fox, and I collected a SANCTION for it. Just trying to help...

[theteamedward108]

I cry every time i see that epsode

[RichardOnADragon]

Oh yeah, that's appropriate. GODDAMNIT ADVERTISING!

[Truggy]

fucking horrible ending

[duckwrangler]

This scene was scripted after Stevenson had left the show. The producers were unhappy that he left and decided to kill him off without telling the actor.

[cs512tr]

typical tv advertisers cramming more and more ads in

[olstar18]

That commercial was totally inappropriate for the emotion involved in the episode. Why can't they think before they just toss these things in there.

[feduncan]

After all these years, it still makes me cry when I see it.

[Hamlet0627]

that was fucked -Stevenson is dead and this is how yal show the ending?MESSED UP

[MrHawkeye321]

Col. Blake was my Favorate C.O. in the whole show :(

[jeffrowww]

Fucking hillarious, 2 of my favorite shows of all time.

[PretentiousHousefly]

What the fuck is with the ending?

[kingkold]

sad part

[lyletuck]

This is playing slightly too fast. Hawkeye's voice and Radar's voice are both pitched too high.

[temsi]

@lyletuck

Probably taken from a PAL version, which plays at 25fps.

Usually, instead of adding frames to material shot at 24fps like we do here in the US (to make it 30fps), PAL is sped up by 4% and most people don't seem to mind the change in pitch and speed.

Sucks if you're Kristin Chenoweth though...

[GalacticCollision]

"You son of a bitch... you're probably gonna get an Emmy for this."

[LukeAlto2007]

Boy, the commercial at the end of the video sure ruins the moment.

[lineba20]

@LukeAlto2007 It is amazing how TV doesn't give a crap about ruining classic moments through editing, commercials, whatever.

Like the TV channel AMC has popup ads during movies that cover part of the screen. I was just shocked when I saw them. Totally ruins the film and you would think this was cause everyeone watching to turn it off.

[LukeAlto2007]

@lineba20 I feel the same way about those pop-up advertisements. They suck away all dramatic tension.

[DavidRossThompson]

@LukeAlto2007 Sure does, what were they thinking?

[Ghstwn]

@LukeAlto2007 No Shit! Who thought to post it that way? DUH! LOL!

[cochranexyz]

Still give me goosebumps after all these years.

[clgil77]

This was left out of the initial script by the writers so that the characters would actually be shocked. The reaction is real.

[smwca123]

Widely considered THE turning point for M*A*S*H, from a sitcom to a more serious show. How much did Alan Alda have to do with it?

[shellsybelle]

This still gives me goosebumps every time I see it... Thank you for sharing this!

[kondiggety]

IT WAS A BABY!!!