If you do not remember who Captain Tuttle was, that’s because there really was no captain to speak of. The only episode Tuttle “appeared in” was aptly titled “Tuttle,” and the so-called captain was just a figment of Hawkeye’s imagination.
However, weirdly enough, Tuttle’s name appeared during the show’s credits for playing himself. How odd for something that no one has ever heard of, nor seen, to be only in a person’s mind and yet become acknowledged in the show credits. Was this an early version of the now popular trend of placing easter eggs in shows, films, and games?
Guest Appearances
M*A*S*H has enriched the lives of many of its viewers through its drama and humor. It provided good company to the anxious during a time of war and tribulation. It also provided great opportunities for artists to expand their careers and for writers to test their skills. It made a tough time in America’s history a little bit livable, which was a big thing.
For some actors, however, their extreme guest appearances netted them some unusual notoriety. John Ritter guested as a soldier who snapped during treatment, his taking of a hostage was frowned upon. Laurence Fishburne played the role of a racist commander who placed black soldiers in hazardous missions. And Patrick Swayze played a terminally ill patient, the tragedy of which foreshadowed his own death from a terminal illness in 2009.
No To Guns
To be in the military and despise guns must be a mountainous oxymoron to tackle. Even when Hawkeye was assigned as the Officer of the Day, he would fulfill his tasks without having a sidearm with him. And this was supposed to be during a time of war!
In one episode, Potter pleaded with Hawkeye to bring at least a pistol along on their way to the aid station, but the latter graciously rejected his request. Pointing his weapon to the sky, he screamed and unloaded all his bullets into the empty expanse above. He was a doctor, in the midst of the war, there to heal the injured, not to injure.
Inconsistencies
One of the M*A*S*H TV series’ stronger points was that many of those who were involved in it were former soldiers themselves, or had at least some direct experience working with the military or during wartime. It gave the show credibility, made the scenes feel less contrived, and added a sense of realness to everything, even the funny parts.
However, the TV program continued to create inconsistencies, which makes us wonder why none of the experienced cast and crew made any efforts to correct them. For one, there were too many Purple Heart Awards given to soldiers wounded in the line of duty, even after they got wounded for the second time. Purple Hearts are only given once. As a rule, if the same awardee gets injured again, he/she should be given the Oak Leaf Cluster. This wasn’t difficult to research and is just one of many similar discrepancies with military reality.
At The End Of The Day
No matter how well-created a show may be, how original the idea, and punctiliously wrought from start to finish, there is no guarantee how viewers will take it. There is no sure insulation against flopping. With such a variegated audience as there is in America, the challenge for M*A*S*H’s creators was amplified. But they did it.
One true measure for the series’ success is its longevity. Like a true classic, M*A*S*H has withstood the test of time; its messages and humor remain relevant, even to the current generation and quite possibly the next.