Burt Metcalfe was a revered TV producer who worked in all 11 seasons. “MASH,” died July 27 in Los Angeles. He was 87.
Metcalfe, an actor who later became a director-producer, was hired to work on “MASH” by director Gene Reynolds, who launched the series adaptation of Robert Altman’s 1970 black comedy released by 20th Century Fox. Metcalfe started out as an associate producer and rose to showrunner for the show’s final six seasons. He also directed 31 episodes of the series’ 251 installments.
Reynolds, who was also with “MASH” through the 1976-77 season before moving on to the helm of CBS’ “Lou Grant,”In February 2020, she was 96 years old.
The CBS series adaptation defied low expectations for movie adaptations and became pop culture touchstone of the 1970s and early ’80s. Alan Alda was Col. Franklin in the series, which was set during the Korean War. “Hawkeye”Pierce, a pragmatic surgeon with a heart for gold who managed a mobile medical unit that was populated by colorful Army characters.
“MASH”This was an allegory of Vietnam War, which was created when the conflict was still being portrayed every night on the evening news. The strength of the antiwar movement was dividing the country. The time was now “MASH” ended, with a series closer that still holds Nielsen’s record for all-time most watched series finale, Ronald Reagan was in the White House.
“Burt Metcalfe is gone now. We all loved him. If you enjoyed MASH it was in large part because of Burt. he was a producer on every season and ran the show for 7 years,”Alda posted on Twitter. We were very close. We collaborated on writing, directing and inspiring each other. He was such a good person.”
Burt Metcalfe passed away. We all loved him. Burt is the reason you enjoyed MASH. Burt was a producer for every season, and the show ran for seven years. We were very close. We collaborated on writing, directing and inspiring each other. He was such a great person. pic.twitter.com/YoXRhp1bfZ
— Alan Alda (@alanalda) July 31, 2022
A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewon, Metcalfe began his career in the 1950sAnd ’60s as an actor with guest shots on such series as “The Ray Milland Show,” “Whirlybirds,” “Have Gun, Will Travel,” “Death Valley Days” and “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.”
He was the 1960s’ most famous. “Twilight Zone”Episode “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.”In the 1959 film, he played a surfer with James Darren and Sandra Dee. “Gidget.”
Actor roles in 1960s TV include those on “Perry Mason,” “The Outer Limits,” “The Fugitive”And “12 O’Clock High.”He was a regular actor in a movie-to TV adaptation. “Father of the Bride,”It aired on CBS in the 1961-62 Season.
(Pictured: “MASH”Loretta Swit, Mike Farrell, and stars Alan Alda are pictured with Burt Metcalfe (second from right) at the TV Land Awards 2009.