|
LARRY LINVILLE (1939 TO 2000) COD:Complications of pneumonia after cancer treatment ASHES:Scattered over The Six Nations Indian Reserve in Ontario, Canada. |
When did M*A*S*H stop being funny? Was it after Larry Gelbart left and Alan Alda became more involved, turning the sharply witty, politically edgy show into a preachy, heavy-handed, liberal soup? Certainly as Alda became more and more involved the show died a slow, agonizing death. But, truly, M*A*S*H began spiraling downward, particularly on a comedic level, when Larry Linville (Frank Burns) departed the show. He was the comic foil, the straight man, the brunt of most of the humor. Linville, as with most straight men, was wildly underrated. He started out studying aeronautical engineering before applying to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. He was one of three American applicants out of 300 to win. Linville had appeared on many other television shows prior to becoming Frank Burns. It was not a role that he relished, feeling that it didn't make use of his talents. He eventually left to pursue other ventures. When Frank left the show the characters on screen rejoiced, but my spirits plummeted because I knew that M*A*S*H's comedic heart had been removed. It's body then waited for years before someone pulled a sheet over it. -Todd |
|
|
|
|
Website Design and Video by "Death2UR Productions LLC" This site is protected under both U.S. Federal copyright law and international treaties. No part of this work, including text, look and feel, layout, be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means. We went to great lengths to ensure that we have not infringed on any copyrights, however if we have indeed infringed on any copyrights please let us know via e-mail and we will remove it or give credit to the originator.
|
|
