MovieChat Forums > M*A*S*H (1972) Discussion > There were other surgeons at the 4077th

There were other surgeons at the 4077th

posted 8 years ago by buttsronc
4 replies | jump to latest

There were other surgeons and doctors at 4077th besides the main characters, Spearchucker, Capt. Spaulding.

In "Sometimes you here the Bullet" there are two other doctors working on patients when Hawkeye and Trapper walk into the OR and first examine Ron Howard.

In "Officer's Only" Hawkeye and Trapper are working on General Mitchell's son. Henry is talking to them wearing his fishing outfit. Frank walks in with Hot Lips scrubbed for surgery yet there is a doctor clearly seen working on a patient. A white doctor at that and its after Spearchucker left so who is the other Doctor? Later on in the final scene at the officer's club there are several male officers wearing medical corps insignia drinking and dancing.

[–] johnny_burnaway 8 years ago

Must be a nod to the fact that in reality, there would have been probably 10 or so medical officers, back before they tightened the cast up. It's kind of like how on WKRP in Cincinnati, they occasionally mention DJs who you never actually see.

[–] louiseculmer 8 years ago

In the original MASH novel and in the movie there is a southern doctor who is one of the main characters, when Spearchucker arrives he jokes "it's bad enough having to share a tent with you two yankees" I read that in a real MASH unit there would have been 10 doctors, so it makes sense to have some background doctors if they are going for authenticity.

[–] crypticanomaly73 8 years ago

A lot of shows start off as more realistic to their theme and setting but then as the writers and producers work out which characters are more popular and what type of stories the viewers want the extra characters and realism will be scrapped.

Another good example is Happy Days, they dropped the oldest son completely!

Sometimes a movie or tv show plot is so stupid that only the stupid can understand it.

[–] tgibbs279 8 years ago

Clearly, there was an effort in the early years of M*A*S*H to suggest that the 4077th was much bigger (in terms of personnel) than it would appear during its latter years.

The first three years (the Blake-Trapper years), there were all kinds of references to other doctors, and an occasional mention of two shifts. Sometimes, you'd hear the p.a. announcer say, "Both shifts report to the operating room." There's one episode where Blake turned to someone in the operation room and said, "George, take over." A doctor then stepped in and started operating. No explanation, then or later, of who this "George" was.

Then, during the show's middle years, it seemed like the writers just decided the 4077th had four surgeons, and that's all.