I can't imagine that I will ever be on anything like 'M*A*S*H' again.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
'M*A*S*H,' to me, was about something. It had value beyond the laughs.
I don't know if 'M*A*S*H' made me a better actor, but I know it made me a better human being.
It's a difficult thing to overcome, but I've been quite fortunate. I haven't been out of work, literally, since 'M*A*S*H' went out of production.
There is no such thing as going on to something bigger and better than 'M*A*S*H' because there is nothing bigger and better. I have done the best I can do, and been in the best I could be in on television - with the best people.
M*A*S*H' was a collection of people, in front of and behind the cameras, that really clicked.
M*A*S*H offered real characters and everybody identified with them because they had such soul. The humor was intelligent and it always assumed that you had an intellect.
Usually, comedy shows only influence other comedy shows. 'M*A*S*H' is one of the few comedies that influenced dramatic shows as well.
The show that defined 'M*A*S*H' was the original interview episode with Clete Roberts. That was a way to look into these peoples' lives and investigate their situation, their feelings being away from home on an intimate level.
The thing that made 'M*A*S*H' so good was the fact that we did have those relationships off-camera and took them on-camera.
I hope they make a show like M*A*S*H, which dealt with a lot of difficult subject matter but was very funny.