Winchester could be a bit of a rich snob but deep down he was a nice honest person. The way he fought for and cared about the orphan baby girl .....helping the patient who could no longer play the piano as good as he did .....standing up for the enlisted man who stuttered.
Or when he comforted Hawkeye when Hawkeye's dad was having a major surgery and admitted that he was envious of Hawkeye's relationship with his father. 'Where I have a Father, you have a Dad'.
Exactly. He also was going to punch the bureaucrat who refused to help them send the baby girl (who was facing a death sentence in Korea) to the states as her father was a GI. He was a good man once you got past his high society snobbery.
Rather, it was the writers of the show's script who should be lauded for all those things. It was they, or perhaps just one insightful person, who had the ideas for those roles for him, not Stiers himself. The actors typically don't have a thing to do with the script other than perhaps refining it to the character they're playing.
He wanted the horse for himself, but didn’t think he’d be allowed to keep it, so he gave it to Col. Potter for his anniversary. “ At least, I’ll get to help take care of him” he said. The horse later turned out to be a mare, but that’s neither here nor there.
When Radar led the horse into Potter’s office, and Potter got his first glimpse of it, he looked as if he were going to fall over. Then Radar said, “It’s a horse, sir. Here’s the keys”, as he handed Potter the reins. 🐎
As much I liked Larry Linville as Burns, David Odgen Stiers as Winchester was such a breath of fresh air to the series. The character arc was something to behold. Of all the replacements his was the deepest character.
Definitely. Potter and BJ were in many ways the opposites of the characters they replaced (Blake and Trapper), just like Winchester to Burns, which helped keep the show relevant and last another eight seasons.
@@ChrisJones-gx7fc I always equated Blake, Pierce, and McIntire as The Three Amigo's "Or is that the Three Stooges?". Whereas when Potter, Hunnicut, and Winchester came in the dynamic changed to a kind professional comradely friendship. With Pierce and Hunnicut the hooligan middle and younger brothers and Winchester the know it all older brother and Potter as father figure.
The Burns character had just gotten stale by season 4 at the very least. All of the characters were evolving, but Burns was stagnant and once Houlihan was married, there was no place for him on the show.
@@Bogframe To be fair, being in a leadership role where your butt is on the line tends to force your hand at times. As far as leadership goes, he was damn lenient.
David Ogden Stiers brought such depth of character to Winchester. David Ogden Stiers was a Mensch in real life as well. He did commercials for the Tucson Sumphony and my ex-wife once met him in the airport at Tucson and she said he was a humble person who didn’t like to be treated differently than anyone else.
One of my favorite episodes was of him working with a soldier patient being bullied because of a stutter. you find out, as he later listens to a tape from his sister back home, that she too has a stutter.
I love the juxtaposition of him reminiscing about “utter civility” and then being suddenly thrust back to his childhood instead, the innocence and simple joy of playing in the snow. Winchester had so much depth over the series. It was beautiful to watch.
It was scenes like this that brought me to tears of joy. Remembering Charles' trying SO hard to coach the North Korean band into playing the classic piece and them getting it right as they were driven away - only for Charles to learn they'd all died. Tears of grief.
correct me if im wrong, but i thing to this day according to the neilson ratings That final mash movie Goodbye farewell and amen, still holds the record for the most watched movie during its televised premiere as the last episode of mash in 1983....
It was actually Mozarts Clarinet Quintet in A Major. And Charles smashed his recording of it after he found out his musicians were dead. At the farewell dinner, he said that whereas music had always been a refuge for him, from then on it would be a reminder. That made me very sad.
My favorite Charles moment was when he refused to lie for a newspaper story even though it meant him staying at the 4077th, and Hawkeye was so proud of him.
He also stood up to the colonel that tried to claim that Margaret had made advances at him! He was the aggressor and he told Charles that if he played ball, he could get them out of Korea but the integrity was just too strong!
To show my love for the Winchester character-when someone asks me if I sweat while golfing I answer- "First of all, I don't sweat., I perspire and secondly, I don't perspire "..my fave line from MASH !!!
Great episode. David Stiers was probably the best actor on the show. And he pulled that accent off so convincingly, I was quite surprised when I saw him in different role and he spoke naturally.
In my own opinion M.A.S.H. was and is one of the very few timeless shows to ever be on television. Even a half century later they are still a joy to watch and so much better quality than the shows of today.
What IS it with people ande their "things were better in my day...Nothing today is better than the stuff I had when I was younger"? TV(and by that I include streaming media like Netflix and Amazon Video) is in many instances as good if not better. MASH was an amazing show but many of the showrunners today stood on the shoulders of that giant and pushed much of today's TV into even better directions.
@@MikeRoberts1964 No one is denigrating all of modern tv, BUT you can't deny M*A*S*H's as yet unchallenged spot in history. To date NO scripted show has dethroned the series finale as the most viewers. And with streaming, TVo, etc. it's unlikely any show ever will. To this day, it still speaks to people of all ages and walks of life. To esteem M*A*S*H doesn't take away from anything newer...but then again, nothing newer has had the same continuing impact.
MASH was fortunate to have both Larry Linville and David Ogden Stiers...both were such lovely people, and so very good at playing their particular characters. Both left us far too soon.
What was great about Charles came through in his first episode. Hawkeye and BJ thought they had a stooge when they pranked him with a snake in his bed. When they returned to the Swamp Charles was listening to music. Hawkeye lay down, felt uncomfortable, then pulled out the snake he left for Charles. He showed them he wasn't going to be a stooge after all.
Yep, he was light-years better than Burns in that regard. Frank was always the butt on the joke, but Winchester could take it with dignity and dish it back when he wanted to.
I liked all of them. They were human in a place where there was inhumanity. Each had the hopes and dreams of coming home from that place. Winchester got me with the stuttering soldier and with the pianist who lost use of his hand. He did a great job of putting up the facade of being pompous, but still human when it counted. I also loved Father Mulcahy as well.
One of those rare TV shows that got better with time. Major Charles Winchester (David Ogden Stiers) was a much richer, complex and deeper character than Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville). You couldn't help but loathe Major Burns, as he was a such an insecure, selfish and ignorant human being. Winchester, while a pompous ass most of the time, had some endearing and redeeming qualities, as shown in this clip. Similarly, Col Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan) was a much more compelling and developed character than his predecessor, LtCol Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson). Such wonderful writing for this show, too.
@@scooper4981 Winchester was one of my favorites. There was a good doctor and a human being. Something simple like a fall leaf mailed were appreciated. I remember the episode when he got his boyhood winter hat.
@@scooper4981 It also seemed that the show changed profoundly when Blake died and Burns left. I think everyone wanted him gone. Houlihan changed and became relatable.
The Father Mulcahy in the book was just as cool, even putting up with the Swamp denizens' nickname "Dago Red" because of the red wine served at communion and his bright red hair. The prefect example of a "shepherd". He didn't care what the person believed, he just ministered to him where he was instead of preaching at him. Obviously they dropped the nickname because a) Wm Christopher was blonde not red and also b) the name had already become non PC in the 70's.
It really is a contrast in writing development between the cartoonish villainy of Frank Burns, and the humanity that sometimes would break through Charles Winchester's cold snobbery.
the irony is that larry linville actually earned a scholarship to study at RADA in england. he might have had the best acting chops of the entire cast. he elected not to renew his five year contract with the show, but the damage was done; that caricature of a role typecast linville for the rest of his career. we'll never know how linville might have impressed us had he been cast as winchester instead of burns.
I was born in 1970 & saw this exact scene at an early age. I didn't have the words at my age to express the feelings I had for my Grandpa Wilkins, I had tried to tell him about it but my young mind just couldn't express it. In the 7th grade he was dying from Cancer and I would sit with him, just he & I (I think the grown-ups didn't want him left alone, I Don't know) But it was just dumb luck this episode came on and he wanted to not watch it. I was trying to make him leave the Chanel on & maybe I started crying. It shocked him, he left it and when it came to thus scene I was atrain weak crying trying to tell hum this is the scene I tried to tell you about back then. It effected us both and impretty sure he never told anyone about it. He died just like 4 months later. I ran away to the Army, left due to a shifty mother who imploded our Family whith her actions and never went home but twice til 1996 & never went home again. It's been hard alone my whole life with nothing to fall back on. Without looking for it, hit RUclips to "new to me" and this scene came up. Why , I don't know and have no explanation for it. People who've made a difference in my Life I've shown this to them, let them know this is how they made me feel. Today the RUclips algorithm God putting in my feed. I've needed to see this scene for a long long time. Today I cried for Grampa Wilkens, for Grandma I've, for Charles Bukowski, for We3 (P&c), for we3 (me,t& Super Staci, for my friend Pops who won't see next X-mas and for my Father who's laying in a bed waiting to hurry up and die. So today I cried and unfortunately there's Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.
Winchester provided some of the soulful moments in the show's history. When Radar was leaving Korea, and Charles called him Walter? Another great moment.
Grew up with MASH and reruns of MASH on TV for decades. Think it is fair to say I have seen every second of every episode and this one has always stood out to me. Winchester was the perfect replacement of Burns. He was more educated than Hawkeye or BJ but when they had their disputes they all learned from each other. I was born about 80 miles west of Boston and share his love for it. Never forget bringing a girlfriend to Boston on a frozen winter day. We sat in a little brew pub and watched the show falling and blowing around. I pointed across the street and told her "that is Fenway Park". She gave me a puzzled look and said "that old brick building"? We walked it the blustering wind and snow outside the Park from behind home plate to the light tower over left field at twilight in the circling wind blown snow. Winchester was brilliantly played by David. RIP
Or, when Winchester was being interviewed by a correspondent, who asked him about life after Boston--- Winchester said --- Sir-- there is no life after Boston.
@@user-mr3ct1dm9p I was born 80 miles west of Boston but love New England. Lived all my life here over 50 years. I also relate to Klinger talking about his hometown even if it is not my own. My uncle was in Korea during the war in combat and there was nothing he wanted more than to come home.
@@StanSwan The entire New England area is beautiful-- so much history, quaint towns, the scenery. Was there when I was younger, but due to an on going illness, cannot ever get back there. Enjoy it for me, and THANK YOU, !!!
Radar and Father Mulcahy practice the best definition of grace ( a gift unearned or expected) wish more Christians understood the importance of offering grace, its through grace that God gave us his son.
When I think of loved ones who have passed, and it is Christmas time, I will say aloud, "Corporal it is to weep" and because of the power of this moment, I feel connected with others who feel similarly. Such great writers and actors.
Not a jerk, just pompous, and it's understandable that he was, given his talents, education, aspirations, and work. Just as we see a smart-ass can be a great surgeon (Hawkeye), an innocent can be a savvy organizer (Radar), and a dedicated military man can have a horseman's sensitivity (Potter), we see a Boston Brahman serving others under horrible circumstances. Such characters made the show the television classic it is.
The "Mash" television series made a profound influence on me, and it makes me happy to relive a quieter time in my life when I watch reruns of these fine actors in great roles.
"... the well of my despair ..." the writers for the show were the last generation who actually studied and learned language, literature, communication ....
When this show was on air, I could NEVER figure out which character, I liked best as they were all fantastic. Currently I would say it would be Charles. I love, love, love the show.
@@redcaddiedaddie This insanity wouldn't exist if proper parenting had been implemented. No, the type of people whom the characters exemplified, & the actors & actresses who gave them flesh & voice are all dead or will be in a decade or two, and that which is replacing them is a poor substitute. A weak, watered down version of the fruit cakes & lunatics we made fun of back then. They don't even live up to our lowest expectations. And that's just the general populace. Hollywood specifically is so devoid of substance that you'd never find a single character, let alone an entire cast, to flesh out a show with that much real substance. Furthermore, there aren't any quality writers in Hollywood anymore either. So I reassert that this type & quality of show is incapable of duplication at any point in the foreseeable future.
The character of Charles Emerson Winchester III may have been a pompous ass, but every now and then they showed that he was human. It was something they didn't always do with Frank. And David Ogden Stiers played him very very well.
Kindness come in all different sizes...case in point... Like Fred said...let's take 10 seconds to think a people who show Kindness to us... Start now...I'll watch the time...go ahead...do you feel better?
If I could choose any member of that staff as a friend, I would definitely pick Radar. He was the kind of guy anyone would be fortunate to have as a buddy and he was played brilliantly by Gary Burghoff.
Winchester was by far the deepest character of them all, and I loved that they only touched on it occasionally. I've never know if that was the writers intend or the actor's insistence but it was brilliant in any case
MASH was such a great show. It was funny but it also made you feel real emotion with it;s touching moments. David Odgen Stiers had so many great moments on the show. Not sure why all these mash clips popping up past few days. But I am grateful. Used to watch this show with my Dad. Great memories.
Mr.Stiers was a wonderful performer..and I love his character of "Major Winchester"..BTW:His parents never made that woolen cap for him. No one knows..where that cap came from..but..it does show..Mr.Stiers caring and appreciative nature and the kind and equally caring nature of Mr.Burghoff's "Radar".
Makes me cry every time. I loved Charles and Radar was such a thoughtful person. And I met William Christopher in real life, and he was a lot like his character, a sweet and kind man.
Not only was he a fine actor, but he didn't speak anything like that in real life. The Boston accent and the rest of the Winchester shtick was a character.
The way they all cared for each other even though at times it looked like they hated each other. As much as I love Klinger I really wish Radar had stayed until the end.
I know this scene is about Charles but the episode largely was about Mulcahy and his feeling he didn’t make a difference. And he had no idea what Charles was talking about here. Brilliant scene for both of them.
Every midnight on Christmas Eve , I light a fire and sip apricot brandy in front of the fire .I do not have servants, so I have to pour my own brandy and the brandy is only a few years old .Charles inspired me to drink brandy, in front of the fireplace.
“Cretinous yayhoos.” 😄 The writers must have howled with laughter when they were coming up with Winchester’s dialogue. His insults were always hilarious.
They certainly were, especially his insults for Klinger. Those were priceless. “ Levantine thug”, “ meddling little Bedouin”, “Santa’s jolly little oaf” ( from a Christmas episode), and, my personal favorite, “ the Michelangelo of deviant behavior”.
I love this show..... I like winchester ... He had a semimetal side to him.. He just didn't like stupidity.. and I get it..... this scene was great. Radar was my favorite
I didn't like the Winchester character because it was so pat and cliché...the mean, intolerant, self centered rich man (some of the most generous and humble people I know are wealthy) but about 10 times the writers let the actor converse expectations. This is one of them The pianist that lost use of his hand. The series finale....his part was the most beautifully human.
It does speak to the ability of the late Mr. Stiers that he could play his role so well and convincingly....but the real "heroes" are those writers who came up with the scripts that allowed Stiers to give voice to the various aspects of the character of "Charles Emerson Winchester III." Without the writers who came up with the ideas for those various incidents, and the producer who approved of them, Mr. Stiers wouldn't have had the chance to play the advocate for the baby girl, nor for the stuttering soldier, or the pianist who lost an arm. Within the scope of their writing, those unseen, unknown writers showed themselves to be the ones to whom all those things matter(ed), and Stiers then gave voice to the parts so well, viewers thought it was he himself who came up with them.
On my short list of favorite television moments. To me, this is what Christmas is about: doing the important something for someone else that they couldn't do for themselves.
Charles was more layered than Frank,Larry worked with what he had I suppose,but I found the sniveling whiner thing grating and didn't miss it at all when it was gone. Charles was as skilled as a surgeon as Hawkeye/BJ,and could trade witicisms with the best of 'em. Pompous as hell,but when it mattered he had a well of goodness that didn't run dry.
When Winchester was first intro'd to the show, I figured he was just another Frank Burns clone or replacement. Basically, a character that we were supposed to hate or be the butt of all jokes, with zero plans to allow for character growth. Proved me completely wrong. Under all that pompous exterior, he was genuinely a good person, as was almost all the characters on the show other than the fore mentioned Burns, who had to stay the way he was or the character just wouldn't have worked.
Just like Ebenezer Scrooge Winchester learned to have the Christmas Spirit and Radar and Father Mulcahy were the Christmas Spirits. In another episode Everybody accused Winchester of being Scrooge when he had a bunch pf packages sent to him and all he gave to the Christmas Party was Oysters in a can. But Winchester Didnt want anybody knowing what he was really Doing. Klinger Found out what it was when he overheard between Winchester and the guy from the orphanage talking . He brings Winchester Dinner in his Tent and Winchester Joked Laced with hemlock right? Klinger said No but I will get u some Ketchup and then he said the source of this must be kept secret. Merry Christmas Charles Winchester replied THANK U MAX
That wonderful show was a part of everyone's life. To think I didn't like it at first because it was so different from the movie. That attitude changed quickly.
![Kehlani - Next 2 U [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MpI7ekFG8A0/mqdefault.jpg)
Winchester could be a bit of a rich snob but deep down he was a nice honest person. The way he fought for and cared about the orphan baby girl .....helping the patient who could no longer play the piano as good as he did .....standing up for the enlisted man who stuttered.
And the guy who stuttered like his sister
Or when he comforted Hawkeye when Hawkeye's dad was having a major surgery and admitted that he was envious of Hawkeye's relationship with his father. 'Where I have a Father, you have a Dad'.
Exactly. He also was going to punch the bureaucrat who refused to help them send the baby girl (who was facing a death sentence in Korea) to the states as her father was a GI. He was a good man once you got past his high society snobbery.
The episode with the stuttering soldier... At the end when Charles plays the tape sent by his sister... Chokes me up every time.
Rather, it was the writers of the show's script who should be lauded for all those things. It was they, or perhaps just one insightful person, who had the ideas for those roles for him, not Stiers himself. The actors typically don't have a thing to do with the script other than perhaps refining it to the character they're playing.
I always loved when Charles would drop his snobbishness and show his humanity.
I love the initiative Radar takes to cheer people up. My favourite was the horse he got for Colonel Potter.
He wanted the horse for himself, but didn’t think he’d be allowed to keep it, so he gave it to Col. Potter for his anniversary. “ At least, I’ll get to help take care of him” he said. The horse later turned out to be a mare, but that’s neither here nor there.
When Radar led the horse into Potter’s office, and Potter got his first glimpse of it, he looked as if he were going to fall over. Then Radar said, “It’s a horse, sir. Here’s the keys”, as he handed Potter the reins. 🐎
Sweet Sophie will always be a favorite character. She hit the ground trotting, you might say.
When he says, ‘it was’ and looked around for Father Mulcahey, he was a 10 year old boy, not in a hell hole. Superb and sublime acting, David 👏🏻👏🏻
As much I liked Larry Linville as Burns, David Odgen Stiers as Winchester was such a breath of fresh air to the series. The character arc was something to behold. Of all the replacements his was the deepest character.
Definitely. Potter and BJ were in many ways the opposites of the characters they replaced (Blake and Trapper), just like Winchester to Burns, which helped keep the show relevant and last another eight seasons.
@@ChrisJones-gx7fc I always equated Blake, Pierce, and McIntire as The Three Amigo's "Or is that the Three Stooges?". Whereas when Potter, Hunnicut, and Winchester came in the dynamic changed to a kind professional comradely friendship. With Pierce and Hunnicut the hooligan middle and younger brothers and Winchester the know it all older brother and Potter as father figure.
@@patrickradcliffe3837 I never liked Potter. He had a way of bringing down a scene where levity was needed.
The Burns character had just gotten stale by season 4 at the very least. All of the characters were evolving, but Burns was stagnant and once Houlihan was married, there was no place for him on the show.
@@Bogframe To be fair, being in a leadership role where your butt is on the line tends to force your hand at times. As far as leadership goes, he was damn lenient.
David Ogden Stiers brought such depth of character to Winchester. David Ogden Stiers was a Mensch in real life as well. He did commercials for the Tucson Sumphony and my ex-wife once met him in the airport at Tucson and she said he was a humble person who didn’t like to be treated differently than anyone else.
I have never heard anything bad about him. He brought to this role humanity under a veneer of snobbery which was his upbringing.
And he was awesome in better off dead
His character brought humanity and humility to the other characters too.
One of my favorite episodes was of him working with a soldier patient being bullied because of a stutter. you find out, as he later listens to a tape from his sister back home, that she too has a stutter.
I like the commercial he did back in the 70's , he plays a country radio station disc jockey.
I love the juxtaposition of him reminiscing about “utter civility” and then being suddenly thrust back to his childhood instead, the innocence and simple joy of playing in the snow. Winchester had so much depth over the series. It was beautiful to watch.
It was "utter *_servility"_* - he was referring to their servants standing at the ready.
It was scenes like this that brought me to tears of joy. Remembering Charles' trying SO hard to coach the North Korean band into playing the classic piece and them getting it right as they were driven away - only for Charles to learn they'd all died. Tears of grief.
One similar was when they received letters from children from crabapple cove and Charles open one with a leaf inside , very touching.
Actually Chinese POWs, but this ending to his character arc always brought me to tears as well 😢
It was Mozart - the Clarinet Quartet - the episode was in the final series. IT still moves me.
correct me if im wrong, but i thing to this day according to the neilson ratings That final mash movie Goodbye farewell and amen, still holds the record for the most watched movie during its televised premiere as the last episode of mash in 1983....
It was actually Mozarts Clarinet Quintet in A Major. And Charles smashed his recording of it after he found out his musicians were dead. At the farewell dinner, he said that whereas music had always been a refuge for him, from then on it would be a reminder. That made me very sad.
Winchester was one of my all time favorite TV characters. He's just so human.
Whole scene showed he did have a heart down deep and bless dear Radar for making his Christmas just a little bit more bright.
And he was truly touched by the gesture
My favorite Charles moment was when he refused to lie for a newspaper story even though it meant him staying at the 4077th, and Hawkeye was so proud of him.
What episode was that?
@@markmiller3713 I cannot remember, all I can recall is that BJ did not have a mustache yet.
He also stood up to the colonel that tried to claim that Margaret had made advances at him! He was the aggressor and he told Charles that if he played ball, he could get them out of Korea but the integrity was just too strong!
@@blockmasterscott OK thanks
It was Col. Horace Baldwin, the guy who assigned him to the 4077th in the first place.
Epic scene. A rare moment of pure Winchester
To show my love for the Winchester character-when someone asks me if I sweat while golfing I answer- "First of all, I don't sweat., I perspire and secondly, I don't perspire "..my fave line from MASH !!!
Great episode. David Stiers was probably the best actor on the show. And he pulled that accent off so convincingly, I was quite surprised when I saw him in different role and he spoke naturally.
He wasn;'t British in real life?
@@colleen4everIt actually was a New England accent more. Upper crust of the Boston area. He actually mentions the Boston Common in this video.
Pompous and full of himself, but with a heart of gold.
Well said.
And a simple knitted bobble hat filled him with joy, more so than a sip of 100 year old brandy.
Wonder if the servants working on Christmas agreed....
Even someone as stodgy as Maj. Winchester is happy as can be when something
from home to comfort them with good memories and love.
@nancylourose pay me enough money and I'll work on Christmas. I've worked every other holiday lol
In my own opinion M.A.S.H. was and is one of the very few timeless shows to ever be on television. Even a half century later they are still a joy to watch and so much better quality than the shows of today.
And can still bring a tear to your eye especially Goodbye Farewell and Amen
@@titan-tm7kl
Very true ☝️
What IS it with people ande their "things were better in my day...Nothing today is better than the stuff I had when I was younger"? TV(and by that I include streaming media like Netflix and Amazon Video) is in many instances as good if not better. MASH was an amazing show but many of the showrunners today stood on the shoulders of that giant and pushed much of today's TV into even better directions.
@@MikeRoberts1964 No one is denigrating all of modern tv, BUT you can't deny M*A*S*H's as yet unchallenged spot in history. To date NO scripted show has dethroned the series finale as the most viewers. And with streaming, TVo, etc. it's unlikely any show ever will.
To this day, it still speaks to people of all ages and walks of life. To esteem M*A*S*H doesn't take away from anything newer...but then again, nothing newer has had the same continuing impact.
MASH was fortunate to have both Larry Linville and David Ogden Stiers...both were such lovely people, and so very good at playing their particular characters. Both left us far too soon.
What was great about Charles came through in his first episode. Hawkeye and BJ thought they had a stooge when they pranked him with a snake in his bed. When they returned to the Swamp Charles was listening to music. Hawkeye lay down, felt uncomfortable, then pulled out the snake he left for Charles. He showed them he wasn't going to be a stooge after all.
Yep, he was light-years better than Burns in that regard. Frank was always the butt on the joke, but Winchester could take it with dignity and dish it back when he wanted to.
@@darthroden Exactly. He was their match.
I liked all of them. They were human in a place where there was inhumanity. Each had the hopes and dreams of coming home from that place. Winchester got me with the stuttering soldier and with the pianist who lost use of his hand. He did a great job of putting up the facade of being pompous, but still human when it counted. I also loved Father Mulcahy as well.
Father Mulcahy was a good actor , I believe he was a Protestant in real life .
One of those rare TV shows that got better with time. Major Charles Winchester (David Ogden Stiers) was a much richer, complex and deeper character than Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville). You couldn't help but loathe Major Burns, as he was a such an insecure, selfish and ignorant human being. Winchester, while a pompous ass most of the time, had some endearing and redeeming qualities, as shown in this clip. Similarly, Col Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan) was a much more compelling and developed character than his predecessor, LtCol Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson). Such wonderful writing for this show, too.
@@scooper4981 Winchester was one of my favorites. There was a good doctor and a human being. Something simple like a fall leaf mailed were appreciated. I remember the episode when he got his boyhood winter hat.
@@scooper4981 It also seemed that the show changed profoundly when Blake died and Burns left. I think everyone wanted him gone. Houlihan changed and became relatable.
The Father Mulcahy in the book was just as cool, even putting up with the Swamp denizens' nickname "Dago Red" because of the red wine served at communion and his bright red hair. The prefect example of a "shepherd". He didn't care what the person believed, he just ministered to him where he was instead of preaching at him. Obviously they dropped the nickname because a) Wm Christopher was blonde not red and also b) the name had already become non PC in the 70's.
The humanity of this show was enormous I’m glad I got to see it firsthand
It really is a contrast in writing development between the cartoonish villainy of Frank Burns, and the humanity that sometimes would break through Charles Winchester's cold snobbery.
Perfectly put.
That's the same with the characters of Trapper John to Bj and Col Blake to Col Potter all those character changes added depth to the show
Totally agree!!!
That was the earlier seasons, like us all the show grew up.
the irony is that larry linville actually earned a scholarship to study at RADA in england. he might have had the best acting chops of the entire cast. he elected not to renew his five year contract with the show, but the damage was done; that caricature of a role typecast linville for the rest of his career. we'll never know how linville might have impressed us had he been cast as winchester instead of burns.
Winchester had the most tender soul of all the doctors.
He just didn’t want anybody to know.
I was born in 1970 & saw this exact scene at an early age. I didn't have the words at my age to express the feelings I had for my Grandpa Wilkins, I had tried to tell him about it but my young mind just couldn't express it.
In the 7th grade he was dying from Cancer and I would sit with him, just he & I (I think the grown-ups didn't want him left alone, I Don't know) But it was just dumb luck this episode came on and he wanted to not watch it. I was trying to make him leave the Chanel on & maybe I started crying. It shocked him, he left it and when it came to thus scene I was atrain weak crying trying to tell hum this is the scene I tried to tell you about back then. It effected us both and impretty sure he never told anyone about it. He died just like 4 months later.
I ran away to the Army, left due to a shifty mother who imploded our Family whith her actions and never went home but twice til 1996 & never went home again. It's been hard alone my whole life with nothing to fall back on.
Without looking for it, hit RUclips to "new to me" and this scene came up. Why , I don't know and have no explanation for it. People who've made a difference in my Life I've shown this to them, let them know this is how they made me feel.
Today the RUclips algorithm God putting in my feed. I've needed to see this scene for a long long time.
Today I cried for Grampa Wilkens, for Grandma I've, for Charles Bukowski, for We3 (P&c), for we3 (me,t& Super Staci, for my friend Pops who won't see next X-mas and for my Father who's laying in a bed waiting to hurry up and die. So today I cried and unfortunately there's Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.
Everytime they replaced a character that left the show, they managed to find someone better. Winchester was my absolute favorite!
Exactly, and Radar was irreplaceable, and they knew it.
Winchester provided some of the soulful moments in the show's history. When Radar was leaving Korea, and Charles called him Walter? Another great moment.
He said, “ Good luck in your bucolic endeavors, Walter.”
Sometimes you just need a small piece of your childhood...
I know the feeling
It opened Charles's heart and his wallet to help the orphans.
Grew up with MASH and reruns of MASH on TV for decades. Think it is fair to say I have seen every second of every episode and this one has always stood out to me. Winchester was the perfect replacement of Burns. He was more educated than Hawkeye or BJ but when they had their disputes they all learned from each other. I was born about 80 miles west of Boston and share his love for it. Never forget bringing a girlfriend to Boston on a frozen winter day. We sat in a little brew pub and watched the show falling and blowing around. I pointed across the street and told her "that is Fenway Park". She gave me a puzzled look and said "that old brick building"? We walked it the blustering wind and snow outside the Park from behind home plate to the light tower over left field at twilight in the circling wind blown snow.
Winchester was brilliantly played by David. RIP
My Sister and Brother in Law lived there on exchange for a year and loved Boston so much they have named a puppy Fenway and the other Jaylen (?).
Or, when Winchester was being interviewed by a correspondent, who asked him about life after Boston--- Winchester said --- Sir-- there is no life after Boston.
@@user-mr3ct1dm9p I was born 80 miles west of Boston but love New England. Lived all my life here over 50 years. I also relate to Klinger talking about his hometown even if it is not my own. My uncle was in Korea during the war in combat and there was nothing he wanted more than to come home.
@@StanSwan The entire New England area is beautiful-- so much history, quaint towns, the scenery. Was there when I was younger, but due to an on going illness, cannot ever get back there. Enjoy it for me, and THANK YOU, !!!
@@user-mr3ct1dm9p Wish you the best of health. Even Charlies loved Toyko. Sounds like a warmer place.
Radar and Father Mulcahy practice the best definition of grace ( a gift unearned or expected) wish more Christians understood the importance of offering grace, its through grace that God gave us his son.
When I think of loved ones who have passed, and it is Christmas time, I will say aloud, "Corporal it is to weep" and because of the power of this moment, I feel connected with others who feel similarly. Such great writers and actors.
This was and always will be the BEST show ever, period.
'Twas excellent......but Cheers was better.
@@prun8893 Sorry, but no. Too predictable
MASH is still one of the greats tv shows in history!
Another example of Raiders thoughtfullness
Radar’s!
Dang auto correct.
@@lot2196 Sure!🥲
its spelled RADAR
I always liked Charles pronunciation of “ cretins” with short “e” ( the British way).
Radar has a heart of gold
Charles was often a pompous jerk, but deep down, he had a heart of gold.
Not a jerk, just pompous, and it's understandable that he was, given his talents, education, aspirations, and work. Just as we see a smart-ass can be a great surgeon (Hawkeye), an innocent can be a savvy organizer (Radar), and a dedicated military man can have a horseman's sensitivity (Potter), we see a Boston Brahman serving others under horrible circumstances. Such characters made the show the television classic it is.
The "Mash" television series made a profound influence on me, and it makes me happy to relive a quieter time in my life when I watch reruns of these fine actors in great roles.
Such simple good will, it works in mysterious ways
This is why I loved Winchester so much more then Frank. He may of been arrogant at times but he had some human moments.
And a great surgeon.
He was also intelligent, articulate, and ( best of all), loved classical music.
"... the well of my despair ..." the writers for the show were the last generation who actually studied and learned language, literature, communication ....
When this show was on air, I could NEVER figure out which character, I liked best as they were all fantastic. Currently I would say it would be Charles. I love, love, love the show.
The heart & humanity of this show will NEVER be duplicated, because they don't make those kinds of humans anymore.
Respectfully, I disagree- they're still around, but the headlines only cover the current insanity!
@@redcaddiedaddie
This insanity wouldn't exist if proper parenting had been implemented. No, the type of people whom the characters exemplified, & the actors & actresses who gave them flesh & voice are all dead or will be in a decade or two, and that which is replacing them is a poor substitute. A weak, watered down version of the fruit cakes & lunatics we made fun of back then. They don't even live up to our lowest expectations. And that's just the general populace. Hollywood specifically is so devoid of substance that you'd never find a single character, let alone an entire cast, to flesh out a show with that much real substance. Furthermore, there aren't any quality writers in Hollywood anymore either. So I reassert that this type & quality of show is incapable of duplication at any point in the foreseeable future.
@@grisslebear Opinions vary, & the world will muddle on... anyway, be well!
@@redcaddiedaddie
That I can wholeheartedly agree with.
Charles was such a great addition to the show. He was a great foil for Hawkeye and BJ but also kind and compassionate beneath the rich snob exterior.
“The days this brings back. The revelry…”
That line gets me square in the heart every time.
This scene and the leaf letter scene really brings out the humbleness and humility in the Major
Great scene. A rare occasion where Winchester wasn't played as a jerk, but a human.
Frank Burns was a one-note character. Charles evolved, but kept his identity.
Gosh, no. Larry Linville was a genius character actor.
@@lizziebkennedy7505 He was a fine actor. But the Frank Burns character did not evolve. I think he got tired of that.
If Frank had been capable of evolving, he wouldn’t have been Frank Burns anymore. He didn’t have a single redeeming quality.
The character of Charles Emerson Winchester III may have been a pompous ass, but every now and then they showed that he was human. It was something they didn't always do with Frank.
And David Ogden Stiers played him very very well.
Kindness come in all different sizes...case in point...
Like Fred said...let's take 10 seconds to think a people who show Kindness to us...
Start now...I'll watch the time...go ahead...do you feel better?
If I could choose any member of that staff as a friend, I would definitely pick Radar. He was the kind of guy anyone would be fortunate to have as a buddy and he was played brilliantly by Gary Burghoff.
The best episodes of MASH where with Potter Radar and Winchester.
And Col. Flagg, your friendly neighborhood paranoid.
Without a doubt, my very *favourite* episode. I make a point to watch this episode every Christmas.
Do you sip 100 year old brandy poured by your servants ,in front of your fireplace .
@@Jay-vr9ir ~ Nope …
A great episode, but my favorite Christmas episode of mash is when Klinger brings Maj. Winchester the last of the Christmas dinner
@@stevematthews7686 ~Yes, great episode too. That one was titled; “Death Takes A Holiday” …
I liked that one the best of all the Christmas episodes( and not just because Charles called Klinger “ Santa’s jolly little oaf”.)
Winchester was by far the deepest character of them all, and I loved that they only touched on it occasionally. I've never know if that was the writers intend or the actor's insistence but it was brilliant in any case
MASH was such a great show. It was funny but it also made you feel real emotion with it;s touching moments. David Odgen Stiers had so many great moments on the show. Not sure why all these mash clips popping up past few days. But I am grateful. Used to watch this show with my Dad. Great memories.
Mr.Stiers was a wonderful performer..and I love his character of "Major Winchester"..BTW:His parents never made that woolen cap for him. No one knows..where that cap came from..but..it does show..Mr.Stiers caring and appreciative nature and the kind and equally caring nature of Mr.Burghoff's "Radar".
Makes me cry every time. I loved Charles and Radar was such a thoughtful person. And I met William Christopher in real life, and he was a lot like his character, a sweet and kind man.
You know, that gentleman must have been of neck of a dramatic actor. Just the way he recites lines tells of his tremendous acting ability.
Not only was he a fine actor, but he didn't speak anything like that in real life. The Boston accent and the rest of the Winchester shtick was a character.
That was the single best, most memorable moment in the history of the show.
I was fortunate enough to have had the experience of tobogganing in upstate New York in my youth - wonderful memories indeed .
Winchester could be a pompous ass . but he also showed he could be just one of the guys also and a heart of gold at times
He plays this so well. He's like Scrooge on Christmas morning!
There were more human moments with Charles than there could possibly have been with Frank
I can't stop the tears. And I'm so glad.
My favorite era of MASH
"Here, give them whatever they need."
*gives more money*
"And whatever they don't need."
The way they all cared for each other even though at times it looked like they hated each other. As much as I love Klinger I really wish Radar had stayed until the end.
I was rather disappointed when Klinger stopped wearing dresses, but then he turned out to be a good finagler / con artist, a la Sgt. Bilko.
Any scene featuring Klinger and Charles was pure gold. 💰
The idea of drinking something a century old always blew my mind a bit.
Rare time Winchester being touched instead usual pompous self 🐹
I know this scene is about Charles but the episode largely was about Mulcahy and his feeling he didn’t make a difference. And he had no idea what Charles was talking about here. Brilliant scene for both of them.
As I approach my 60's I think back to the simple things that I took for granted. What I wouldn't do to be able to relive those days.
I was thinking about that last night as I drove through my old neighborhood looking at the Christmas lights.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels that way.
You loved to hate Frank
Charles, you loved to see the depth of this man's soul
Winchester is the Frasier of MASH.
Yes!
Loved this episode. Hard to watch it without getting teary-eyed.
Every midnight on Christmas Eve , I light a fire and sip apricot brandy in front of the fire .I do not have servants, so I have to pour my own brandy and the brandy is only a few years old .Charles inspired me to drink brandy, in front of the fireplace.
I sip Coors Light in front of my space heater.
@@ertznay3142 I gulp Miller .
I curl up with a splash of Baileys in my coffee.
@@gigibluestockings5168 Regular Baileys , Salted Caramel or Cherry Baileys ?
@@Jay-vr9ir Just regular 🙄
Winchester was a snob but he was also extremely poetic ,
“Cretinous yayhoos.” 😄
The writers must have howled with laughter when they were coming up with Winchester’s dialogue. His insults were always hilarious.
They certainly were, especially his insults for Klinger. Those were priceless. “ Levantine thug”, “ meddling little Bedouin”, “Santa’s jolly little oaf” ( from a Christmas episode), and, my personal favorite, “ the Michelangelo of deviant behavior”.
For Hawkeye and B.J., it was “cretins and Visigoths”, also “cringing pack wolves”, and “malodorous trolls.”
Still one of the best TV shows ever
I love this show..... I like winchester ... He had a semimetal side to him.. He just didn't like stupidity.. and I get it..... this scene was great. Radar was my favorite
😇💕 wonderful
David Ogden Stires was a great actor.
I didn't like the Winchester character because it was so pat and cliché...the mean, intolerant, self centered rich man (some of the most generous and humble people I know are wealthy) but about 10 times the writers let the actor converse expectations.
This is one of them
The pianist that lost use of his hand.
The series finale....his part was the most beautifully human.
Brilliant scene and so well acted
When someone asked what time it was in Iowa, Charles said, “ Eighteen eighty-two”.
Loved the Winchester character. David Ogden Stiers played him SOOO well. Lots more depth and character than Frank Burns.
It does speak to the ability of the late Mr. Stiers that he could play his role so well and convincingly....but the real "heroes" are those writers who came up with the scripts that allowed Stiers to give voice to the various aspects of the character of "Charles Emerson Winchester III." Without the writers who came up with the ideas for those various incidents, and the producer who approved of them, Mr. Stiers wouldn't have had the chance to play the advocate for the baby girl, nor for the stuttering soldier, or the pianist who lost an arm.
Within the scope of their writing, those unseen, unknown writers showed themselves to be the ones to whom all those things matter(ed), and Stiers then gave voice to the parts so well, viewers thought it was he himself who came up with them.
On my short list of favorite television moments. To me, this is what Christmas is about: doing the important something for someone else that they couldn't do for themselves.
Charles was more layered than Frank,Larry worked with what he had I suppose,but I found the sniveling whiner thing grating and didn't miss it at all when it was gone. Charles was as skilled as a surgeon as Hawkeye/BJ,and could trade witicisms with the best of 'em. Pompous as hell,but when it mattered he had a well of goodness that didn't run dry.
When Winchester was first intro'd to the show, I figured he was just another Frank Burns clone or replacement. Basically, a character that we were supposed to hate or be the butt of all jokes, with zero plans to allow for character growth. Proved me completely wrong. Under all that pompous exterior, he was genuinely a good person, as was almost all the characters on the show other than the fore mentioned Burns, who had to stay the way he was or the character just wouldn't have worked.
One of the best winchester moments ever
Such wonderful acting , writing,like a perfect Christmas with the ones you love
"....especially that Irish crowd in Boston."😂
I watch it on ME TV every night
One thing i like about Charles, he may be a snob and has an ego the size of Texas but he genuinely cares about other people
That man could freaking act.
What a scene!
Charles' reminds me of Scrooge on Christmas morning - he had an awakening.
Korea changed him… it was fun to watch the metamorphosis.
Just like Ebenezer Scrooge Winchester learned to have the Christmas Spirit and Radar and Father Mulcahy were the Christmas Spirits. In another episode Everybody accused Winchester of being Scrooge when he had a bunch pf packages sent to him and all he gave to the Christmas Party was Oysters in a can. But Winchester Didnt want anybody knowing what he was really Doing. Klinger Found out what it was when he overheard between Winchester and the guy from the orphanage talking . He brings Winchester Dinner in his Tent and Winchester Joked Laced with hemlock right? Klinger said No but I will get u some Ketchup and then he said the source of this must be kept secret. Merry Christmas Charles Winchester replied THANK U MAX
That made me cry. 😢
Radar was so underrated as a character!
This episode always makes me teary-eyed rht
That wonderful show was a part of everyone's life. To think I didn't like it at first because it was so different from the movie. That attitude changed quickly.