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Larry Gelbart hit it big as the showrunner of the TV showM.A.S.H.For four seasons, the writer and creator speared ahead with the dramedy before leaving it for good in 1976.M.A.S.H.has been referenced multiple times in various media and has often been cited as an inspiration for many sitcoms and comedies since its airing.
While he went on to work on several acclaimed films and stage musicals after departing from the show, he reportedly felt like he had made a good decision despite the series being at its peak. Walking away from an established gig is not always advised but the writer’s stint on the series reportedly affected him so much that there was no other option.
Larry Gelbart Was Burnt Out By Season 4 OfM.A.S.H.
Based onRobert Altman’sOscar-nominated film of the same name,M.A.S.H.was adapted into a TV series in 1972. The film was nominated for multiple Academy Awards and ended up winning the award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The show was centered on the officers of the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, particularly the 4007th ward.
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Larry Gelbart developed the series from the film and was instrumental in turning it into a pop cultural staple. Set during the Korean War, the show provided commentary on the Vietnam War that was ongoing at the time without being controversial. Many real-life army stories from series lead Alan Alda were adapted into the show.
Despite being at the height of its popularity, showrunner Larry Gelbart left the series after its fourth season. The writer, who was known for his Tony Award-winning stage musicalA Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, wanted to work on other things too. He was also reportedly burnt out from obsessing over the show. He said toTV’s MAS*H: The Ultimate Guide Book,
Perry Lafferty, who was the vice president in charge of entertainment for CBS on the West Coast, and an old friend, said, ‘Every time I saw you during this period,’ because there would be frequent meetings at CBS, he said, ‘I thought you were going to die.’ I looked so bad. I was so haggard, involved, obsessed, possessed.
Larry Gelbart then reportedly went on to work on the Oscar-nominated screenplays ofOh God!andTootsie.
Larry Gelbart Found It Hard To Cope With LeavingM.A.S.H.
Larry Gelbart’sM.A.S.H.became extremely popular during the ‘70s and the ‘80s, with the series leading to multiple other spinoff shows. Gelbart left the series after the fourth season and though it was an adaptation of a film (which was an adaptation of a book), he considered it to be his ‘baby’.
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Hence, when he left the show, he mentioned that he took it hard and struggled to cope with the new lifestyle for a bit. He saidin an interview,
Emotionally it was hard because I mean I was obsessive about it…you know you live and breathe something for four years it’s like they cut off your oxygen, you know. But, I turned around and discovered I had a family and a wife and five kids there all the time. It was a nice reunion.
However, the writer mentioned that he wanted to get out of the series because he did not want to be known only for it and wanted to explore other things.
M.A.S.H.is available to stream on Hulu.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
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