Burt Metcalfe dead: “MASH” producer turned 87

Burt Metcalfe, the respected TV producer who worked on all eleven seasons of “MASH,” died July 27 in Los Angeles. He was 87.

Metcalfe was an actor-turned-director-producer who was recruited to work on “MASH” by director Gene Reynolds, who created the 20th Century Fox serial adaptation of Robert Altman’s 1970 black comedy. Metcalfe started out as an associate producer and rose to showrunner for the show’s final six seasons. He also directed 31 episodes of the 251 parts of the series.

Reynolds, who played the 1976-77 season on “MASH” before stepping into the helm of CBS’s “Lou Grant,” died in February 2020 at the age of 96.

The CBS series adaptation defied the low expectations of film adaptations and became the touchstone of pop culture in the 1970s and early ’80s. Set during the Korean War, Alan Alda played Col. Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce, a cynical surgeon with a heart of gold who helped run a mobile emergency medical unit populated with colorful Army characters.

“MASH” was an allegory of the Vietnam War, which began when the latter conflict was still on the nightly news every night and the strength of the anti-war movement divided the country. When “MASH” ended with a series conclusion that still holds Nielsen’s record for the most-watched series finale of all time, Ronald Reagan was in the White House.

“Burt Metcalfe is gone now. We all loved him. If you liked MASH, it’s in large part because of Burt. He’s produced every season and directed the show for 7 years,” Alda wrote on Twitter. We were very close. We wrote together, directed together and inspired each other. He was such a good person.”

Burt Metcalfe is gone now. We all loved him. If you liked MASH, it’s in large part because of Burt. He has been a producer for each season and directed the show for 7 years. We were very close. We wrote together, directed together and inspired each other. He was such a good person. pic.twitter.com/YoXRhp1bfZ

– Alan Alda (@alanalda) July 31, 2022

A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewon, Metcalfe began his acting career in the 1950s and 1960s, guest-starring on shows such as The Ray Milland Show, Whirlybirds, Have Gun, Will Travel and Death Valley Days. ‘ and ‘The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis’.

He appeared in the notable 1960 Twilight Zone episode, The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. He played a surfer in the 1959 film Gidget alongside James Darren, Sandra Dee and Cliff Robertson.

Other TV appearances of the 1960s as an actor include roles in Perry Mason, The Outer Limits, The Fugitive and 12 O’Clock High. He had a regular role in another film-TV adaptation, Father of the Bride, which aired on CBS during the 1961-62 season.

(Pictured: ‘MASH’ stars Alan Alda, Mike Farrell and Loretta Swit flank writer/producer Burt Metcalfe, second from right, at the 2009 TV Land Awards)