RIP: David Ogden Stiers

[progcd54]

David Ogden Stiers passed away on 03/03/2018 from bladder cancer at the age of 75.

Rest In Peace Major Charles Emerson Winchester III!!!

[Vic2012]

RIP

[JKL2000]

Damn, very sad! Spent endless hours watching MASH.

I also somehow remembered he was in the original Broadway cast of the musical The Magic Show.

[Buddhabreath]

Sad news indeed. A truly groundbreaking show.

Coincidentally, there was a BBC piece on MASH recently: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3csvtyd

[Jerjo]

"Know this. You can cut me off from the civilized world. You can incarcerate me with two moronic cellmates. You can torture me with your thrice daily swill, but you cannot break the spirit of a Winchester. My voice shall be heard from this wilderness and I shall be delivered from this fetid and festering sewer!"

Helluva actor and from what I understand a good conductor who guested at many orchestras. Charles Emerson Winchester III was a far better foil to Hawkeye that the bumbling Frank Burns and under all the bluster, a far better human being. And it took a great actor to portray all that. RIP Mr Stiers

[GuitarGeek]

I've just been watching MASH again recently (we get at least three TV channels that show it regularly). He had lots of great lines on the show. There's an episode where Hawkeye keeps playing a record of the song Rag Mop. Naturally, it drives Winchester up the wall, telling Hawkeye that "Those people can neither sing, nor spell!"

I also love how he's introduced on the show, working at the hospital in Seoul, or wherever it was, and the colonel in charge says they can't spare a surgeon for the 4077th after Burns finally goes off the reservation, and then Winchester reminds the colonel how much the colonel owes him from their card games. The colonel then goes back to the phone and says, "I take that back, I do have a man I can send!", as he gives Winchester the stink eye.

There's actually a few episodes where he did a great job of showing that WInchester was more than just a stuck up putz. I know there's one where he makes a donation to the local orphanage, but asks the matron not tell anyone. And I also recall one where he counsels a piano player who lost an arm in combat. I know that's largely the writing, but it takes a good actor who can properly show both sides of a character well.

He was also in a good episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, playing a member of a species who ritually commit suicide when they reach whichever age (kinda like Logan's Run, but without the Carousel pretense, and the people were suicide were elderly when they were required to euthanize themselves).

If I remember correctly, he was one of those actors who turned up a lot on the 80's era "who done it" type shows, like Murder She Wrote and Matlock. I think it was a Columbo where he played a blind man who very nearly got away with murdering someone (I forget how Columbo got him).

[rcarlberg]

My favorite Charles Winchester episode is the one where he gets a letter that his sister is marrying somebody, probably of Jewish extraction, that he doesn't approve of. He steams and sweats and writes a nastygram to her before Hawkeye talks him down. He ends up CALLING his sister and saying, "You're about to receive a very nasty letter from me, and I wish to retract everything I said in it." Immensely human episode, very redeeming of Charles' character.

[proggy_jazzer]

"Don't you see? Your hand may be stilled, but your gift cannot be silenced if you refuse to let it be. The gift does not lie in your hands. I have hands, David. Hands that can make a scalpel sing. More than anything in my life I wanted to play, but I do not have the gift. I can play the notes, but I cannot make the music. You have performed Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Chopin. Even if you never do so again, you've already known a joy that I will never know as long as I live. Because the true gift is in your head and in your heart and in your soul. Now you can shut it off forever, or you can find new ways to share your gift with the world - through the baton, the classroom, or the pen. As to these works, they're for you, because you and the piano will always be as one."

I can hear his inflections as I read the above quote. I'm of an age where I saw most of the episodes as they were released, and the few I missed in syndication later; over the years I'm quite sure I could "sing along" with the dialogue from almost every episode. Winchester was indeed a great character, and his (and Mike Farrell's) arrival coincided with the transformation of the show from mostly slapstick and comic wordplay to something that had more of an edge and no small amount of social relevancy. Some saw that as a step down, but I wouldn't be one of those. David Ogden Stiers was a very talented man, and had a fine and varied career. RIP

[Staun]

Helluva actor and from what I understand a good conductor who guested at many orchestras. Charles Emerson Winchester III was a far better foil to Hawkeye that the bumbling Frank Burns and under all the bluster, a far better human being. And it took a great actor to portray all that. RIP Mr Stiers

I agree here. He could fight back against Hawk and BJ and do it with style. Frank was just a gas passer. Did quite a few of the Perry Mason movies. I think he would have made a good Columbo villain. RIP sir.

[Jack in Wilmington]

My favorite Charles Winchester episode is the one where he gets a letter that his sister is marrying somebody, probably of Jewish extraction, that he doesn't approve of. He steams and sweats and writes a nastygram to her before Hawkeye talks him down. He ends up CALLING his sister and saying, "You're about to receive a very nasty letter from me, and I wish to retract everything I said in it." Immensely human episode, very redeeming of Charles' character.

Excellent choice for a favorite Charles episode. I think the sister's name was Anoria.

[Staun]

I've just been watching MASH again recently (we get at least three TV channels that show it regularly). He had lots of great lines on the show. There's an episode where Hawkeye keeps playing a record of the song Rag Mop. Naturally, it drives Winchester up the wall, telling Hawkeye that "Those people can neither sing, nor spell!"

I also love how he's introduced on the show, working at the hospital in Seoul, or wherever it was, and the colonel in charge says they can't spare a surgeon for the 4077th after Burns finally goes off the reservation, and then Winchester reminds the colonel how much the colonel owes him from their card games. The colonel then goes back to the phone and says, "I take that back, I do have a man I can send!", as he gives Winchester the stink eye.

There's actually a few episodes where he did a great job of showing that WInchester was more than just a stuck up putz. I know there's one where he makes a donation to the local orphanage, but asks the matron not tell anyone. And I also recall one where he counsels a piano player who lost an arm in combat. I know that's largely the writing, but it takes a good actor who can properly show both sides of a character well.

He was also in a good episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, playing a member of a species who ritually commit suicide when they reach whichever age (kinda like Logan's Run, but without the Carousel pretense, and the people were suicide were elderly when they were required to euthanize themselves).

If I remember correctly, he was one of those actors who turned up a lot on the 80's era "who done it" type shows, like Murder She Wrote and Matlock. I think it was a Columbo where he played a blind man who very nearly got away with murdering someone (I forget how Columbo got him).

GG, I'm not sure he was ever in an episode of Columbo. If he was, I just can't remember it. Could be wrong though. Yes the Trek episode was interesting. Troy's mother fell in love with him and was trying to get him to reconsider his decision about dying.

[Staun]

My favorite Charles Winchester episode is the one where he gets a letter that his sister is marrying somebody, probably of Jewish extraction, that he doesn't approve of. He steams and sweats and writes a nastygram to her before Hawkeye talks him down. He ends up CALLING his sister and saying, "You're about to receive a very nasty letter from me, and I wish to retract everything I said in it." Immensely human episode, very redeeming of Charles' character.

Robert, there were two episodes where officers were trying to remove African American men from their units. In one show he told the officer, sir, you strike at the very heart of humanity. Another example of what lies beneath.

[Vic2012]

I've always preferred the Potter, Hunnicut, Winchester era.

[Staun]

Excellent choice for a favorite Charles episode. I think the sister's name was Anoria.

It was. She stuttered and there was an episode about that as well. Continuing to show his true humanity.

[spellbound]

Rest in peace, David.

[Jerjo]

Charles dictates a letter to his sister. Outstanding acting

[GuitarGeek]

I'm not sure he was ever in an episode of Columbo. If he was, I just can't remember it. Could be wrong though.

OK, without seeing it again, from what I can gather on IMDB, I thikn it was actually a Matlock I was thinking of. But my recollection was that it was Columbo, I remember seeing him commit the murder at the beginning of the episode, which was the MO of Columbo, ie the audience knows along who the killer is, the excitement is seeing Columbo set the trap, and I don't remember Matlock having that kind of format. But it's like 25 years, at least, since I've watched either show. (shrug)

I forgot that he was also in Better Off Dead, probably the best movie John Cusak was ever in (with the obvious exception of Sixteen Candles, of course), though I think he had kind of a small role in that one. And he also did a lot of voice acting, not just for animation, but also video games, even. AND he was a stage actor, too! Talk about diversity!

[JKL2000]

Not what I expected, but Alan Alda's remembrance:

“David Ogden Stiers. I remember how you skateboarded to work every day down busy LA streets,” Alda wrote on Twitter. How, once you glided into Stage 9, you were Winchester to your core. How gentle you were, how kind, except when devising the most vicious practical jokes. We love you, David. Goodbye.”

[progcd54]

As previously mentioned, there was a very powerful episode of Star Trek-The Next Generation starring Stiers.

"The plot of the episode focused on Dr. Timicin – a Kaelon scientist who had devoted his life to studying the problem of his world’s sun going out. Seeking the help of the Federation in testing his theories on a similar star, the widower Dr. Timicin found a new romance with Ambassador Lwaxana Troi (played by Majel Barrett-Roddenberry) during his time on the Enterprise. Unfortunately, the romance was cut short as the customs of the Kaelons demanded that Dr. Timicin undergo ritual suicide upon his 60th birthday. Though he initially sought asylum with the Federation hoping to continue his work and pursue his romance with Lwaxana, Dr. Timicin was eventually persuaded to return to his homeworld, though the loss of his presence to fully understand his research might mean the doom of his species."

Stiers acting was superb as usual. Even Barrett-Rodenberry's acting was a huge step above her normal portrayal of Lwaxana, which was usually very shallow and almost laughable. The two played off each other in a very poignant and emotional acting triumph!

"Even today “Half a Life” is considered one of the finest episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation of all time as well as one of the most unusual. The episode focused on two supporting characters, with very little of the story involving the regular cast – a rarity for any television series, but especially a character-driven drama like Star Trek. It is also fondly remembered for the powerful performances delivered by both Stiers and Barret-Roddenberry and the writing, which seemed to make a strong case in favor of assisted suicide."

[Trane]

RIP CEW 3rd!

Damn, very sad! Spent endless hours watching MASH.

It took me a while to get into it, but the series commanded a better command of the language than Happy Days, WKRP or Jeffersons.

Once I did get hooked, I watched it to the end (unlike HD or many others)

Helluva actor and from what I understand a good conductor who guested at many orchestras. Charles Emerson Winchester III was a far better foil to Hawkeye that the bumbling Frank Burns and under all the bluster, a far better human being. And it took a great actor to portray all that. RIP Mr Stiers

CEW III was maybe the only character that was as good as the character it replaced, methinks.

The original cast was unbeatable, and the final one was....
Only Alda (and Stiers to a lesser extent) kept me on audience.

[rcarlberg]

Klinger was no Radar. Wasn't Burghoff the only carryover from the movie?

[dregsfan]

One of my CEW III lines:

"First of all, Winchesters don't sweat, we perspire. Second, we don't perspire."

[Lopez]

It was. She stuttered and there was an episode about that as well. Continuing to show his true humanity.

That revelation, which I probably saw in re-runs, broke my heart, because my son, who's 31 now, stutters. Winchester definitely had more character and soul than Frank Burns who was just a weaselly vindictive malcontent.

[Gruno]

I knew he was in M.A.S.H., but I couldn't stand that show. I rather honor his acting in the comedy classic, Better Off Dead.

[GuitarGeek]

Klinger was no Radar. Wasn't Burghoff the only carryover from the movie?

As a regular, yes, though several of the actors who were in the movie did make guest appearances on the show (though obviously playing characters different to who they played in the movie). Supposedly, Mike Farrell tried to talk Burghoff into staying on the show, citing the failure of the series that Larry Linville and McLean Stevenson starred following their respective departures from the show as reasons.

Apparently, though, he was a pain in the ass to work with. WIkipedia quotes the following from a 1983 TV Guide article:

Although nobody wanted to be quoted for the record, the feelings about Gary Burghoff's leaving were fairly unanimous: loved Radar, hated Burghoff. As summed up by one of the principals: 'Gary had personality problems.' He always felt there was a conspiracy against him. He was rude to everyone, but if anyone ever said anything back to him, he'd throw a tantrum. He had frequent spats with his cast members, particularly with Alan Alda. Once Mike Farrell told him that his problem was that he could dish it out but he couldn't take it, and Gary said, "And I'm getting real sick and tired of dishing it out." The poor guy didn't even realize what he'd said.'"

BTW, Burghoff was also a drummer. There's a first or second episode, where he plays with the band that's backing a USO troupe. He basically a good drum solo, kinda going nuts near the end, shouting and all the stuff jazz drummers do, then at the end, he sort of has this embarrassed look, like Radar suddenly morphed into Buddy Rich, then back to Radar, or something.

For a long time, I felt the show basically jumped the shark when Radar left, but lately, watching reruns on Sundance, I'm finding I actually rather like quite a few of the post-Radar episodes that I've seen so far.

CEW III was maybe the only character that was as good as the character it replaced, methinks.

I'd take Colonel Potter over Colonel Blake. Other than Potter, Winchester, and Klinger (sort of, he was actually already part of the show, from I think the second season onwards), there really weren't many replacements. There were a few characters in the earliest episodes, like the Australian anesthisologist, and I think Spearchucker Jones (a character from the book and movie) is in the first episodes, just sort of disappear after awhile, but nobody really ever took their place.