Line #31 Creator/McLeanStevenson


1	[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mclean_stevenson.jpg]]
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3	Edgar [=McLean=] Stevenson Jr. (November 14, 1927 – February 15, 1996) was an American actor from Illinois, best known for playing Lt. Col. Henry Blake in the first three seasons of ''Series/{{MASH}}''.
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5	As famous as his role on the show, however, was how he was written off from it. Despite the show's success, Stevenson began to resent playing a supporting role to Creator/AlanAlda's wisecracking Hawkeye, and asked to be released from his contract during the show's third season. The show's writers reluctantly penned him an exit in the Season 3 finale "Abyssinia, Henry", in which Lt. Colonel Blake was discharged and boarded a plane home -- only for it to be shot down, killing everyone on board. As a result of his infamous exit, his name became shorthand in the industry for instances of ActorLeavesCharacterDies, known as [=McLeaned=].[[note]]Stevenson did, however, make a one-shot gag appearance as Blake on Music/{{Cher}}'s variety show, sitting in a rubber raft and [[BreakingTheFourthWall telling the audience]], "Hey, guys! I'm okay! ''I'm okay!''"[[/note]] [="McLeaned"=] was also the original name of that trope here.
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7	Stevenson's post-''MAS*H'' career suffered, with multiple attempts to star in another show turning into ratings flops. However, he did enjoy some success as a regular on such game shows as ''Series/{{Pyramid}}'', ''Series/TheHollywoodSquares'', and ''Series/MatchGame'' and as a frequent guest on ''Series/TheTonightShowStarringJohnnyCarson''.
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9	Stevenson was married three times. He died in 1996 at the age of 68 as a result of a heart attack. (By a rather eerie coincidence, Roger Bowen -- who'd played the Blake character in the [[Film/{{MASH}} film version]] of ''MAS*H'' -- died the following day, and of the same cause.)
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11	His great-grandfather William Stevenson was brother of U.S. Vice President UsefulNotes/AdlaiStevensonI, making [=McLean=] a second cousin once removed of 1952 and 1956 presidential nominee UsefulNotes/AdlaiStevensonII.
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14	!!Film Roles
15	* ''Film/TheChristianLicoriceStore'' as Smallwood
16	* ''Film/TheCatFromOuterSpace'' as Link
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18	!!Television Roles
19	* ''Series/TheDorisDayShow'' as Michael Nicholson (33 episodes)
20	* ''Series/ThatGirl'' as Mr. [=McKorkle=] (1 episode)
21	* ''Series/LoveAmericanStyle'' as Lt. Miller (1 episode)
22	* ''Series/{{Insight}}'' as Mr. [=McAdams=] (1 episode)
23	* ''Series/{{MASH}}'' as Lt. Col. Henry Blake (1972-1975; 71 episodes)
24	** ''Series/{{Cher}}'' as Lt. Col. Henry Blake (1 episode)
25	* ''Series/{{Pyramid}}'' as Himself (guest)
26	* ''Series/TheHollywoodSquares'' as Himself (guest)
27	* ''Series/MatchGame'' as Himself (guest)
28	* ''Series/TheMcLeanStevensonShow'' as Mac Ferguson (12 episodes)
29	* ''Series/InTheBeginning'' as Father Daniel M. Cleary
30	* ''Series/HelloLarry'' as Larry Alder
31	** ''Series/DifferentStrokes'' as Larry Adler (3 episodes)
32	* ''Series/TheLoveBoat'' as Bob Crawford/Captain Donahue/Michael Borden (3 episodes)
33	* ''Series/{{Condo}}'' as James Kirkridge
34	* ''Series/{{Hotel\|1983}}'' as Harry Gilford (1 episodes)
35	* ''Series/TallTellsAndLegends'' as UsefulNotes/AndrewJackson (1 episode)
36	* ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'' as Dr. Theodore 'Ted' Zbornak (1 episode)
37	* ''Series/{{Mathnet}}'' as Mike Pliers (1 episode)
38	** ''Series/SquareOneTV'' as Mike Pliers (3 episodes)
39	* ''Series/DirtyDancing'' as Max Kellerman
40	* ''Series/TalesOfTheCity'' as Booter Manigault (2 episodes)

Context Creator / McLeanStevenson