Whenever a long-running show films a finale, emotions are bound to run high as cast and crew members prepare to say goodbye to one another. And when you’re talking about one of the most legendary series finales in television history, it’s no surprise the goodbyes were pretty legendary as well.
When “M*A*S*H” (one of the best sitcoms of all time) aired its final episode, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” it not only shattered viewership records but also shattered the hearts of those that made the show great. There were real tears during filming, and emotional tributes both on camera and behind the scenes. One of the most touching tributes occurred on screen but flew under the radar of everyone in the audience. It involved a book that Charles (David Ogden Stiers) hands to Margaret (Loretta Swit).
“When we filmed my close-up, David handed me the book and when I opened it, it wasn’t addressed to Margaret—it was to me,” Swit said in an interview with Woman’s World. “… If you rewatch the movie, you can actually see my real reaction in that moment. It was David the actor doing something kind and funny for Loretta, and that reaction was real.” What made the message even more special was that he included his phone number. “He was very much his own person, didn’t socialize much, very into his music and Shakespeare,” Swit said. “Nobody even had his phone number. … But he wasn’t unfriendly at all. He was wonderfully warm, and we loved working together.”
Many of the emotions seen in the M*A*S*H finale were real
Not only is the “M*A*S*H” finale a sitcom episode that leaves viewers in tears, but it elicited strong emotions from everyone working on set. Loretta Swit told MeTV that it was especially hard to film her final scene with Harry Morgan, who played Colonel Potter. “I had to get through saying, ‘You dear, sweet man, I’ll never forget you,'” Swit said. “And I still can’t do it, because I never will … we were just so close.”
Morgan filmed his final scene riding off on his horse with members of the cast saluting him. Speaking to Woman’s World, he said getting through the scene was tough. “When I turned around and saw them saluting, it hit me,” said Morgan. “This was it, the real goodbye. What we were doing wasn’t just acting; it was actually happening. It was a very profound moment, and I think we all felt that deeply.”
Actor Mike Farrell, who portrayed B.J. Hunnicutt, also admitted many of the emotions you see in that final episode were authentic. “I knew I’d never be in this position again with this character,” Farrell said. “I’ll never be in this spot again. B.J. is saying goodbye to people he loves just as Mike is saying goodbye to someone he loves.”