MaryAn Batchellor wonders:
How did you come to write the Billfold Syndrome?
The Billfold Sydromee is an episode of MASH my partner David Isaacs and I wrote in 1978. It’s part of the 7th season if you want to find or rent a copy and watch it. And it’s probably airing right now on three cable channels.
There’s also a subplot where Charles learns he’s been passed over for chief of thoracic surgery at Massachusetts General because he’s in Korea. In frustration he vows never to talk to anyone in the camp again, which of course is laying down the gauntlet for Hawk & Beej who then go to outlandish lengths to get him to talk.
A terrific actor – Kevin Geer played the young medic. Alan Alda directed masterfully, wringing every laugh and tear out of the script.
The title “Billfold Syndrome” is a psychiatric expression: Someone looks at his I.D. or billfold and can’t place himself.
Because we knew it would be heavy subject matter we wanted to do a B-story that was comedic. We kept of file of notions and the Charles story seemed to fit the bill(fold).
David and I got together with a prominent Beverly Hills psychiatrist I knew and he walked us through the hypnosis process step-by-step. We used some of the doctor’s lines verbatim.
Hypnosis is such a tricky area. It can come off very sketchy. We all took great pains to treat it seriously and portray the scene accurately. Again, my thanks to Alan for directing that scene with such sensitivity.
It’s one of my favorite MASH episodes. As a comedy writer I’m often asked, “So can you write drama?” and I always point them to this. No, it’s not CSI:MIAMI but it’s all I got.
I loved the Dr. Sidney Freedman character. I wonder who wrote the line where Charles Winchester's sister's name, Honoria, was pronounced like gonorrhea. I'll never forget that line it was so funny. Julie
ReplyDeleteI loved the actor playing Sidney, his mental, emotional, spiritual and intellectual separation from Hawkeye's antics throughout the series works perfectly. Regardless of the writing, I often felt it was one of the best castings of a character...it's hard to imagine another actor playing Sidney so perfectly. Even his face invites soft patient rebuke of Hawkeye dodging a question.
ReplyDeletePolyWogg
I always loved when Alan Arbus would guest on the show - he had a calmness about him that made Sidney such a believable and effective psychiatrist.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great episode, Ken. You and David should be proud!
An amazing episode that I've never forgotten. Mahalo for sharing. :-)
ReplyDeleteJulie, according to an internet listing, Mitch Markowitz wrote it and Harry Morgan directed it. And "The Billfold Syndrome" is one of those MASH episodes I can't laugh without both laughing hysterically and crying.
ReplyDeleteA brilliant episode. So much to admire. Appreciated the behind-the-scenes story, Ken, as well as a peek at the script!
ReplyDeleteGreat episode. Haven't seen it in years.
ReplyDeleteMy 14 year-old daughter has discovered M*A*S*H reruns on TV Land and is now experiencing the whole series, as I did when it first aired. She's shown interest in film-making and writing so I'm delighted she's watching some of the best.
ReplyDeleteFriday question: I've heard that Alan Arbus was considered to join the cast full-time after Radar left. Why didn't this pan out? Are there other famous actors (either for a guest shot or for regular cast) you can tell us about that "slipped through your fingers"?
ReplyDeleteFun Fact - Alan Arbus was married to photographer Diane Arbus.
ReplyDeleteAllan Arbus was brilliant as Dr. Sidney Freedman. He is probably my favorite character in the series. This episode is one of my favorite with Sidney (my absolute favorite being "Dear Sigmund").
ReplyDeleteI would also like to know the answer to Kubelsky's question. I have heard that Arbus was considered as a replacement for Radar. I think Arbus would have been a great fit in the show, but would M*A*S*H units have had psychiatrists on staff? I know accuracy was important to the show's producers and that might have been a reason adding Arbus to the cast was scrapped.
Enjoyed the post, Ken, but I believe you intended to write Alan Alda was 'wringing' every laugh not 'ringing.' Unless, of course, he was walking around with a cow bell and getting laughs that way. Which is, now that I think of it, how the 'Green Acres' crew used to operate.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you don't like to spoil your OWN work ;-)
ReplyDeleteMichael, Thanks! :) Julie
ReplyDeleteThis an episode where you and your partner took some really big risks and achieved a great result. I wonder how many executives would be comfortable green-lighting this episode today?
ReplyDelete"Really? A psychiatrist hypnotizes a soldier? Do we really want to focus on mental illness? Couldn't we do a nice light episode about Hawkeye getting drunk and pulling a prank?"
I've always been drawn to MASH because so much of the comedy is drawn out of dramatic situations, which makes it all seem very real.
There were many ways that this episode could've missed the mark, and been viewed as cheesy or melodramatic. This was great writing meets great acting meets great directing.
Thanks for sharing -- and FYI you really cannot post too many MASH stories. We love them all.
As Harry Murphy pointed out, Arbus was married to Diane Arbus. Actually they both were photographers. Allan was quite successful as a fashion photographer and Diane was his assistant. Then Diane felt the need to follow her own muse. Apparently Allan lost interest in photography soon after and followed his own muse into acting. A very fortunate decision, since he was amazing as Dr. Freedman. The face and voice reflected such patience and intellect.
ReplyDeleteI really hated it when Gary B. left, but if they had added Arbus in his place, I would have taken Radar's absence a lot better. Nothing againstJamie Farr who got the lion's share of Radar's scenes, I would have preferred Mr. Arbus. He was also good later on in an episode of Brooklyn Bridge, a show no one remembes - except those who watched it.
ReplyDeleteThe movie FUR tells the story of Diane Arbus...I'll have to watch it.
ReplyDeleteHow is it that you came to know a prominent (not ordinary) Beverly Hills psychiatrist?
ReplyDeleteHey Ken, you've probably already seen this, but news today on Natalie Wood:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19341547
Nearly 30 years later, I know exactly which episode we're discussing and remember that scene vividly. Like the best MASH episodes, it was both very funny and deeply moving.
ReplyDeleteYou should be rightfully proud of it.
I looked up a large sampling of Diane Arbus' photographs. Intriguing to say the least. Some of her subjects resembled Roseanne Barr in pill box hats, and some just pull you in they are so bizarre and wonderful to look at. Julie
ReplyDeleteTotally off topic, I was watching the episode about the bug out the other night....and wondering if Harry Morgan already rode horses, or learned for that role?
ReplyDeleteCount me as another Allan Arbus fan. Didn't know he was married to Diane.
ReplyDeleteMichael, I believe Harry Morgan owned horses. Also, that bug-out episode is great, but I always thought it was strange that POTTER seemed not to know what a brothel was about but HUNNICUT did!
ReplyDelete@Michael--As I recall, it wasn't Potter, but Frank Burns who didn't know what a brothel was (or at least didn't recognize the various nicknames for one.)
ReplyDeleteMichael, Ken answers your question here:
ReplyDeletehttp://kenlevine.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/rip-harry-morgan.html
I'm late to the party, but I was always bothered by one line in this script. The medic with amnesia sees one of the other patients on the bus and cries out something like, "He's wounded!" I think he should have said, "He's hurt," or "He's bleeding," because that's what a civilian would say. You could argue that he still was a medic, desite having amnesia, but the severing of his connection with his current situation would have been underscored if he had reacted not as a soldier. Lynne
ReplyDeleteSydney's character was my favorite. Btw: His ex-wife, Diane, was one of the greatest photographers, ever. She probably provided the inspiration for the look of Bart Simpson. It was always a treat to see Alan on MASH. Even as a little kid, I knew his episodes were special.
ReplyDeleteI just rewatched this for the first time in years, and I was just as overwhelmed as I was on the first viewing. So powerful. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI’ve watched MASH for years and have seen most of the episodes multiple times. And despite the many touching and dramatic scenes that occur throughout the series, the hypnosis scene in this episode is the one and only one that brings me to tears every single time. Kevin Geer nails the performance, convincingly moving from a medic under combat fire, to that moment he comes out of hypnosis and remembers the horror he tried to forget, to collapsing in a heap of anguished cries in Sydney’s arms. I well up now just writing about it. A testament to the acting, the writing, directing, and all those behind the scenes.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ken and David for putting pen to paper on this one.