"The Interview" segment of MASH was from season 4 and many consider to be the best single episode of the series. I can't disagree. Breaking the format, we're watching a documentary with a TV journalist asking questions to members of the 4077 about the war and their perspectives. Each actor was given the questions and recorded their improvised answers into a tape recorder. Those recordings were transcribed.
But then Larry Gelbart rewrote them. He added things, cut things, inserted some jokes, re-phrased some thoughts, etc. At that point an actual script was printed. The actors then performed the written text. So improvisation was just an early part of the process. That said, what remained of the improv was pure gold.
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM works off a detailed outline. Scenes are improvised and refined during rehearsal. Larry David also tries to surround himself with actors who are adept at improvisation.
For my money the results have been mixed. There are some absolutely HYSTERICAL episodes -- fall-on-the-floor funny. I could watch them on a loop. But there are a lot of other episodes that are very uneven, arguments and scenes that feel forced or scenes that wander and get repetitive.
Improv can be a very useful tool. I've been doing improv myself for many many years. And if you get a master of it, like Fred Willard in BEST IN SHOW you can produce something absolutely magical. But I think relying on it can be a trap. Actors are better at acting and writers are better at writing. Why not take advantage of the best of both?
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...and with that you can get the wonderful convergence of both worlds. Case in point: On Friends, it took to the writers to have Chandler handcuffed to a file cabinet, but as an actor, when the drawer accidentally opened and hit him in the back of the head, Matthew Perry knew enough to stay in character in his reaction to a great and unscripted sight gag.
Over the years I have interviewed hundreds of actors and dealt with all levels of adlibbing and improv. The best, hands down, was Robin Williams. When he got started he was like a comedic freight train, hitting one comedic grand slam after another, rarely, if ever, whiffing. I worked on BEST IN SHOW and happened to be on set when Fred Willard did his magnificent improv/ad lib session. Chris Guest, who was directing, just called action and Fred went and went and went until they had shot a full roll ... nothing better. Truly sublime. Two examples of the ridiculous: I was told by the studio that David Spade was exceptional with improv ... on the contrary ... he looked at me in a most condescending way, and said "I don't adlib." A very unfunny man in my opinion. Dave Thomas, on SCTV fame, was at least pleasant about it. He literally broke out in flop sweat when I suggested some adlbbing. He needed it on the page and was very honest about, which I respect. All actors seems to think they can do it: VERY VERY few can.
Pretty much what I think of singers who think they can write songs, and vice-versa. Some can pull it off, but not nearly as many as think they can.
A pity that Loretta Swit--who, I think, was involved in another project--and David Odgden Stiers--who had not yet joined the cast--did not appear in "The Interview" in 1976.
Fortunately, they were able to participate when Clete Roberts returned for the 1978 clip show.
Thank you, Mr. Levine, for offering a detailed background on how "The Interview" was produced. If I'm right, that was Larry Gelbart's last episode for "M*A*S*H"--what a way to go out!
...David OGDEN Stiers (sorry)...
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