tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post6384619590952197986..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: RIP Thad MumfordBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-71696809932029637252018-09-23T03:33:48.933-07:002018-09-23T03:33:48.933-07:00Here's the Boston Globe story: The Emmy Award-...Here's the <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2018/09/22/thad-mumford-writer-broke-barriers-television/uHhEe2VqnJhimLtDkudfHO/story.html" rel="nofollow">Boston Globe story</a>: The Emmy Award-winning writer and producer for “M.A.S.H.” and other hit television shows worked at a time when African-Americans were practically unheard-of in network writing rooms.Roger Owen Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05298172138307632062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-90125322743951401912018-09-20T07:34:31.396-07:002018-09-20T07:34:31.396-07:00I thought it might be fitting to include this link...I thought it might be fitting to include this link to a wide-ranging interview conducted with Thad Mumford just a couple years ago:<br /><br />https://youtu.be/CQc5SZJWXLcJanet Ybarranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53376078617250821012018-09-20T07:24:39.499-07:002018-09-20T07:24:39.499-07:00"Thad Mumford," it just sounds like a ba..."Thad Mumford," it just sounds like a baseball players name. Sorry to hear your bud has passed on, but perhaps there's some comfort in the possibility that he's hanging out with Harry Morgan and David Ogden Stiers - and playing catch with Moose.Pete Grossmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-47695806277407540382018-09-20T06:04:43.133-07:002018-09-20T06:04:43.133-07:00I think it's so nice that so many of Thad Mumf...I think it's so nice that so many of Thad Mumford's friends and family found their way here to your remembrance, Ken, to share their own thoughts and memories.<br /><br />Thanks for your blog, Ken.Janet Ybarranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36861450526938638682018-09-20T03:47:28.133-07:002018-09-20T03:47:28.133-07:00Rest in Paradise Thad.Rest in Paradise Thad.Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17563532360691052831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73397454000257404962018-09-20T03:46:36.333-07:002018-09-20T03:46:36.333-07:00Also like Comedy writing and hope to publish my pi...Also like Comedy writing and hope to publish my picture joke book. Am inspired. Rest in Paradise Thad. Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17563532360691052831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-7552776532010188882018-09-19T22:08:29.424-07:002018-09-19T22:08:29.424-07:00So odd. I was just thinking about Thad this week a...So odd. I was just thinking about Thad this week and had no idea he had passed away until I read this piece. What I was thinking about was all the fun times we had writing ALF. He and I wrote an episode where Alf buys a Ferrari for the Tanner’s daughter and ends up taking it for a spin on the 405. What fun we had writing together, bitching together, dining together and navigating this crazy business together. Thad most definitely left his mark and will be greatly missed.Laurienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34035246131072427262018-09-19T16:55:25.216-07:002018-09-19T16:55:25.216-07:00Sorry for the occasion but I'm glad you do the...Sorry for the occasion but I'm glad you do these things. As someone who spent his life reading credits on TV shows, it's nice to get a little background on who these people are.<br /><br />As good a time as any to ask: I enjoy the interviews you do on your podcast (though I also like the fact that you mix things up so that it's not the same thing every week). I'm hoping you'll interview Charlotte Brown some day (I thought you said she was a neighbor). I've seen her name on MTM, Bob Newhart and Rhoda shows, but never anything else about her. (Treva Silverman's in your archives, and Susan Silver wrote a book. But Charlotte Brown is an enigma).Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02753360146107174303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83638622580921382882018-09-19T16:05:56.430-07:002018-09-19T16:05:56.430-07:00No sorry to hear that. Like most writers (unlike e...No sorry to hear that. Like most writers (unlike everybody else) I habitually read the writing credits to movies and TV shows and I remember reading his name many times at the end of MASH. And he was only 67! Unbelievable.VincentSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-69445926759765909702018-09-19T16:03:24.341-07:002018-09-19T16:03:24.341-07:00Thad was a longtime friend of mine and I was lucky...Thad was a longtime friend of mine and I was lucky to be included in both his two preferred passions of discussion: show business and baseball. We even used to talk to each other using both our first and last names as if we were doing a Yankee broadcast on WPIX Channel 11. Lots of times, I would say, "right you are, Thad Mumford." Usually, he'd be grousing over the state of TV comedy or why baseball players refuse to wear stirrups any more. He loved to honor old time show biz. Both our birthdays are in February and we did a dinner together earlier this year. He noticed that actress Ruta Lee was at the next table. Even though he didn't know her, he sent a drink over. He lived comfortably in that old school pre-computer universe and I wound up being his unofficial "geek squad." Ironically, I had a funny voicemail from him the night before he passed. He started it by saying "I assume you're at the Mets-Dodger game tonight...." He knew. I'm sorry I didn't think to save the message. If there is a Heaven, I hope Thad finds lot of doubleheaders scheduled...and Dick Van Dyke show reruns played on a continuous loop. Lenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18024610955369307729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-63228002563595940002018-09-19T13:45:35.175-07:002018-09-19T13:45:35.175-07:00Thad was my brother-in-law, and it's so very n...Thad was my brother-in-law, and it's so very nice to read this. Thank you for posting. He did have a fantastic laugh, didn't he?!<br />Donna Colemannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12111687429745782212018-09-19T13:28:11.990-07:002018-09-19T13:28:11.990-07:00He and his writing partner wrote one of my favorit...He and his writing partner wrote one of my favorite episodes of MASH, "A War for All Seasons." The episode takes place over an entire year. While it takes some liberties with the MASH time line, I've always loved the structure. Carsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59484324728211876122018-09-19T12:20:48.895-07:002018-09-19T12:20:48.895-07:00Nice remembrance, Ken. Perhaps you could ask Dan W...Nice remembrance, Ken. Perhaps you could ask Dan Wilcox for a guest post to discuss his unique partnership with Thad and talk about writing some memorable MASH episodes.Janet Ybarranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-50589090767671225262018-09-19T11:10:50.479-07:002018-09-19T11:10:50.479-07:00Anthony Strand, that song is based on this one: ht...Anthony Strand, that song is based on this one: https://youtu.be/l6Eu43RoaGQ. I'm not trying to take anything away from Thad Mumford's version--I admire his taste in classic doo-wop, and based on everything I've read here, it makes me wish even more I'd had a chance to meet him.estivhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12736355730705116526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9469875217547022362018-09-19T10:35:21.960-07:002018-09-19T10:35:21.960-07:00Lovey piece, Ken. I'm sending a link to it to...Lovey piece, Ken. I'm sending a link to it to Thad's brother, Jeffrey.<br /><br />It's hard to imagine a world with no Thad in it. I guess we'll all find out what that's like.<br /><br /><br /><br />Dan Wilcoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06652011544375483791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-70478246331780328912018-09-19T09:57:35.525-07:002018-09-19T09:57:35.525-07:00I thought of you Ken when I first heard the news. ...I thought of you Ken when I first heard the news. As someone who has watched a lot of TV, the writing and directing credits become like old friends after awhile. Thad Mumford and his partner Dan Wilcox wrote one of my favorite later era MASH episodes. Identify Crisis. Good writing stays with you long after the frame..and that episode had laughter and tears..guilt and a great plot for Father Mulcahy.The funniest joke is the name they give the muscle "latricium subversis" (pardon spelling). Brilliant episode and thanks to reruns, DVD and streaming, we will enjoy for years to come.<br />My deepest sympathies Ken.sueK2001https://suek2001.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76366063392033005002018-09-19T08:09:10.728-07:002018-09-19T08:09:10.728-07:00Thad was very talented and it sounds like he was a...Thad was very talented and it sounds like he was an amazing friend as well. Thanks for the write up of him, I'm sorry you've lost your friend. xdandy_liohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05940021859057644311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-38382940910517242302018-09-19T07:41:00.196-07:002018-09-19T07:41:00.196-07:00Very sad, as 67 is such a young age to go.Very sad, as 67 is such a young age to go.Janet Ybarranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13806598729741502192018-09-19T07:26:09.522-07:002018-09-19T07:26:09.522-07:00I was the intern on the writing staff during seaso...I was the intern on the writing staff during season three of "A Different World." Thad Mumford was the showrunner. You know that you really pitched a great joke because Thad would lose it laughing! Thanks for the memories. Rest In Paradise, Thad...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04938327989819075920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36493189646917391342018-09-19T07:19:40.950-07:002018-09-19T07:19:40.950-07:00I worked on "A Different World" as the i...I worked on "A Different World" as the intern on the writing staff during Season 3 of the show. Thad Mumford was the showrunner. You knew when you really pitched a great joke, because Thad would lose it laughing! Thanks for the memories. Rest In Paradise, Thad...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04938327989819075920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45636912428081535602018-09-19T06:43:55.319-07:002018-09-19T06:43:55.319-07:00Coincidentally, I saw only my 2nd game at the new ...Coincidentally, I saw only my 2nd game at the new Yankee Stadium this past weekend.<br />I'm sorry for Thad's passing, though he was merely a name on the credits for me. Roger Owen Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05298172138307632062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-91248404378926813802018-09-19T06:32:41.164-07:002018-09-19T06:32:41.164-07:00I always think of Thad for his contributions to Se...I always think of Thad for his contributions to Sesame Street, particularly this amazing song that he wrote and sang lead on - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUhJLBk-Q9k&disable_polymer=trueAnthony Strandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15170406011301084809noreply@blogger.com