The following is an expanded version of a post originally written on October 31st, 2012.
M*A*S*H had just one episode focusing on Halloween. It was “Trick or Treatment” from Season 11 (originally broadcast November 1st, 1982). The episode involved a dead soldier coming back to life, the doctors sharing ghost stories, and Charles dealing with a Marine who has a pool ball stuck in his mouth.
Hawkeye, B.J., Colonel Potter, Margaret and Klinger are all seen wearing Halloween costumes. Here’s a good shot of most of them:
Notice the characters in the background are also dressed up. A ghost can clearly be seen. A number of extras in other scenes are also shown wearing costumes. Here’s Klinger in his zoot suit:
The best part of this episode was Charles pretending not to notice that the poor Marine (played by George Wendt) had a pool ball in his mouth. The worst part? B.J.’s clown horn.
There are some other episodes that would make for good Halloween viewing, chiefly “Follies of the Living – Concerns of the Dead” and perhaps “Dreams.”
I’m wondering if the zoot suit Klinger wore in this episode was the same one he wore during the siege in ‘The Army Navy Game.’ Does anyone know?
The Exorcism would be good too, I think, for Halloween viewing. And maybe the one where Charles Is obsessed with dying.
How could I forget to include “Exorcism” when talking about Halloween and M*A*S*H?
MeTV played “Exorcism” and this ep last night as part of an all-day Halloween-themed schedule. I’ve always loved Halloween, so I thought that was pretty cool. Interesting to see George Wendt on-screen without everyone shouting “NORM!”
(I’ve still got last night’s “Trick Or Treatment” broadcast on the DVR, waiting to be put on DVD, as it included some Svengoolie bumpers, which is probably the closest I’ll ever get to Sven hosting M*A*S*H, which appeals to me for some unknown reason.)