It is hard to foresee the future value of things because, well, that’s just how our linear experience of time works (for now). If anyone ever figures out how to jack the system, decision making will take a whole new turn. But for now, we’re stuck with our gut instincts and educated guesses.
When M*A*S*H was merely at its incipience, Robert Klein didn’t think much about the opportunity given him to play the role of Trapper John and nonchalantly turned it down. While he never hinted at having regrets about his decision, it’s hard to believe he didn’t feel at least one pang of regret after the series bloomed financially. But he didn’t just turn the gig down for nothing. Klein was focused on his stand up comedy routine at the time and insists that he had to follow where his heart was leading.
Show Me The Money
There’s no getting around it: advertising annoys viewers. No-one likes waiting through the arduous commercials when all they want to know is what’s coming next in their favorite program. Having your joy cut into installments with slices of boredom in between isn’t fun. But these ads are how the networks pay for the shows we all enjoy, the legendary M*A*S*H series included.
When they were just starting up, during the first years, it would set you back $30,000 for a customized ad, running in the midst of an episode. During its eleventh season, the series finale, the cost to place an ad through the host network hit its own pinnacle. To expose your business before more than a million viewers, each individual ad (most of which ran for under a minute) cost a whopping $450,000.
One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure
Flooded with creativity, sometimes you just don’t know what writers and producers can come up with on set. The filming of an episode titled “As Time Goes By” yielded a time capsule which they decided to bury at the ranch. This property was sold two months later and the time capsule was forgotten in the midst of all the pressures of running a highly successful TV show.
The new owners of the ranch were surprised to stumble upon this buried capsule when a construction worker they hired dug it up. Perplexed, they got in contact with Alan Alda, who simply laughed and told them that they could keep the relic.
It's Hard To Say Goodbye
The cast and crew of M*A*S*H must have had a tough time letting go after the filming of the finale. After working for 11 seasons together, they had long since ceased to see each other workmates and had segued into the closeness of a family.
Funnily enough, the series finale wasn’t really the finale. Not for the cast and crew anyway. They gathered one more time after the filming of the monster last episode to capture one more sub-finale of sorts. Technically, the last show they ever made was “As Time Goes By.” Then they buried those time capsules and turned their backs on M*A*S*H, carrying only their memories with them.
The Mysterious Hat
By now you, can’t be surprised when M*A*S*H produces another odd item, showing up and disappearing mysteriously, like those time capsules, teddy bear, and the dress. The show ran for 11 seasons and a lot of things happened under our noses.
When the series had just started, credits were lined up in the film to highlight how and where the series had drawn its main ideas from. Alan Alda was shown with a hat in the process. This same hat was used by Donald Sutherland in the movie, and then it mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again throughout the remainder of the show’s life.