Larry Linville on Frank Burns - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

treky · 04-11-2009, 10:40 PM

he was asked in an interview once if he ever based Frank on anyone in particular and he replied that he was based "on every idiot I've ever known".

TJL · 04-11-2009, 10:56 PM

From the interview footage of Larry Linville I've seen on various M*A*S*H specials, Linville seemed like a pretty down to earth guy who had some pretty good opinions on the show.

Mr. Television · 04-11-2009, 11:56 PM

Frank was my favorite character on MASH.

LuLu Rogers · 04-13-2009, 01:00 AM

I still feel terrible for Larry, he was such a nice guy, but he got so much hate mail from M*A*S*H fans who hated Frank. It really upset him

Marvo301 · 04-13-2009, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuLu Rogers

I still feel terrible for Larry, he was such a nice guy, but he got so much hate mail from M*A*S*H fans who hated Frank. It really upset him

He should have taken it as a compliment. If he got that kind of response from fans it shows he created a very memorable character that people had a real emotional response to. That really is a tribute to Larry's skill and talent as an actor.

LuLu Rogers · 04-13-2009, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

He should have taken it as a compliment. If he got that kind of response from fans it shows he created a very memorable character that people had a real emotional response to. That really is a tribute to Larry's skill and talent as an actor.

Oh I agree, he was an amazing actor, but fans can be brutal, especially those who can't differenciate between the actor and the character they play.

Jude The Obscure · 04-13-2009, 01:15 AM

But still if you take the time to write an actor to say how much you hate HIM just because of the role he plays....talk about immature and hello, reality check!

I wonder if Larry resented that he kept getting "Frank Burns" type roles after he left MASH--on the tv series version of "The Love Bug", the shortlived "Jeffersons" spinoff "Checking In", and that inane "Mr. Smith" on NBC.

LuLu Rogers · 04-13-2009, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jude The Obscure

But still if you take the time to write an actor to say how much you hate HIM just because of the role he plays....talk about immature and hello, reality check!

Yeah, people are crazy these days

treky · 04-13-2009, 01:30 AM

in the same interview, he was asked if they ever wanted to portray Frank as sympithetic, or like "one of the guys" like they did with Charles sometimes; and about the firs part he said "What, you mean like Alan Alda"?

Dog Tags · 04-15-2009, 12:06 AM

It would be difficult to imagine MASH without the likes of Larry Linville playing Maj. Frank M. Burns. He was able to bring a difficult character to life in a very believable way. And whether you laughed at him or with him, he brought Frank to life. What a empty camp the 4077th would have been without his presence.

TJL · 04-15-2009, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treky

in the same interview, he was asked if they ever wanted to portray Frank as sympithetic, or like "one of the guys" like they did with Charles sometimes; and about the firs part he said "What, you mean like Alan Alda"?

Still, it's interesting to wonder what would have happened if Linville had stayed on longer...

When Winchester was first brought in, he was the insufferable foil who always got dumped on by everyone, but he mellowed quite a bit and (in his own way) became "one of the gang" by the end of the series. Could they have done the same thing to Frank Burns?

steevo · 04-16-2009, 12:22 AM

^ Maybe, but would it have gone hand in hand with his lack of surgical skills?

Frank was one of my favorite aspects of MASH's early years.

treky · 04-19-2009, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jude The Obscure

But still if you take the time to write an actor to say how much you hate HIM just because of the role he plays....talk about immature and hello, reality check!

I wonder if Larry resented that he kept getting "Frank Burns" type roles after he left MASH--on the tv series version of "The Love Bug", the shortlived "Jeffersons" spinoff "Checking In", and that inane "Mr. Smith" on NBC.

also on that extremly short-lived NBC show called "GRANDPA GOES TO WASHINGTON". However, I saw him in a non-Frank Burns type role once on "THE ROCKFORD FILES" after he left "MASH".

Marvo301 · 04-19-2009, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJL

Still, it's interesting to wonder what would have happened if Linville had stayed on longer...

When Winchester was first brought in, he was the insufferable foil who always got dumped on by everyone, but he mellowed quite a bit and (in his own way) became "one of the gang" by the end of the series. Could they have done the same thing to Frank Burns?

No I don't think so because Hawkeye and Trapper(and later BJ) never respected Frank as a surgeon or in any other way for that matter. They did however respect Charles as a surgeon and that was the starting point for the friendship they eventually built with him. With Frank they had absolutely no starting point for a friendship.

04-11-2009, 10:40 PM	#1
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	Larry Linville on Frank Burns he was asked in an interview once if he ever based Frank on anyone in particular and he replied that he was based "on every idiot I've ever known".
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04-11-2009, 10:56 PM	#2
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	From the interview footage of Larry Linville I've seen on various MAS*H specials, Linville seemed like a pretty down to earth guy who had some pretty good opinions on the show.
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04-11-2009, 11:56 PM	#3
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	Frank was my favorite character on MASH.
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04-13-2009, 01:00 AM	#4
LuLu Rogers Colonel Brandon Forum Fanatic Join Date: Mar 23, 2004 Location: The Hogwarts Dungeons Posts: 11,013	I still feel terrible for Larry, he was such a nice guy, but he got so much hate mail from MAS*H fans who hated Frank. It really upset him
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04-15-2009, 12:06 AM	#10
Dog Tags Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 26, 2009 Location: New York State ( of mind ) Posts: 130	It would be difficult to imagine MASH without the likes of Larry Linville playing Maj. Frank M. Burns. He was able to bring a difficult character to life in a very believable way. And whether you laughed at him or with him, he brought Frank to life. What a empty camp the 4077th would have been without his presence.
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04-13-2009, 01:15 AM	#7
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,520	But still if you take the time to write an actor to say how much you hate HIM just because of the role he plays....talk about immature and hello, reality check! I wonder if Larry resented that he kept getting "Frank Burns" type roles after he left MASH--on the tv series version of "The Love Bug", the shortlived "Jeffersons" spinoff "Checking In", and that inane "Mr. Smith" on NBC.

04-13-2009, 01:30 AM	#9
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	in the same interview, he was asked if they ever wanted to portray Frank as sympithetic, or like "one of the guys" like they did with Charles sometimes; and about the firs part he said "What, you mean like Alan Alda"?

04-16-2009, 12:22 AM	#12
steevo It is Green Senior Member Join Date: Dec 28, 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,474	^ Maybe, but would it have gone hand in hand with his lack of surgical skills? Frank was one of my favorite aspects of MASH's early years.
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