Burt Metcalf, producer of all seasons of ‘M*A*S*H’, dies at 87

Burt Metcalf, a former Canadian actor who produced, directed and wrote all 11 seasons of the series. MIXTURECollecting 13 Emmy nominations along the way, he died. He was 87 years old.

One of the show’s unsung heroes, Metcalf, died of natural causes Wednesday in Los Angeles, his wife of 43 years said, actor Jan Jourdan said. (She played the role of Nurse Baker in the series.)

Before leaving full-time acting to work on the other side of the camera, Metcalf played surfer Lord Byron alongside Sandra Dee and James Darren. contraption (1959), appeared in the first season the twilight zone and starred in the CBS sitcom from 1961-62 father of the bride.

Metcalf produced all but five MIXTUREIt’s 256 episodes from 1972 to 1983 and its showrunner over the last six seasons. He also directed 31 episodes of the hit CBS series, writing three and starring in one.

its seven Emmy nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series; Incredibly, he never won.

MIXTUREHe once said, “It’s not your typical military comedy, and I think there’s always been such dedication and willingness to do things beyond the ordinary. And luckily, the chemistry of the people involved, the writers, the actors, the producers, the directors, was of a caliber that allowed this to happen, where everyone was proud of what they were doing.

Burton Dennis Metcalf was born on March 19, 1935 in Saskatoon, Canada. He spent most of his youth in Montreal before moving to Los Angeles in 1949 and studying theater at UCLA for four years, graduating in 1955.

He made his screen debut in the Mark Robson film. Toko Ris Bridges (1954), then served in the US Navy from 1956 to 1957.

Metcalfe played panicked neighbor Don Martin, who pointed the finger at the episode’s star, Claude Akin, in season one. the twilight zone The episode “Monsters Wait on Maple Street” premiered in March 1960.

It’s on father of the bride – based on Spencer Tracy-Elizabeth Taylor’s 1950s hit – starring newlywed Buckley Dunston alongside Myrna Fahey as his wife and Ruth Warwick and Leon Ames as his son-in-law.

He played the son of Walter Pidgeon’s character in Lord Pingo in the summer of 1963 and appeared in episodes. Many loves by Dobby Gillis, outer limits (first episode), a farmer’s daughter, to escape, perry mason, Hennessy s 12 hours high.

Metcalf joined Screen Gems in 1965 as casting director before being promoted to executive assistant to producer Harry Ackerman.charmed, the flying nun). During his hiatus, he played one of his last jobs, the role of Maxwell in a James Bond film. diamonds are forever (1971).

In 1970, he moved to Fox to work with Gene Reynolds as casting director and associate producer on two pilots. ana and the king s MIXTURE. Reynolds was the driving force behind the latter.

Metcalf was also an executive producer from 1983 to 1985 onwards. post-MASH, starring Harry Morgan, Jamie Farr and William Christopher. He moved to Warner Bros. Television in the mid-1980s before joining MTM Enterprises in 1986.