R.I.P. David Ogden Stiers

Just remembered this one:

 

someone mentioned it already, but I love him in Doc Hollywood. he was so good in that flick.

chad

 

He was also in Woody Allen's Another Woman.

 

I enjoyed David Ogden Stiers on the cast album of Doug Henning’s ‘The Magic Show’ well before I knew who David Ogden Stiers was.

 

I strongly agree about Winchester. Unlike Burns, he could hold his own against Hawkeye and B. J., but he could also work with them and learn from them when needed (a scene where he learns a faster surgical procedure from Hawkeye comes to mind).

Excellent performance in a great movie! Despite being played by the same person, I saw Winchester and Al Meyer as people rather than characters being played by an actor. In a way, he bares a similarity to Dan Aykroyd in that he tends to completely disappear into his characters so that you see the character rather than him.

Yes, he was Cogsworth. He was perfect in the role, coming across as appropriately pompous as the castle's majordomo and was an perfect counterpoint to Lumiere (the candlestick played by Jerry Orbach).

 

He played J’onn J’onzz, the Martian Manhunter in a failed Justice League pilot in the ‘90’s! Never fear, all the characters pictured below remain active in contemporary incarnations on the CW’s various super-hero shows.

 

I thought maybe I was alone in this, but there are at least a couple of us that saw him in that role and enjoyed it. I actually thought of Doc Hollywood first, then MASH

RIP

 

Alan Alda on Twitter

 

What was brilliant about that character was that they replaced Burns with the polar opposite: a man who was extraordinarily adept instead of being clumsy; a very well-educated man who wasn't dumb at all; a guy who saw himself as an intellectual and not a common man; and a guy who could hold his own very well with Hawkeye & B.J.'s antics. And he also found a way to show that even a character who was primarily a pompous, stuffed shirt also had a heart and could be a very caring doctor.

I think it was because of these character replacements that they managed to get another 5-6 years out of M*A*S*H, which as far as I know had never been done like this before (especially with multiple characters). And Stiers was an extremely sharp, nuanced actor who put a lot into the role. From Levine's account, he was also a very kind man to work with and a total pro at what he did.

 

I know some may disagree, but it is scenes like this one that make me favor, overall, the later era of "M*A*S*H":
RIP, David Ogden Stiers

 

I just found that out earlier today!

Cogsworth

 

Roger Ebert was a high school classmate of David's and would occasionally mention him in his columns; even when reviewing a film he wasn't in. This is from his review of Time Regained in 2000:

 

David was also great at narrations, what a powerful voice that man had.
RIP.

 

I never realized how active he was after M*A*S*H. He was in a TON of stuff.

He once came to my college to speak and do a Q&A. The one thing that was made clear by the person that did the introduction for him was he would not take any questions on M*A*S*H. Obviously, at that time, he was trying to distance himself from that iconic show. Oddly, outside of that sitcom/dramedy I remember him best from a Lifetime movie (of all things) with Judith Light called "Wife, Mother, Murderer" which surprised me that he was in it (and that I watched it!).

Stay hard Mr. Stiers.

 

Just hearing this sad news now. I really liked him in Mash and didn't realize all of the voice acting he did.
RIP.

 

R.I.P. always enjoyed David in MASH

 

I can understand why he would not want to do MASH questions, the very first question would be, "Are you really like that character on the show?"

 

Also this is not been mentioned yet on this thread, Mr. Stiers was also an accomplished musician, a Juilliard graduate.
He conducted orchestras as well as doing his acting work.
Also his love for classical music made it into his Winchester character, some memorable moments is when he was annoying BJ and Hawkeye with his French horn playing, and him teaching the Chinese musicians how to play a classical piece on the finale.

 

I'm extremely sad. I was lucky to meet him a few times, he collected classical LPs and 78s and was a friend of a local collector in Portland whom I know. His knowledge of classical music was encyclopedic and we had some very enjoyable discussions and debates about the great conductors and performers of the past. He was extremely nice and not at all stuffy like his Winchester character.
He was a big fan of Toscanini!

 

Bummer

 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/mash-stars-recall-heart-humor-david-ogden-stiers-1091949

During the 1977-78 season, Richard Attenborough took residence on the 20th Century Fox lot to direct Magic, a twisted horror film starring Anthony Hopkins and Ann-Margret. Many of the people working on the lot, including Attenborough, often frequented the commissary for lunch. One day, Morgan, Farr, William Christopher (Father Mulcahy), Farrell and a crewmember went to the commissary and situated themselves in a booth for lunch. As it would turn out, Attenborough was across the room with some people, also enjoying a meal.

"As we were finishing our meal, this line of waiters came up to us with a flourish. They had soft-serve yogurt — at the time a fancy new dessert in the commissary — brought to us and served in goblets. The waiters made a big deal out of it, setting it down in front of each of us. They said, 'Compliments of Sir Richard Attenborough,'" Farrell recalls. "We were blown away that Richard would know who we were, let alone treat us to this fabulous dessert. So, we turned and waved graciously and said, 'Thank you, Sir Richard, so kind of you.' We had to call it out a little bit because he was across the room. Attenborough didn't even turn to acknowledge us. So, we said it louder. Again, he ignored us. Then Harry stands up and yells, 'Thank you, Dickie.' Nothing. I was trying to figure out what was going on. My eyes sweep the room and I see, over in another corner of the commissary, David laughing to all hell. And I thought, 'Oh, that son of a bitch.'

"I said to the guys, who were still standing, 'Stop. Hold it, I think we've been had here,'" Farrell continues. "Stiers is over there having a spasm. He's having so much fun at our expense. When the waiter comes over with the check, it includes the desserts on it. I figure we can't let David do this without some consequence. So, I tell him to take the entire check to Stiers. I watched as the waiter hands David the check. He looks at it, signs it with a flourish and walks out. I ran out after him and caught him in the street and I said, 'David, I didn't really mean for you to have to pay for our meals. I just wanted to get back at you in some small way for humiliating us, you son of a bitch!' And David says, 'Oh, it's alright Mike, I signed Gary Burghoff's [who played 'Radar' O'Reilly] name to it."

 

Or sending Margaret on what I suspect was a wild goose chase for an obscure Classical album (Schnauzel or something like that, the 1932 recording, not the 1947!) in "The Birthday Girls".

Another real life practical joke that made its way into the series in "An Eye For A Tooth" ("What do you mean, my pie?") I believe it's been said that Stiers was the biggest practical joker in the M*A*S*H cast.

 

That would be Schnabel.
Artur Schnabel, a pianist whom Mr. Stiers admired in real life.

 

So I take it then that the album Charles wanted Margaret to but for him in exchange for giving the Levafed talk did exist then? I sorta had the feeling it didn't, and Charles was making fun of Margaret's lack of knowledge regarding Classical music...