There’s a good reason Loretta Swit’s Margaret looks so moved during her final scene in MASH. The CBS sitcom MASH ran for 11 seasons in total, and arguably no character changed the most during that run than Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan. She was the sworn enemy of Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and Trapper (Wayne Rogers) during the early years and was involved in an affair with the weaselly Frank Burns (Larry Linville). Loretta Swit’s favorite MASH episode “The Nurses” featured an emotional breakthrough for her character – which came about from the actress’ demand that Houlihan get some proper character development.
Alda and Swit were the only actors to appear in the first and final episodes too. It can’t be undersold what a major event the sitcom’s finale “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” truly was back in 1983. MASH’s finale is the most-watched scripted episode in TV history, with over 100 million viewers tuning in to see the end of the 4077th. While there were a couple of spinoffs like AfterMASH that tried to extend the brand a little longer, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” truly felt like a full stop for the series.
Loretta Swift’s MASH Co-Star David Ogden Stiers Gave Her A Meaningful Gift During Margaret’s Final Scene
When Larry Linville exited MASH as Frank following season 5, a new character named Charles Emerson Winchester III (David Ogden Stiers) repl aced him. Charles was everything Frank wasn’t; a great surgeon, an intellectual and even kind of likable – despite being a total snob. Throughout “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” Charles and Margaret are at each other’s throats for a couple of reasons. This includes Winchester being annoyed that Margaret took a book from his collection – even though he hates that particular volume.
In their final scene Charles hands Margaret this book as a gift, and when she opens it, Margaret starts beaming. Throughout his time on the show, Stiers’ fellow actors noted he was a private person, and while not unfriendly, he preferred to keep himself at a distance. In MASH’s finale, Swit is smiling because Stiers has inscribed his phone number to her, so they can stay in touch after the show ends.
If Margaret looks genuinely moved by “Charles'” gesture, that’s because Swit was moved by her co-star’s gift. It’s a sweet behind-the-scenes detail and one that only makes Margaret’s final scene all the more moving. The character didn’t get much to do in MASH’s “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” but the episode at least nailed her final appearance.
The Significance Of Charles’ Gift To Margaret In MASH’s Finale
Outside of Stiers real-life message, Charles’ gift is meaningful to Margaret on a few levels. Through the finale, Charles was irritated that Margaret helped him gain his next job as Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Boston General. Despite this being his dream job, he wanted to earn it on his own merits and feels Margaret’s help undermined that. She had also borrowed a volume of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnets From The Portugese from his collection, but Charles’ petty demand that Margaret return this book leads to more conflict between them.
This is Charles’ way of thanking Margaret for helping him secure the job, a goodbye gift and ultimately, as a mark of respect.
As the characters bid each other farewell in MASH’s last episode, Charles gifts her the volume, claiming he has no room for it. This is his way of thanking Margaret for helping him secure the job, a goodbye gift and ultimately, as a mark of respect. Given what an uptight snob Winchester could be, his handing over of the volume is no small thing. Charles also inscribed the book with a message for Margaret – though viewers don’t get to see what he said to her. When combined with Swift’s real response to receiving her co-star’s number, this results in one of the MASH finale’s most tearjerking moments.
