Private Charles Lamb was the 14th episode of Season 3 M*A*S*H, also the 62nd overall series episode. Written by Sid Dorfman, and directed by Hy Averback, it first aired on December 31, 1974.
Synopsis[]
Greek Colonel Andropolis provides the 4077th with food and drink for an Easter celebration, but soft-hearted Radar rescues the main course - a live lamb - from the spit. Radar tricks Henry into giving it a medical discharge and sends it home to Ottumwa. Thus, Hawkeye and Trapper invent the famed Spam lamb! Meanwhile, enlisted man Chapman shoots himself in the foot to get out of the Army, mistakes Frank for Father Mulcahy, and confesses - enraging Frank.
Full episode summary[]
The 4077th spends the better part of a day working on a bunch of wounded Greek soldiers. Henry gets a visit from a Colonel Andropolis, who tells Henry how grateful he is for the treatment his men received. Andropolis says their Greek Easter is the upcoming Sunday, and he's arranged for certain Greek delicacies to be airlifted from Greece to the 4077th. He graciously invites the Americans to join them in a feast including grape leaves, moussaka, lamb, and "a bathtub full" of ouzo.
Hawkeye has a patient, Private Chapman, who shot himself in the leg to get out of combat. In a round-about way, Hawkeye lets Chapman know he knows what he did and tells him not to let the guy who shot him shoot him again. Chapman, who can't be more than 18, gets the message and tells Hawkeye he won't be back.
The Greek shipment arrives, including breads, olives, pickled vegetables – and a live lamb. The animal-loving Radar asks why there is a live lamb being delivered, so Hawkeye and Trapper regale him about the virtues of barbecued lamb, sending the Corporal into a panic.
While Frank complains to Henry about the “debauchery” of this Greek celebration, Radar steals the lamb and gives it a sedative to make it sleep. Frank intends on filing a complaint with Father Mulcahy. Not finding the Father in his tent, Frank writes him a note. A guilty Chapman shows up, and assuming Frank is the chaplain, confesses he shot himself to get sent back. Enraged, Frank demands Chapman's name and serial number as the Private realizes his error.
Radar gets Henry to sign an emergency leave for a “Private Charles Lamb.” When Henry questions who this is, Radar replies Lamb is short and has curly hair – and Henry buys it.
Frank arrives at Henry's office to bring charges against Chapman, but finds only Hawkeye and Trapper. Frank tells them how Chapman thought he was the camp priest and confessed to shooting himself. Hawkeye says the sentence should be 10 years – for Frank, for impersonating a priest. Believing this to be a legitimate prosecutable offense, Frank leaves, dejected.
Henry arrives, upset the lamb is missing and Greek command holding him responsible. Radar steps forward and admits the lamb is gone, for he [Henry] gave it a medical discharge earlier that day. Henry is angry for being tricked – and giving a discharge to a lamb who is now flying to Iowa to become Radar's “little brother.” Hawkeye and Trapper tell Henry to relax, and that they will supply a lamb.
The Greek festivities start, the ouzo is flowing, and most everyone is dancing, including Frank. Trapper brings Chapman in to check out what "a real celebration of life is like." Hawkeye provides the replacement for the missing entrée: a Spam lamb. While dancing, he spies Chapman and smiles; the soldier smiles back. Hawkeye also notices Frank dancing obliviously holding a bottle of ouzo, and address him as "Father." Radar sits with Henry, who drunkenly says, "You son of a gun, you!" and playfully punches him arm. Radar punches back, knocking Henry to the floor.
In a closing scene not shown in most syndicated airings, the party is shown winding down as dawn approaches. Henry is snoggered with a bottle of ouzo and the remains of the Spam lamb; Radar is dancing slowly with a tent pole; Hawkeye and Frank are dancing arm in arm with two Greek soldiers (or rather, they're swaying side to side) until Frank passes out, all while Trapper whistles and strums on his ukulele. The scene ends with Henry falling face-first into the Spam lamb, out like a light.
Research notes/Fun facts[]
- Timeline Facts: The Greek Easter was on April 29 in 1951, April 20 in 1952, and April 5 in 1953 (the Korean War didn't start until June 25, 1950, 2 months after Greek Easter that year, and ended July 27, 1953, about 3.5 months after the holiday).
- Tribute to Korean War Allies: This episode pays tribute to Greece, which sent an infantry battalion and a flight of 7 C-47 transport aircraft to fight in the Korean War. The Greek government originally intended to send a brigade, but following the UN successes in late 1950, the force was downgraded to a battalion. Called the "Sparta" battalion, the force initially comprised 849 men and was later expanded to 1,063 men in 1951.
- This is one of the few times we see Trapper playing his ukulele (or other stringed instrument). It seemed they were trying to hold on to the guitar-playing doctor motif established in the original movie by Captain Bandini (played by Corey Fischer, who returned to the series just once to play the guitar-playing dentist, Captain Phil Cardozo, in Season 2 ("5 O'Clock Charlie"), then carried over into the series by Captain Calvin Spalding, who appeared in only 3 episodes in Season 3. This motif was dropped after this season.
- Though she receives billing in the opening credits, Loretta Swit does not appear in this episode. Her character of Major Houlihan is said to be in Tokyo.
- A major plot point is that Chapman mistakes Frank Burns for the camp priest, because Frank visits Father Mulcahy's tent and is there when Chapman enters. Father Mulcahy does not appear in this episode, and no explanation is offered for his absence.
- As happens frequently in Season 3, Mr. Kwang is on hand in the O.R. to assist with the operations. Trapper and Hawkeye both give an impromptu lecture on medical history to Kwang while operating. Kwang is played by an uncredited extra with no lines, and mostly keeps his back to the camera and is never clearly seen.
- When Henry says his farewells to the Greek Colonel on the phone (after confirming receipt of the Greek delicacies) halfway through the episode, he signs off with a cheerful, "Abyssinia!" (because it sounds like "I'll be seein' ya!"). This would go on to become part of the title of the last episode to feature the character of Lt. Colonel Henry Blake ("Abyssinia, Henry").
- Even though Radar loves animals, it seems odd (as a farm boy) that he has a problem with them getting killed for food. In a previous episode ("The Longjohn Flap"), he had no problem downing an entire leg of lamb (plus mint jelly) by himself.
Guest stars/Recurring cast[]
- Titos Vandis as Colonel Andropolis
- Ted Eccles as Private Chapman
Uncredited roles/extras
- Todd Susman as the P.A. announcer
- Kellye Nakahara (at the party)
- unknown, possibly Leland Sun as Mr. Kwang
- Private Charles Lamb as himself
- Jeff Maxwell (Igor is out like a light on a table in the foreground in the final scene, when it pans past Hawkeye and Frank dancing with the two Greek soldiers)
- Roy Goldman (serving food in the Mess Tent as the episode opens)