M*A*S*H
OPENING CREDIT SEQUENCES
Season-6 1977-78 SEASON
6 - MAIN VERSION
MUSIC
CHANGE Another new recording of the theme.
CREDIT
CHANGES David Ogden Stiers has replaced Larry Linville, and
Executive Producer
Gene Reynolds' name has been dropped.
SHOT
CHANGES 1)
The main title shot has been changed from a close view of two
helicopters to a wide, more overhead shot. 2)
The shot following the ambulance pulling into the compound has been
changed...previously it was a somewhat stationary view of the
helicopters, now it zooms in on the word "MASH" painted on a chopper.
My theory on these shot changes is that this was the year M*A*S*H
reruns began running daily on CBS daytime, and they
wanted to give new episodes a slightly different look. The only other
reason I could come up with (and
this is really
a stretch) is
that in the original helicopter shots, you can see the dangling
arm of a wounded soldier and someone found this
either inaccurate or too gruesome. Some have theorized that the
original chopper shots were outtakes from the MASH film, and while I
think this is entirely possible (they are strikingly
similar), I have no proof.