Larry Linville
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Lawrence Lavon Linville (September 29, 1939 – April 10, 2000) was an American actor known for his portrayal of the surgeon
Major Frank Burns This is a list of characters from the ''M*A*S*H'' franchise, covering the various fictional characters appearing in the novel '' MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors'' and its sequels, the 1970 film adaptation of the novel, and the televisio ...
on the television series ''M*A*S*H''.


Early life and education

Linville was born in Ojai, California, the son of Fay Pauline (née Kennedy) and Harry Lavon Linville. Raised in Sacramento, he attended El Camino High School *a "Born in Ojai, Linville moved to Sacramento and graduated from El Camino High School." — ¶ 2. (Class of 1957) and later studied
aeronautical engineering Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is sim ...
at the
University of Colorado at Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder, CU, or Colorado) is a public research university in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a state, it is the flagship university of the University of Colorado sy ...
before applying for a scholarship to the
Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...
in London.


Career

After returning to the United States, Linville began his acting career at the
Barter Theatre Barter Theatre, in Abingdon, Virginia, opened on June 10, 1933. It is the longest-running professional Equity theatre in the United States. History Concept In 1933, when the United States was in the middle of the Great Depression, many peo ...
in
Abingdon, Virginia Abingdon is a town in Washington County, Virginia, United States, southwest of Roanoke. The population was 8,376 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Washington County. The town encompasses several historically significant sites and f ...
, a year-round repertory theatre under director
Robert Porterfield Robert Huffard Porterfield (December 21, 1905 – October 28, 1971) was an American actor and theatre director who was best known for founding the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. The theatre was founded in 1933 during the Great Depression. ...
.


Early career

Before his five-year co-starring role on ''M*A*S*H'', Linville had guest-starring roles on many of the well-known television series of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Included in his credits in that period are one appearance each on '' Bonanza'', ''
Room 222 ''Room 222'' is an American comedy-drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox Television that aired on ABC for 112 episodes, from September 17, 1969 until January 11, 1974. The show was broadcast on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 ( EST) fo ...
'' and '' Adam-12''. He had three appearances, as three different characters, on '' Mission: Impossible'' over three seasons of that television series. On the early seasons of '' Mannix'', Linville had a recurring role as Lieutenant George Kramer, an ally of Mannix in the L.A. Police Department. Linville played the coroner on the television movie '' The Night Stalker'' (1972), a predecessor of the ''Kolchak'' television series, and in the episode titled "Chopper" of '' Kolchak: The Night Stalker'', he played the youngest police captain on the force investigating murders committed by a headless motorbike rider. He also had a small role in the film ''
Kotch ''Kotch'' is a 1971 American comedy-drama film directed by Jack Lemmon and starring Walter Matthau, Deborah Winters, Felicia Farr, Charles Aidman, and Ellen Geer. Adapted by John Paxton from Katharine Topkins' 1965 novel of the same name, the ...
'' (1971), which was directed by Jack Lemmon and starred Walter Matthau. Linville also appeared as U.S. Treasury Agent Hugh Emery in the 1972 television series '' Search'' episode "One of Our Probes is Missing".


''M*A*S*H''

When the television series ''
M*A*S*H ''M*A*S*H'' (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richard Hooker. Th ...
'' was picked up for production in early-1972, Linville signed a five-year contract for the role of Major Frank Burns, an ill-tempered, inept civilian surgeon who embraced military discipline with a cartoonish over-zealousness. This contrasted with the more competent and rebellious doctors played by
Alan Alda Alan Alda (; born Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; January 28, 1936) is an American actor, screenwriter, and director. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, he is best known for playing Captain Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce in the war come ...
and
Wayne Rogers William Wayne McMillan Rogers III (April 7, 1933 – December 31, 2015) was an American actor, known for playing the role of Captain "Trapper" John McIntyre in the CBS television series ''M*A*S*H'' and as Dr. Charley Michaels on '' House Calls ...
(and later,
Mike Farrell Michael Joseph Farrell Jr. (born February 6, 1939) is an American actor, best known for his role as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt on the television series ''M*A*S*H'' (1975–83). Farrell was a producer of ''Patch Adams'' (1998) starring Robin Willi ...
). During the second season, the sitcom's tone started to change from pure comedy to more drama-focused story lines, as it reflected issues related to the Vietnam War (though ''M*A*S*H'' was set during the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, it aired during the Vietnam and post-Vietnam era and tended to reflect this period in a roundabout fashion). At the start of the series fifth season in late-1976, Linville was offered a renewal for two more seasons, but declined. As the tone of the series had evolved to more serious storylines, Linville felt that he had taken the Frank Burns character, which had become increasingly one-dimensional, as far as he could, and chose to leave the series to pursue other roles.


Later career

After ''M*A*S*H'', Linville starred or appeared in many films and television series. He was a guest-star on many television series, most frequently '' Murder, She Wrote'', ''
Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. ...
'', ''
The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...
'', ''
The FBI Story ''The FBI Story'' is a 1959 American drama film starring James Stewart, and produced and directed by Mervyn LeRoy. The screenplay by Richard L. Breen and John Twist is based on a book by Don Whitehead. Plot John Michael ("Chip") Hardesty ( Jam ...
'', and ''
CHiPs ''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. It follows the lives of two motorcycle officers of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The seri ...
''. He also appeared on episodes of ''
Airwolf ''Airwolf'' is an American action military drama television series that centers on a high-technology military helicopter, code-named ''Airwolf'', and its crew. The show follows them as they undertake various exotic missions, many involving e ...
'' (he played Maxwell in "And a Child Shall Lead") and ''
The Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner that aired on the NBC network from September 13, 1974 to January 10, 1980, and remains in syndication. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investiga ...
'', and appeared in the television movie '' The Girl, the Gold Watch & Dynamite'' (1981). He also played a stock character—the "Crazy General"—along with Edward Winter in the pilot episode of ''
Misfits of Science ''Misfits of Science'' is an American science fiction comedy-drama television series created by James D. Parriott that aired on NBC from October 4, 1985, to February 21, 1986. Plot The series discussed super-powered humans and their madcap ad ...
''. He also co-starred in the short-lived sitcom ''
Grandpa Goes to Washington ''Grandpa Goes to Washington'' is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on NBC on Tuesday nights from September 7, 1978 to January 16, 1979. The series was very short-lived, as it was cancelled after a run of only 11 episodes. Aft ...
'' with
Jack Albertson Harold Albertson (June 16, 1907 – November 25, 1981), known professionally as Jack Albertson, was an American actor, comedian, dancer and singer who also performed in variety. Albertson was a Tony, Oscar, and Emmy winning actor. For his perfo ...
. Linville appeared as jealous ex-boyfriend Randy Bigelow in the short-lived 1982 Disney series '' Herbie, the Love Bug''. He also starred in the short-lived ''
The Jeffersons ''The Jeffersons'' is an American sitcom television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, to July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. ''The Jeffersons'' is one of the longest-running sitcoms in history, ...
'' spinoff ''
Checking In ''Checking In'' is an American sitcom television series and a spin-off of ''The Jeffersons'' that aired for four episodes on CBS from April 9 to April 30, 1981. Synopsis In the seventh-season finale episode of ''The Jeffersons'', " Florence's ...
'', where he played
Florence Johnston The television series ''The Jeffersons'' featured several supporting characters. An incomplete list of these characters appears below. Willis family Helen Willis Helen Willis ( née Douglas) (portrayed by Roxie Roker, except for her first appeara ...
's (
Marla Gibbs Marla Gibbs (born Margaret Theresa Bradley; June 14, 1931) is an American actress, singer, comedian, writer and television producer, whose career spans six decades. Gibbs is known for her role as George Jefferson's maid, Florence Johnston, in th ...
) nemesis, Lyle Block; however, this series only lasted four episodes. In 1984, Linville co-starred on ''
Paper Dolls ''Paper Dolls'' is an American primetime television soap opera that aired for 14 episodes on ABC from September 23 to December 25, 1984. Set in New York's fashion industry, the show centered on top modeling agency owner Racine (Morgan Fairchild) ...
'', a nighttime drama on ABC offering a glimpse behind-the-scenes of the fashion industry. In 1991, Linville appeared on an episode of the television series ''
Night Court ''Night Court'' is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984 to May 31, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan municipal court presided over by a young, unorthodox judge, Harold "Harry" T. Stone (portray ...
'' as a doctor. Linville also appeared in an episode of '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' season 1 episode 3 as a crackpot claiming to have been abducted by Superman and taken aboard his spaceship. He also had roles in many films, including ''
School Spirit School spirit is the sense of identity and community shared by members of an educational institution. This can apply to any type of school, from elementary schools to universities. Members of a school can manifest spirit in the exhibition of ...
'' (1985), ''
Earth Girls Are Easy ''Earth Girls Are Easy'' is a 1988 American science fiction musical romantic comedy film that was produced by Tony Garnett, Duncan Henderson, and Terrence E. McNally and was directed by Julien Temple. The film stars Geena Davis, Julie Brown, C ...
'' (1988), '' C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D.'' (1989), ''
Rock 'n' Roll High School Forever ''Rock 'n' Roll High School Forever'' is a 1991 musical comedy film and sequel to the 1979 film ''Rock 'n' Roll High School''. The film stars Corey Feldman, Mary Woronov, and Sarah Buxton. Plot The movie begins on May 14, also known as ''Rock ...
'' (1991), ''
A Million to Juan ''A Million to Juan'' is a 1994 romantic comedy film starring comedian Paul Rodriguez. It was also his directorial debut. The story is a modern spin on Mark Twain's 1893 story "The Million Pound Bank Note". Plot Alejandro Lopez narrates the ev ...
'' (1994), ''
No Dessert, Dad, till You Mow the Lawn ''No Dessert Dad, till You Mow the Lawn'' is a 1994 American comedy film directed by Howard McCain and starring Joanna Kerns and Robert Hays. Synopsis Two parents (Kerns and Hays) buy self-hypnosis tapes in order to quit smoking. The kids find ...
'' (1994), and ''Fatal Pursuit'' (1995). Linville appeared as an interview subject for ''Memories of M*A*S*H'', a 1991 special commemorating the 20th anniversary of the series. In 1997, he joined
Larry Gelbart Larry Simon Gelbart (February 25, 1928 – September 11, 2009) was an American television writer, playwright, screenwriter, director and author, most famous as a creator and producer of the television series ''M*A*S*H'', and as co-writer of the B ...
(the producer and creator of ''M*A*S*H'') and
David Ogden Stiers David Allen Ogden Stiers ( ; October 31, 1942 – March 3, 2018) was an American actor and conductor. He appeared in numerous productions on Broadway, and originated the role of Feldman in '' The Magic Show'', in which he appeared for fou ...
(who played Frank Burns' replacement on the sitcom, Major Charles Winchester) to attend a deactivation ceremony for the last remaining U.S. MASH unit in Korea.


Marriage and family

He was married five times: to Kate Geer (daughter of actor
Will Geer Will Geer (born William Aughe Ghere; March 9, 1902 – April 22, 1978) was an American actor, musician, and social activist, who was active in labor organizing and other movements in New York and Southern California in the 1930s and 1940s. In Ca ...
and sister of actress
Ellen Geer Ellen Ware Geer is an American actress, professor, and theatre director. Personal life Geer was born in New York City, the daughter of actors Herta Ware and Will Geer. Her father was best-known for playing Grandpa Zebulon "Zeb" Walton on ''Th ...
), with whom he had a daughter, Kelly Linville (born 1970) before they divorced. Kelly was his only child. He also married (and divorced) Vana Tribbey, Melissa Gallant, and Susan Hagan. His last marriage was to Deborah Guydon, who was by his side when he died.


Surgery, illness, and death

After doctors found a malignant
tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...
under his
sternum The sternum or breastbone is a long flat bone located in the central part of the chest. It connects to the ribs via cartilage and forms the front of the rib cage, thus helping to protect the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels from injury. Sha ...
, Linville underwent surgery in February 1998 to remove part of his lung. He received further treatment, but had continuing health problems over the next two years. Linville died of
pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...
in New York City on April 10, 2000, after complications from cancer surgery. His ashes were scattered at sea off the coast of Bodega Bay,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.


Filmography


Film


Television


References


External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Linville, Larry 1939 births 2000 deaths 20th-century American male actors Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art American male film actors American male television actors Deaths from lung cancer in New York (state) Deaths from pneumonia in New York City Male actors from Greater Los Angeles Male actors from Sacramento, California People from Ojai, California University of Colorado Boulder alumni