RIP: Burt Metcalfe

Burt Metcalfe died on Wednesday, July 27th at the age of 87.  Mr. Metcalfe was an actor, writer, director and producer.

Burt Metcalfe began his career as an actor with an uncredited role in The Bridges at Toko-Ri.  That was followed by roles on the tv series The Man Behind the Badge and General Electric Theater.  Mr. Metcalfe was then drafted and spent two years in the Navy.  Burt Metcalfe then resumed his acting career.  Some of his roles included parts on Gidget; Have Gun, Will Travel; Death Valley Days; The Twilight Zone; The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis; The Outer Limits; Perry Mason; The Fugitive and the James Bond film Diamonds are Forever.

Burt Metcalfe was recruited to serve as the casting agent for the television series M*A*S*H.  He was given the title Associate Producer.  Mr. Metcalfe would go on to serve as a writer, Associate Producer, Line Producer and Executive Producer of M*A*S*H.  In fact Burt Metcalfe was the only Producer to stay with the series for its entire run.  Mr. Metcalfe was nominated 13 times for Primetime Emmy Awards for his work as a writer on the series!  He even returned to serve as the executive producer for the M*A*S*H 30th Anniversary Reunion Special in 2002.

It’s interesting that Burt Metcalfe  was a successful actor but then transitioned to behind the camera work where he experienced even more success.  Mr. Metcalfe appears in one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes, The Monsters are Due on Maple Street!

Ken Levine, who worked with Mr. Metcalfe as a writer on M*A*S*H has a nice write-up about him.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Burt Metcalfe’s family, friends and fans.