McLean Stevenson

McLean Stevenson embarked on his entertainment career at the age of 31. During the 1960s, he honed his craft performing in nightclubs and comedy cabarets, participating in summer stock theater, and appearing on television, before relocating to Hollywood. There, he worked as a comedy writer for Tom Smothers, gradually transitioning to acting in sketches. Stevenson gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of the bumbling commanding officer, Lt. Colonel Henry Blake, on the popular CBS television series, M*A*S*H, which premiered in 1972. Over the span of three decades, he made numerous appearances on various television shows and was a frequent guest star on Johnny Carson's iconic The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and the classic game show, The Hollywood Squares.