Major Charles Emerson Winchester III, played by David Ogden Stiers, was transferred to the 4077th MASH after the breakdown, departure, promotion (YIKES!) and transfer of Major Frank Burns to a VA Hospital in Indiana. Major Winchester was in Tokyo demonstrating new surgical techniques serving under Colonel Horace Baldwin. Baldwin, a terrible Cribbage player was losing mightily to Winchester to the tune of $672.17 when he received a call asking if they could spare a surgeon to the 4077th for a few days while they find a replacement. Figuring he could get rid of the man he owed a bit of money to, Baldwin allowed the transfer to become permanent. Winchester immediately proved himself to be a brilliant surgeon and an equal match for Hawkeye. ("Fade Out, Fade In")
Charles was from Boston and went to Harvard. He is very rich and comes from a very powerful and connected family. The family is very old fashioned and very formal and at times Charles shows that even though he may know better, he is like that himself. There are times he could overcome some of the shortfalls that go along with that, such as the racism he displays when his sister, Honoria, was engaged to an Italian man (“Bottle Fatigue”) and there are times where he chooses not to, such as when he cannot continue an affair with a French woman he has fallen for when he finds out about her so-called bohemian past. (“Foreign Affairs”)
It seemed the producers were unsure of where they wanted to go with Winchester at first. There were a few mentions in 6th season, Charles’ first, that there may be this attraction between Margaret and Charles. This was played out in War of Nerves. Margaret asks Winchester to step out of the OR to rescrub since he touched his nose and was no longer sterile. This became fodder for both denying any attraction to each other during their scenes with Sidney, who was at the 4077th after being wounded giving therapy to a soldier in a foxhole and getting shelled. Considering that Margaret had just gotten married a few broadcast episodes earlier at the end of the 5th season, I am personally glad they didn’t pursue that story line.
Charles was a much deeper character than Frank was. While being the foil and antagonist, not to mention arrogant and pompous, Charles also had serious and positive interactions with pretty much everyone in camp, including Hawkeye. This was shown best in the episode “Sons and Bowlers” when Hawkeye is glued to the phone trying to figure out how his father is doing after surgery. Charles is very supportive and comforting to Hawkeye and even admits being envious of his relationship with his father with one of the most memorable lines: “While I have a father, you have a Dad.” It is also the only time in the 6 seasons Charles is on the show, they he calls Hawkeye by his nickname, at least not ironically.
Charles also has a good relationship with his other bunkmate, BJ Hunnicutt. In at least 2 occasions, Charles and BJ collaborate to create fake symptoms for someone for their own benefit. In “Identity Crisis” they keep former Toyota Pitchman Squire Fridell quiet by making up some symptoms telling him that if he doesn’t rest his vocal chords, he will lose his power of speech. In “Sons and Bowlers” (a fantastic Charles episode) he and BJ give the Marine professional bowler a medication that turns his urine blue telling him that he can’t bend, therefore can’t bowl and that the condition is worse than VD and shouldn’t tell anyone, especially Marines.
The best combination is between Charles and Klinger in the 9th season Christmas episode, “Death Takes a Holiday”. I give Mike Farrell a lot of grief for some of the episodes he writes, since I don’t particularly think he did such a great job in most of them, but this episode was just fantastic. Expecting the orphans for a Christmas party, the food shipment is destroyed and everyone at the MASH donates the food they received from home. Charles only donating a small tin of smoked oysters. Unknown to everyone, Charles received several large boxes of hand wrapped chocolates that he left as an anonymous at the orphanage. He explained the tradition of leaving that gift to the man who ran the orphanage when he was seen leaving the gift. At the party, Charles saw Sgt Rizzo with one of the candy bars and he said he got it from the black market. Charles found the man from the orphanage threatening him just to be told that the chocolate would have given the kids a few moments of happiness, but on the black market he was able to get enough money to feed the kids for a month. Charles relented and felt guilty as it was inappropriate to give dessert to a child that has had no dinner. Back in the Swamp Charles was sitting by himself when Klinger came in. He had overheard the fight between Charles and the orphanage guy. He had brought Charles some leftovers from the makeshift buffet telling Charles that the source of this Christmas dinner must remain anonymous. The scene ends with Charles looking up at Klinger surprised and grateful.
“Thank you, Max.”
“Merry Christmas. Charles.”
In my opinion it is the single greatest scene and interaction in the entire 11 year run of the show.
There is so much more to Charles, but for him, you can’t top “Death Takes and Holiday”, so I will end the bio here.
The cache you are looking for is a camoed bison.