Biography
McLean Stevenson was an American actor and comedian. Born Edgar McLean Stevenson Jr. in Normal, Illinois, he began working in show business at the age of 31 after earlier careers that included radio, insurance sales and a period in the US Navy. During the 1960s he performed in nightclubs and summer stock theatre, worked as a comedy writer for The Smothers Brothers, and began appearing in television sketches and guest roles.
Stevenson is best known for playing Lt. Col. Henry Blake on the CBS series MASH (1972–1975), a role he also wrote for, contributing the episode "The Trial of Henry Blake" and the story for "The Army-Navy Game". He received a Golden Globe Award for the performance in 1974. After leaving the series he appeared in other television shows including Diff'rent Strokes, The Golden Girls and The Love Boat, and made regular guest appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Hollywood Squares*.
