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Allan Arbus said he felt like an ''outsider'' during the beginning of his time on M*A*S*H
"It was very difficult in terms of being the new kid in the class," said Arbus.
While much of the entertainment on M*A*S*H comes from the 4077th's off-the-wall behavior, every now and again the characters need an outside force to bring them back down to Earth. There are a variety of grounding characters that serve that purpose. People like Father Mulcahey and Colonel Potter were able to step in and provide the voice of reason.
In other cases, however, usually when a character is going through their own personal problems, Dr. Sidney Freedman is called in to help out.
Allan Arbus, who played Freedman, spoke about his character during an interview with The Arizona Republic, and he didn't mince words.
"I was called in to play a very small part, a very sour, bitter, impatient, and choleric man who was summoned to deal with Klinger and his aberration," said Arbus. "The part was very funny and very short. He was very funny but very sour. He was totally fed up with the war and still is."
As an actor, Arbus was excited at the prospect of joining a television show as successful as M*A*S*H but said that he felt like an "outsider" at the beginning of his time on set. "In the beginning, it was very difficult in terms of being the new kid in the class," said. Arbus. "The first two days of shooting I was terribly nervous. Certainly, everybody in the company tried to make me feel at home."
Arbus was lucky to have joined such a welcoming cast, as his isolation didn't last long. Moreover, he felt that he was playing a character he could identify with, and even admire.
"I think I'm somewhat like him, except I don't have his equanimity, I don't have his wit, I don't have his even temperedness," he said. I do think I have his feelings for people."
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