M*A*S*H

‘M*A*S*H’: Why Did Odessa Cleveland Leave the Show As Lt. Ginger Bayliss?

Do you ever wonder what happened to Odessa Cleveland’s Lt. Ginger Bayliss on MAS*H? We have the answer.

Bayliss, played by Odessa Cleveland, joined the cast during the show’s first season. And she appeared in 20 episodes, which spanned all the way to Season 4.

The nurse was originally written as a love interest for Spearchucker Jones. But because she was both a fan favorite and a talented actress, she became more of a MAS*H staple than her on-screen crush.

Ginger Bayliss had plenty of her own story arcs during her run on the series. And it looked like she would be a lasting recurring character. But after appearing in a 1975 episode titled The Late Captain Pierce, she abruptly disappeared.

And the decision was not popular. As a book titled MAS*H F.A.Q noted, the nurse was sorely missed after her exit. So if she was so loved, why did she get the boot?

According to MeTV, the MAS*H writers kicked Odessa Cleveland off the show because they thought the audience had too many characters to follow. And they wanted to simplify the script.

Odessa Cleveland stayed in the industry through the 1980s. And after taking a 14-year break, she returned for her final movie titled Death and Cremation in 2010.

‘M*A*S*H’ Actress Loretta Swit Remembers Betty White as a ‘Gift To Humankind’

MAS*H star Loretta Swit and the late Betty White both shared a passion for animals. And they spent their lives advocating for similar causes.

One of the charities that White supported—Actors and Others for Animals—was particularly important to Swit. The actress currently serves as the organization’s first vice president. And White was on the board of directors.

The Golden Girls star used her platform to raise funds for the charity’s many efforts. And in 2005, White even sat for a “roast” event to bring in money to spay and neuter animals.

“Her friendship, her passion, her advocacy, and her value is incalculable,” 84-year-old Swit said in a statement. “I ache for missing her.”

“She understood the need to protect and care for animals,” she later told Fox News. “And we were privileged to have her as part of Actors and Others for Animals.

After learning of Betty White’s sudden death on December 31st, the M*A*S*H actress penned an emotional letter to her friend and reminded fans why White was an “inspiration” to all.

“Devastated,” she wrote alongside several pictures of White and herself over the years. “The world has lost a bright light, Betty…you have filled our hearts with inspiration and memories dearest Betty. You are a national treasure. Our loss is incalculable. You were a gift to humankind…and animal kind. The world is a better place because you were in it. Rest easy Betty”

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