The movie was rated R, and it, along with Animal House, are perhaps the two most subversive film comedies ever made.

A few years after M*A*S*H was first released in theaters, it was re-released as PG with a few edits and a jazz theme by Taj Mahal.

Then the show premiered on CBS. It started out suggestive, slightly risque, and had a ton of impact: anti-war, anti-death, anti-tradition, anti-authority.

The creator of the show, Larry Gelbart, just died a few days ago. Without question, this guy was a living punchline. He saw comedy — the farce that is life — in ways and in things that no one else could see.

He was, simply, brilliant.

Here’s a nice remembrance by the second Hawkeye, Alan Alda.

And here are some more memories you should read.

Larry — thanks for making it real. And real funny.