"Painless Pole" Waldowski - Monster M*A*S*H

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"Painless Pole" Waldowski

Captain Walter Koskiusko "Painless Pole" Waldowski was the camp dentist and a buddy of Hawkeye Pierce in the 1970 Robert Altman film M*A*S*H* who began having questions about his sexuality, and contemplates suicide as a solution, only to be thwarted by the antics of the surgeons with the use of placebos in a hilarious coffin burial scene. Played by actor John Schuck, who was appearing in his first film role after a noted stage acting career in the 1960's, the role was dropped by the producers of the CBS-TV series M*A*S*H in 1972, who deemed the character as non essential to the storyline of the series.

Painless Pole Waldowski

Character synopsis
In the film, Waldowski tells Hawkeye that he has suffered a "lack of performance" with a visiting nurse and now believes he has latent homosexual tendencies. Soon after, he reveals his desire to commit suicide and seeks advice on which method to use. Hawkeye, Trapper and Duke (Tom Skerritt) suggest that he use the "black capsule" (a fictitious, fast-acting poison). At an impromptu Last Supper, Painless takes the capsule (actually a sleeping pill) and falls asleep in a coffin to the strains of "Suicide is Painless". Hawkeye then persuades Lt. Maria "Dish" Schneider (Jo Ann Pflug), a nurse who is returning to the U.S. the following day, to spend the night with Painless and cure him of his problems.
Rank John Schuck as "Painless Pole" Waldowski in 1970 MASH film swamp scene with Donald Sutherland (Hawkeye, far left) Rene Auberjonois (as Father Mulcahy 2nd from right)

M*A*S*H character
Vital information Captain (O-3), U.S. Army Reserve Camp Dentist at the 4077th

Job/Role in unit: Home Hair Color: Eye Color: Height: Weight:

Black Green 6'2" 195 lbs.

Family/Personal Information Born: Birthplace: Nationality/Race: Spouse: Relatives/Children: Appearances First appeared in: Last appeared in: Series/Film appeared in: Played by: N/A N/A MASH (film) John Schuck Name not mentioned ???? ????

Personnel of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital

Commissioned Officers Lt. Col. Henry Blake | Major Frank Burns | Augustus Bedford "Duke" Forrest | Major Sidney Freedman | B.J. Hunnicutt | Oliver "Spearchucker" Jones | Captain "Trapper John" McIntyre | Father Francis Mulcahy | Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce | Colonel Sherman T. Potter | Walter "Painless Pole" Waldowski | Charles Emerson Winchester III | Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan | Nurse Margie Cutler | Nurse Ginger Bayliss | Nurse Kellye Yamoto | Nurse Peggy Bigelow | Lieutenant Maria "Dish" Schneider Enlisted Sgt. Maxwell Q. Klinger | Corporal "Radar" OReilly | Sergeant Zelmo Zale | Pvt. Igor Straminsky | Sergeant Luther Rizzo | Sergeant Major Vollmer | Corporal Judson | Private Lorenzo Boone
Categories: 1970 M*A*S*H* film characters Notable characters

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http://mash.wikia.com/wiki/Walter_Waldowski

27/03/2014