Eleanor "Ellie" Carlyle is a USO performer who appears in the Season 10 opener of the CBS-TV series M*A*S*H, a double-length story-arc titled "That's Show Biz". The part of Ellie Carlyle is played by the multi-talented Amanda McBroom.
About Ellie Carlyle[]
Ellie is travelling with her USO troupe on the way to a performance when her colleague Marina Ryan has to be airlifted to the 4077th MASH for an emergency appendectomy. Ellie and the rest of the troupe, including "Fast Freddie" Nichols (the emcee), Brandy Doyle and Sarah Miller catch up with Marina, arriving at the MASH to visit Marina.
While at the MASH, Hawkeye and the rest of the MASH staff persuade the troupe to throw an impromptu performance for the patients in post-op. Although "Fast Freddie" is reluctant at first because of their tight schedule, he finally agrees, to everyone's delight.
Before the show, Ellie and the troupe share a table with the MASH doctors in the mess tent over lunch. Winchester is inclined to be dismissive of Ellie when he learns that she plays the accordion. "Do you also play a musical instrument?" he asks. He calls her derisively "our lady from of Spain", referencing a popular accordion piece of that era.
During the performance in post-op, Ellie provides the musical accompaniment for the acts and when it comes time for her solo, she actually does play "Lady of Spain", dedicating it to Winchester, "a swell guy with a head to match".
The show is over but the troupe can't leave - there is an offensive on and travel restrictions have been imposed. Forced to spend a few more days in the MASH, Ellie entertains with her accordion in the Officers Club. People dance to her music but Winchester is not impressed. "If only she had a pair of cymbals between her knees, she'd be a veritable one-woman band," he says.
Noticing Winchester at the bar, Ellie comes over and asks what the matter is. Winchester tells her that squeezing is a technique best suited for orange juice, not the making of music. Perhaps she should try the piano then? Winchester asks if she is going to play some "boogie woogie? But no, she explodes into a vigorous rendition of the 1st movement from Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, op. 13 (Pathetique), the allegro di molto e con brio.
Winchester is stunned. He walks over and sits by the piano enjoying the music. "Any other requests from the boogieman?" she asks. Winchester apologizes for his arrogance. He asks why she is wasting her time with the "overgrown concertina". She explains that she has to eat. It turns out that she is a graduate of the prestigious Julliard School, and at Julliard, she says, they taught her everything except how to make a living, and with the accordion it was easier to make ends meet. Winchester admits that she "certainly squeezed the air out of" him.
Kellye and the other people at the Officers Club ask Ellie to play something they can dance to. Winchester tells her to disregard those "boors" but Ellie gently reproves him. He should let a little fresh air into that ivory tower of his, she says. After all, even famous composers like Dvorak and Brahms wrote folk dances. She then launches into Beer Barrel Polka by Jaromir Vejvoda. Kellye comes over to Winchester and asks him to dance. He can't resist it and he takes the floor with her, to the delight of everyone.
The travel restrictions are lifted and it's time for the USO troupe to move on to their next gig. Winchester and Ellie say their goodbyes, or as Winchester puts it, "It's time to play out the coda to this little étude." It's clear they have enjoyed each other's company. He now calls her Ellie, not Eleanor and he says he will look forward to seeing her as a guest soloist at the Symphony Hall in Boston. She says she will look forward to seeing him at the local beer parlor on om-pah-pah night. He has unbent and doesn't disagree. "There's a roll or two left in my barrel," he says with a laugh.
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