This Is What The Cast Of MASH Looks Like 50 Years On
By Kirsty
2 years ago
Loretta Swit (Nurse Margaret Houlihan) THEN
Image Source / ParadeAlso known as "Hot Lips", Margaret was a member of the Army Nurse Corps on the show, and the unit's chief nurse. Her character was one passionate about her army career, considered an army brat and understandably a favourite among the other characters - including Pierce, who at one point wanted to 'make a grab' for her.Loretta Swit (Nurse Margaret Houlihan) NOW
Image Source / ParadeActress Loretta won two Emmys during her acting career, and went on to have some guest TV spots for shows like Cagney & Lacey. Her acting career went quiet, though, until 2013 when she was in a one-woman stage production, playing Eleanor Roosevelt. But aside from acting, she's written books on creative hobbies like painting and needlepoint.Alan Alda (Dr Benjamin Franklin Pierce) THEN
Image Source / ParadeDr Pierce is the lead character in the show, and his nickname 'Hawkeye' came from his father after a character in a novel. His role in the war (and the show) sees him treating wounded soldiers and making the best of his lot by drinking (a lot) and playing pranks on those around him.Alan Alda (Dr Benjamin Franklin Pierce) NOW
Image Source / ParadeActor Alan Alda went on to have huge success in his acting career, both in TV and film, including hit shows like ER and 30 Rock, and movies like The Aviator and Tower Heist. He's also known as Alan Fitch on the huge hit TV show The Blacklist. He's been happily married for over 60 years.Jamie Farr (Sgt. Maxwell Q. Klinger) THEN
Image Source / ParadeSergeant Klinger wore women's clothes in the show because he hoped that it would deem him 'unfit' for combat and therefore have him discharged. But apparently it wasn't enough to send him home, as he did end up appearing in 216 episode of the show. The character also appeared in the MASH sequel spinoff.Jamie Farr (Sgt. Maxwell Q. Klinger) NOW
Image Source / ParadeAs well as appearing in the spinoff alongside Hawkeye actor Alda, Jamie Farr appeared in other TV shows like Mad About You and That 70s Show. He also appeared in 6 episodes of the Fox sitcom The Cook Kids. These days, he's concentrating more on theater work, and he also works on the board of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.William Christopher (Father Francis Mulcahy) THEN
Image Source / ParadeThe character of Father Francis Mulcahy appeared in 11 seasons of MASH. The character was actually played by a different actor in the pilot episode, and was changed to William Christopher when it was decided a 'quirkier' person was needed for the role. His appearance in the show saw him struggling quite a bit with blood and gore in the operating room.William Christopher (Father Francis Mulcahy) NOW
Image Source / ParadeAfter his successful run on the hit TV show, Christopher appeared in other popular TV shows like Murder She Wrote and The Love Boat. He even had another role as a priest when he played Father Tobias on Days of Our Lives. Sadly, Christopher died in 2016 from small-cell carcinoma.Harry Morgan (Col. Sherman T. Potter) THEN
Image Source / ParadeColonel Sherman was one of the main characters of the TV show, a character introduced when he replaced Henry Blake, whose plane was shot down over the Sea of Japan. Colonel Sherman was intended to be a regular army career-man close to retirement, and Harry Morgan was cast after his performance as General Steele.Harry Morgan (Col. Sherman T. Potter) NOW
Image Source / ParadeHarry Morgan went on with his successful career as an Emmy-winning actor, appearing in the 1987 movie adaption of Dragnet where he played Captain Gannon, as well as appearing in the popular comedy TV series 3rd Rock From the Sun, where he played Professor Suter. Sadly, Morgan died in 2011 at 96 years old.Mike Farrell (Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt) THEN
Image Source / ParadeB.J. got drafted into the army while his wife was 8 months pregnant, and after 5 weeks of army training and the birth of their daughter, B.J. gets the orders to ship out to Korea, leaving his daughter and wife behind. He talks openly about his personal story to the guys at the Kimpo Officers Club.Mike Farrell (Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt) NOW
Image Source / ParadeFarrell went on to enjoy many TV roles after MASH, including Desperate Housewives, Law & Order and Superman. He's best known (after his MASH role) for playing a veterinarian in the NBC drama Providence. He's also worked as a writer, director and producer, and advocates for good causes like human and animal rights.Kellye Nakahara (Lt. Kellye Yamato) THEN
Image Source / ParadeLt. Kellyee Yamato is a recurring character in the TV show, with a minor role alongside the main cast. Despite her being a minor character that was initially just a 'background' character at the start of her season appearance, she took a central role for her season's final episode.Kellye Nakahara (Lt. Kellye Yamato) NOW
Image Source / ParadeKellye Nakahara went on to play one-off roles in other TV shows after MASH, like NYPD Blue, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Dr Doolittle. She also played the cook in the 1985 classic movie Clue. In 2000, she made the decision to stop acting and instead turned to watercolour art. She sadly passed away in 2020.
Gary Burghoff (Radar) THEN
Image Source / ParadeOriginally appearing in the MASH movie, both character and actor are the only ones to come from the film onto the show as a regular character. The character of Radar was an animal-lover, a role reprised for the 1984 TV special W*A*L*T*E*R, a cop in St. Louis.Gary Burghoff (Radar) NOW
Image Source / ParadeAs well as the TV spin off special for his character, Burghoff's last acting role was in 1995, where he took a guest spot in the film Daniel's Lot's. Outside of the his acting career, Burghoff spends his time inventing - seriously helpful stuff, too, like a handle to lift a toilet seat!David Ogden Stiers (Major Charles Winchester) THEN
Image Source / ParadeMajor Charles Emerson Winchester II, to use his full name, is a surgeon and main character on the show. He was chosen by Colonel Potter to replace previous surgeon Frank Burns. As the name rightly suggests, Charles was born to aristocracy, and his upper-class viewpoint is immediately introduced when he's disappointed with the sub-par living conditions on arrival.David Ogden Stiers (Major Charles Winchester) NOW
Image Source / ParadeAfter his success on MASH, Winchester's acting career moved more into voice acting than anything else. He voice-acted for 66 episodes of the TV series Lilo & Stitch, as well as Disney movies like Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and 1991's Beauty and the Beast, where he played Cogsworth.Larry Linville (Maj. Franklin Burns) THEN
Image Source / ParadeOverly-confident surgeon Major Franklin Burns was played by Linville for five seasons of the show, but the actor left mid-series when he felt 'stifled' in the role. Burns was known for being a mediocre surgeon, which did nothing to dampen his self confidence, and he was known as being unfriendly.Larry Linville (Maj. Franklin Burns) NOW
Image Source / ParadeAfter leaving the show, Linville went on to play other TV roles, including Murder, She Wrote and The Jeffersons. He also had roles in movies, mainly comedies, such as Earth Girls Are Easy and Rock 'n' Roll High School Forever. Sadly, Linville passed away at the age of 60 in 2000 due to pneumonia.Wayne Rogers (Trapper) THEN
Image Source / MASH Notes - TumblrTrapper was portrayed by actor Wayne Rogers in the first three seasons of the hit show. He was a surgeon specialising in chest surgery, whose personality had him as a bit of the show's 'clown'. He was a married man (with his wife off-screen) though that didn't stop him from flirting with the nurses.Wayne Rogers (Trapper) NOW
Image Source / IMDbRogers went on to star in his own TV series, City of Angels, as well as CBS sitcom House Calls. Like many of the other MASH cast, he also had a role in Murder, She Wrote. He appeared in quite a few feature films, including Three Days of Rain, but it wasn't just acting he was doing, either - he was a successful businessman and investor. He sadly passed away in 2015.McLean Stevenson (Colonel Blake) THEN
Image Source / MASH Notes - TumblrThe character of Blake appeared in the first three seasons of MASH, as well as the movie and the novel. His down to earth and laid back personality made him a favourite among most of the camp, especially with Hawkeye, but Margaret didn't like him due to him not being strict enough.McLean Stevenson (Colonel Blake) NOW
Image Source / YouTubeMcLean Stevenson went on to star in many different sitcoms after MASH, but unfortunately they weren't very successful. He did star in a very successful TV series, though, called Hello, Larry. The actor's final TV role was Dirty Dancing on CBS. Stevenson sadly died in 1996 due to a heart attack.Jeff Maxwell (Pvt. Igor Straminsky) THEN
Image Source / MASH Notes - TumblrIgor is the mess cook for the camp on the show, and generally the 'comic relief' (a lot can go wrong with food, after all). He's shown as being not very intelligent, and often berated by the other characters for making a mistake with the food. Although his mistakes rub people up the wrong way, he's a means-well character who was generally liked!Jeff Maxwell (Pvt. Igor Straminsky) NOW
Image Source / The Movie DatabaseAlthough Jeff Maxwell's most well-known role was in MASH, he also had his film debut in Young Frankenstein, the Mel Brooks movie of 1974. He's also appeared in other movies and TV shows, such as Kentucky Fried Movie, The Waltons and Eight Is Enough. Since 2018, Maxwell has also hosted the podcast MASH Matters, celebrating the TV show.George Lindsey (Captain Roy DuPree) THEN
Image Source / MASH Notes - TumblrCaptain Roy DuPree was one of the surgeons on the show, who was temporarily assigned to the camp in the sixth season of the show. He was played by veteran comedian George Lindsey, who already had a wealth of fans. He has a happy, optimistic attitude and loves everything about the camp - including the food.George Lindsey (Captain Roy DuPree) NOW
Image Source / Dignity MemorialActor and stand-up comedian George Lindsey was best known for playing Goober Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show. After his guest appearance on MASH, he returned to play Goober for one final time on the variety show Hee Haw. Lindsey sadly passed away in 2012 at the age of 83 due to heart failure.Larry Gelbart (The Creator Of MASH) THEN
Image Source / The New York TimesLarry Gelbart was the man responsible for writing MASH for the screen, but he left the series after the first four seasons after feeling that he'd given all he could to the show. When MASH finished, Gelbart was asked to make AfterMASH for CBS, for which he did write three episodes and directed two.Larry Gelbart (The Creator Of MASH) NOW
Image Source / NPRGelbart had a successful career, producing and writing for comedies such as United States and Fast Track, and writing screenplays for movies including Bedazzled. He also wrote and co-produced a TV movie called And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself, which was his final project. He sadly passed away in 2009 at the age of 81.And Now, Here's 20 Things You Didn't Know About MASH!
1. The Real-Life Hawkeye Wasn't A Fan Of The Show
Image Source / History101Hawkeye was loosely based on a real life person: Richard Hornberger, who was a surgeon in the Korean War. He began writing MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors when he got back from the war, but he really didn't like the depiction of the show - mainly because of Hawkeye's anti-war viewpoint. Hornberger even said the show "trampled on his memories".2. The Real Reason Trapper Didn't Get A Proper Goodbye
Image Source / History101Actor Wayne Rogers left the show early when he decided he'd had enough of Hawkeye taking the spotlight. Of course, normally you can't just up and leave a TV show when you have a contract - but Wayne Rogers never actually signed the initial contract. So he just left, and there was nothing they could do about it - and it meant Trapper never got a proper farewell written for him, either.3. The Cast And Crew Didn't Find The Laugh Track Funny
Image Source / History101The topic of the laugh track is a controversial one - is it needed, or is it hated? Well, for the cast and crew of MASH, it wasn't a joke to them - they hated it, and begged for it not to be put in. But CBS ignored them and put it in anyway. They at least had the good sense not to include the laughter track at insensitive moments (it's a war, after all).4. Captain Tuttle - The Imaginary Character - Was Actually Given Acting Credits
Image Source / History101Captain Tuttle was a figment of Hawkeye's imagination within the show. He was an imaginary Captain who died tragically, and a man who everyone slowly begins to believe they actually knew, and actually existed. Well, the creators put a little Easter egg in the credits for you - Captain Tuttle appeared in the credits (playing himself, of course).5. Henry's Death Wasn't Taken Very Well By Fans
Image Source / History101Henry Blake was one of the most popular characters on the show - so it only makes sense fans would be pretty upset that he died. CBS received many, many angry letters from fans - so much so, that CBS actually cut out the final scene of his plane being shot down so that we could all just pretend he flew away home, happily ever after.6. Radar's Teddy Bear Disappeared (In Real Life)
Image Source / History101Radar was often seen with a teddy bear - but in real life, when the show ended, the teddy bear was lost for quite a long time - 22 years, in fact! It was next seen when it turned up at auction and sold for $11,500. The man who bought it then sold it back to the actor who played Radar in the show.7. Klinger Was Only Supposed To Be In One Episode
Image Source / History101A testament to how impressive the actor's performance as Klinger was, the writers decided to keep him in the show when he was only originally supposed to be a small, comedy role. Actor Jamie Farr was asked to return by the writers, and Klinger then became a series regular.8. The Show's Creators Had To Tread Carefully With The Topic Of War
Image Source / History101When MASH first aired, the Vietnam War was still going on. The show's creators needed to be sure that what they were writing was sensitive to the topic of war, as well as not showing resentment towards the US military. They even had to entirely cut episodes they thought would be too controversial, like soldiers deliberately trying to get sick so that they could be sent home.9. Only One Korean Actor Appeared In The Show
Image Source / History101What would now be deemed as very controversial indeed, only one Korean actor appeared in the whole show. Soon-Tek Oh was the only Korean actor, and he played several different characters. Other Asian actors were included on the show, but the Asian actors who played Korean characters were not, in fact, Korean.10. The Show Had Tons Of Famous Guest Stars
Image Source / History101The show ran for 11 seasons, so that's a lot of potential for famous cameos. Some of the famous actors who appeared on the show weren't necessarily big at the time, though. Guest stars included Patrick Swayze, Ron Howard, Laurence Fishburne, John Ritter and Rita Wilson. Now you need a re-watch to see how many you can spot!11. The Writers Would Get Revenge On Actors Who Complained Too Much
Image Source / History101As the show went on, actors became more demanding, which included complaining about some of their lines and asking for rewriters. The writers then got a bit fed up with this, and would write episodes with only payback in mind. One such episode was where the soldiers had to huddle together in huge parkas to beat the cold - when the actors were actually filming in ridiculously hot Californian weather.12. The Finale Of MASH Broke Records For How Many People Tuned In
Image Source / History101It's no surprise A LOT of people tuned in for the finale of this long running show. Approximately 125 million people watched the finale in 1983 - about 77% of the United States. Since the show ended, the record for the largest amount of people watching a TV event has been broken, but MASH keeps the record for the finale being the most-watched episode of any TV show, ever.13. If You Wanted Ad Space During MASH, You Had To Pay A LOT
Image Source / History101With MASH's popularity, it makes sense why so many companies would want this prime time TV slot for their ads, knowing how many people are turning in to watch the show. So, understandably, ad space for MASH went ridiculously expensive. An ad slot lasting 30 seconds would cost around $300,000.14. During The Series Finale, It Was Alleged That New York's Plumbing Broke Due To The Episode
Image Source / History101During a time when you couldn't press pause on your latest Netflix binge, the show's live finale meant that millions upon millions of people were all glued to their TV at the same time - and inevitably all needed the toilet at the same time when the episode finished. It was said that the amount of people flocking at once to the toilet meant the plumbing system in New York broke down - in fact, it never broke, but it was reported than an extra 6.7 million gallons of water was used after the episode finished.15. The Time Capsule The Characters Buried Was Left There In Real Life
Image Source / History101In the show, Hot Lips suggested they bury a time capsule in one of the episodes. They actually did, and the actors left it there in real life. Only two months later, the time capsule was discovered by a construction worker, who wasn't at all interested in what he'd found - even though Hawkeye actor Alan Alda reached out to tell him to hang onto it.16. Patients' Names Were Based On Baseball Players
Image Source / History101Which you might have already clocked on to if you're a huge baseball fan. The crew would name the many patients appearing in the show based on a Baseball theme. Not only that, but Radar's love interests in the show were all named after ex-girlfriends of one of the writers. Awkward.17. Only 2 Of The Actors Appeared From Start To Finish
Image Source / History101Hawkeye and Hot Lips were the only two characters who appeared from pilot to finale. The other characters who appeared throughout the show were played by multiple actors, whereas Alan Alda and Loretta Swit were there from start to finish. The other main characters would either leave early, or come in late to the show.18. The Pilot Was Written In Only 2 Days
Image Source / History101Screenwriter Larry Gelbart, who took only 2 days to draft the pilot, actually served in the Second World War, and worked in the Armed Forces Radio Service. He based the plot of the show - and the pilot - on the original novel, as well as the 1970 film.19. Klingler's Wedding Dress Was Passed Around A Lot
Image Source / History101One of the outfits which Klinger famously wore when dressing as a woman in order to be discharged was a wedding dress. The dress was then used many times throughout the show, and not just by Klinger. Margaret Houlihan wore the dress for her wedding, and Soon-Lee wore the dress when Klinger himself got married again.20. The Camera Hid The Fact That The Cast Rarely Wore Army Boots
Image Source / History101For every scene you can't see the actors' feet, they would be wearing soft and comfortable shoes like sneakers. This was to prevent the clip-clopping of heavy army boots on set. Of course, in some scenes, the actors feet would need to be shown, and in this case they did have to wear boots!What To Read Next
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