With 11 seasons under its belt, M*A*S*H is one of the most popular TV series of all time. Based on real-life events in the Korean War, the show was one of the best series to ever air on CBS. With a dedicated fan base that stayed strong to this day, the show goes down in history for its multiple awards and fascinating plot lines. This show also launched the career of stars like Alan Alda. As with any other TV show, there were, of course, scandalous moments as well.
Alan The Soldier
Alan Alda was the perfect fit for his role as Captain Hawkeye Pierce in M*A*S*H as he served in the Army Reserve during the Korean War. After graduating from Fordham University, he enlisted for the army. This role was also his largest role by far.
Alda wasn’t the only one with military experience playing in the show. Jamie Farr, who played Corporal Klinger, also served in the military during the Korean War. Farr even acted in army training films, adding to his experience. In the military, Alda was a gunnery officer, his and Farr’s military background helped them both understand their characters more and get into the right mindset, as they both knew first-hand about the frustrations of a life abroad during a war.
Alan Alda
A Success Story
Even though it became a huge hit eventually, M*A*S*H didn’t start out very successful. In its first season, the ratings were very low, and the network wondered if the show was worth keeping on the air. Instead of canceling the series due to the low amount of views, the network decided to move the show to another time slot: after the popular show All In The Family and before The Mary Taylor Moore Show. Immediately, the ratings of the show went up, and as a result, it was kept on the air, eventually becoming one of America’s favorite TV shows.
Examining An X-Ray
The Nameless Teddy Bear
Even though he was nameless, the teddy bear Radar had had almost become a character of its own on the show. At first, once the show was over, the bear was in the Smithsonian for a while, but then it was decided to auction it off in the summer of 2005. The starting bid was $500. The bear included a letter of authenticity from Gary Burghoff, who confirmed the bear was the one used on the show as well as the fact that it was the only one of its kind. All in all, there were 19 bidders, and the final bid came in at over $14k. The bear ended up on the show simply by being found on the set at Fox Ranch.
The Nameless Teddy Bear
Corporal For Comic Relief
Even though the character was meant to appear in just one episode, Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger was played by Jamie Farr and ended up becoming a regular throughout the series. He was a great addition to the show, known for his schemes, like the cross-dressing, get-rich-quick schemes, as well as other plotlines where he acted as a form of comic relief. The designated “effeminate gay” character, the writers decided to make him a heterosexual rather than the original plan of having him attempt an early release by failing a psych test.
Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger
Take Me Out To The Ball Game
The writers of the show gained inspiration for M*A*S*H characters from real people, just like modern-day shows like The Office. A lot of the patients from the sixth and seventh seasons were named after the Los Angeles Dodgers as well as the Angels baseball players. Also drawing inspiration from their personal lives to name characters, the writers named characters such as Radar’s love interests after previous girlfriends of one of the writers. Shown talking on the phone with his character’s family, actor Mike Farrell requested that his daughter have the same name as his actual daughter, Erin.
Take Me Out To The Ball Game
Alan Alda’s Commute
During the eleven seasons he starred on the show, Alan Alda commuted from Los Angeles to New Jersey each and every weekend. The reason he didn’t want to move his family to Los Angeles was since he didn’t know how long the show would last. His acting career flourished after the show ended, with him acting in both television and films. He appeared in ER, he starred in The West Wing, 30 Rock, Blacklist, and Horace and Pete. Alda was nominated for 21 Emmy Awards and won six of them, as well as a Golden Globe Award.
Alan Alda
Reality As An Inspiration
The actors on the show often heard stories from people who had experienced the Korean War themselves, to understand them more and improve their characters that way. The writers had to leave out details about the war, as the stories told to them by doctors and patients who had first-hand experiences were intense and graphic. Scenes which could have been perceived as sensitive or graphic by Korean Vets were never put in the show as they regularly censored the content they aired. One of the show’s actors, Gary Burghoff, actually had a deformed hand that he hid while on the show. He normally hid it behind set items or kept it in his pocket.
Reality As An Inspiration
Angered Fans
While actor McLean Stevenson was already leaving the show, the 72nd episode was focused on his character’s departure. His character, Colonel Henry Blake, was meant to be honorably discharged. Blake spent the episode saying goodbye to his fellow soldiers and looking forward to seeing his family when he gets home. As it turns out, the writers had something else in mind for the character. Towards the end of the episode, after Blake leaves, the surgeons of M*A*S*H are in the middle of an operation when Radar bursts in. He announces that the transport plane Blake was on had been shot down over the Sea of Japan and that Blake did not survive the devastating crash. This plot twist did not sit well with the fans at all, in fact, fans were so furious, that CBS got over 1,000 complaint letters, which made it look like perhaps the future of the show as at risk.
A Plot Twist
Stop Complaining
In the beginning, the writers of the show were open to feedback. Over time, however, the actors’ notes became more and more tedious. As a result, the writers wanted to get back at the cast, as well as stop the tedious notes. And so, the writers wrote completely unnecessary details in scripts. For instance, at one point, the actors had to wear heavy parkas and act as if it were the dead of winter. In reality, they were out on a hot summer day in Malibu, California. This tactic had the effect that the writers hoped for, and the complaints and notes had stopped. Unhappy with being one of the many stars on set, many cast members got somewhat frustrated. McLean Stevenson ended up leaving the show for this very reason, as he hoped to find a more successful role for himself somewhere else.
MASH Still
The Fan Favorite
During the series, Wayne Rogers, who played Captain “Trapper” John McIntyre, decided to leave the show. The producers informed him that he couldn’t, as it would be a breach of his contract. As it turns out, Rogers had never even signed a contract, allowing him to leave with no problem. The fan favorite had initially auditioned for the role of Hawkeye Pierce but decided against it as Pierce was gruffer than he liked. Instead, he requested to read for Trapper, and it ended up being a good role for him. After he left, Rogers continued with acting, and found some success in it before going on to produce, direct, and even write in Hollywood. He even created his own stock investment corporation as he dabbled in finances.
Wayne Rogers
As In Reality
The show wanted to reflect the reality of war on screen, as a result, a lot of nurses were on M*A*S*H, only they didn’t last long. Their parts weren’t very significant so the writers gave them bland names. Giving the nurses names from the phonetic alphabet, the writers drew inspiration from the HAM operators and military. An actress who was credited as Nurse Kellye frequently appeared under multiple names throughout the series. The actress, Kellye Nakahara, was also called Nurse Yamato, Nurse Charlie, and Nurse Able. With time, eventually, her role expanded to a speaking part, with her most memorable scene in season eleven, in which she gets into an argument with Hawkeye.
Nurse
This Doesn’t Add Up
Even though the creators of the show tried to keep it authentic, there were still many inaccuracies. The actors’ boots weren’t actual army boots, which were too loud. On top of this, the boots were so uncomfortable that most of the actors wore sneakers which resulted in scenes having to be strategically shot to hide the fact. As well as that inaccuracy, the show included the use of aluminum cans, a pinball machine in the officer’s club, and candy bars with UPC codes printed on their backs. All these things weren’t created until the 1960s and 1970s.
Behind The Scenes
Morbid Coincidence
In 1996, M*A*S*H has a rather strange coincidence. Actor McLean Stevenson has left the show after playing Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake, wanting to pursue other acting opportunities. After this, his career was declining, which resulted in the ridicule of the cast and crew of the show. Roger Bowen, who played the same role in the 1970 M*A*S*H film, had died of a heart attack, a day after Stevenson died of a heart attack.
Morbid Coincidence
Goodbye, Farewell and Amen
The show made television history when its final series aired on February 28, 1983, with more than 106 million viewers who tuned in. The only time this record was set before was by The Super Bowl. Considering the show’s slow beginning, their eleven-season run was incredibly impressive. With the finale “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” two and a half hours long, it was directed by Alan Alda himself. Throughout the series, Alda was very involved in the creative side of the show, having written thirteen episodes and directing some episodes on top of him being in every episode. If you pay attention, the finale was mostly shot indoors, since the outdoor set was destroyed by a fire.
Goodbye, Farewell and Amen
Spin-Offs For Days
Being a success, this show inspired not one, but three spin-offs when it ended in 1983. One being Trapper John, M.D., which focused on his life post-army as the Chief of Surgery at a San Francisco hospital. After seven seasons, it came to an end. W*A*L*T*E*R was a show meant to be about the life of Radar’s character in St. Louis. Unsure of his direction after the military, the character was written to become a police officer. Unfortunately, the pilot wasn’t picked up. The last spin-off was called AfterMASH, which starred Harry Morgan, William Christopher, and Jamie Farr. This one was short-lived as it just wasn’t at the same level as the popular show.
Spin-Offs For Days
Then And Now
Before he became an actor, Gary Burghoff was a musician. He was the drummer for a band called The Relatives, sharing the stage with none other than Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter. Burghoff and Carter remained friends through the years, with Burghoff landing a guest spot on her hit series with her help. Once the series was over, Burghoff retired from acting to focus on his childhood interest in animals. He combined it with his artistic talent, becoming a successful full-time wildlife painter.
Then And Now
We Hear Wedding Bells
With Klinger being somewhat of a cross-dresser, there was a wedding dress he wore that was much loved by the fans. As it turns out, this particular wedding dress was worn on three different occasions by three different people. It’s unclear as to why the creators didn’t get another dress, perhaps it was just a way of saving money. The dress was worn on several occasions. When Klinger married Laverne Esposito, when Margret Houlihan when she married Lt. Col. Donald Penobscot, and when Soon Lee when she married Klinger. We sure hope they washed the dress well enough in between each use.
We Hear Wedding Bells
It’s A No From The UK
There are times when the success of a show or movie mainly depends on its location. This was true with M*A*S*H. Even though it was a massive success in America, in the UK it did not do so well. Although the show seemed like it would be universal, as it turned out, it only appealed to the American audience. One of the reasons the show did not make it overseas was its laugh track. Although many sitcoms in the US have it, abroad it isn’t so popular, as it can be quite annoying according to the British audience.
It’s A No From The UK
Facing Criticism
With every big project, criticism can be tough to handle, and as a result, many people crack under the pressure. In the case of TV shows, harsh critiques can lead the show to go down the wrong path or even fail in drastic cases. Fortunately, with M*A*S*H this wasn’t the case. The show faced criticism for appearing to go against the army. As it turns out, the creators admitted to the critique, explaining the show was specifically anti-incompetency and anti-bureaucracy. The show wasn’t against the army itself.
Facing Criticism
One Set, Two Sets
As with many Hollywood shows, M*A*S*H had more than just one set. It had an outdoor set in the mountains near Malibu in California and an indoor set at Fox Studios which later expanded to include a second outdoor set. Over the course of the series, both sets were used strategically according to which one fit better along with the plotline in each episode.
One Set, Two Sets
Cross-Dressing Attempts
As with many writers, the writers of this show were very creative people. As we know, Klinger was in the military, and at one point he was trying to be kicked out. His attempt to be disqualified was to wear women’s clothing. This particular idea actually came from Lenny Bruce, who was given a dishonorable discharge from the Navy for the exact same reason. This tactic is not advised for people in the military. If you get cold feet when in the army already, you’re better off finishing your contract before attempting to leave. Being dishonorably discharged is a very negative thing.
Cross-Dressing Attempts
MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors
Based on a novel named MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, written by Richard Hooker, the show was created just four years after its publication. Based on his time in the Korean War, Hooker wrote the novel after his time serving in the military himself. Following the massive success of his first novel, Hooker wrote two more novels, but his first remained the most popular. The novel was so well written that the writers of the show were able to create an entire show running for eleven seasons based on it. The creators must have seen something special in the novel to choose to make it into a show.
MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors
No Laugh Track, Please
When the show was first being created, the CBS insisted on a laugh track, making it mandatory. Despite the actors and producers being against it, the network still enforced it. Although the show was a funny one, a laugh track didn’t seem so fitting during a war. Back then, shows had live audiences, and the CBS thought the laugh track should be added since the viewers might not have realized the show was a comedy. Nowadays you can purchase the DVD version of the show, where you have the option to turn off the laugh track.
No Laugh Track, Please
Diversity At Its Finest
Seeing as Hollywood didn’t have many Korean actors back in the day, the producers ended up hiring actors of Asian descent to play Koreans. Even though most of them weren’t actually Korean, they all portrayed Koreans. With a Chinese-American, two Japanese-Americans, and only one Korean, this can give a little insight into how diverse Hollywood was back in those days. Even today there aren’t many recognized Korean actors in Hollywood.
Diversity At Its Finest
Colonel Potter
Playing the role of Colonel Potter on the show, Harry Morgan loved his character so much that he brought a photo from home to have on Potter’s desk. The photo was of him and his real wife, Eileen, who in the show was depicted as Potter’s wife, Mildred. Morgan was already in the acting business before joining M*A*S*H, having starred in movies like High Noon and Thunder Bay. After a while he turned to television and radio instead of film, joining the show in its third season, replacing McLean Stevenson.
Colonel Potter
A Quick Pilot
Written in just two days by Larry Gelbart, the pilot earned Gilbert $25,000 to write it. But the author of the novel as well as the movie filmmaker were not such fans of the show written up. According to Robert Altman, the show “softened the anti-war and anti-authoritarian spirit of the movie.”
A Quick Pilot
A Triple Threat
Being the star of the show, Alan Alda has done more than just act during the course of the series. He wrote thirteen episodes and directed many more as well. On top of that, he was the first person to win an Emmy for writing, directing, and also acting on the same show. A clear triple threat, Alda made his work look easy when it was not.
A Triple Threat
Advertiser-Friendly
At the start of the show, advertising during the show cost $30,000. It is natural to assume the advertisers only hoped they would make back the money with a profit too. As the show became more and more popular, the cost of advertising only rose. By the finale, which broke viewing records, it cost a staggering $450,000 to advertise during the show.
Advertiser-Friendly
As Time Goes By
During one of the episodes, the cast buried a time capsule at the ranch. After the episode, which was called “As Time Goes By”, the land they filmed on was sold a couple of months later. A construction worker had discovered the buried time capsule and had contacted Alan Alda to ask him what he should do with it. Alda told him to keep it, a fact that did not seem to impress the worker in the least.
As Time Goes By
Robert Klein
Robert Klein was very set on what he wanted to accomplish in his career. As is the norm in Hollywood, many actors get offered roles that are turned down, and then the role turns out to be a massive success. This fact does not mean that the actors who turned down the role were foolish. Klein turned down the role of Trapper John when it was offered to him. He chose to focus on his comedic goals, specifically stand-up.
Robert Klein
Jeopardy Clue
The classic trivia TV show, Jeopardy! has actually used MASH as a clue. In December 2015, an episode featured this clue: “It’s what the 4 letters stand for in the title of the TV show that featured Radar & Hot Lips.”
Jeopardy Clue
The Swamp Is Open For Visitors
While it may not be the real tent used on the show, there is a replica of the original swamp at the Museum of the Kansas National Guard as well as the Holley Museum of Military History in Topeka, Kansas. You can even pretend you’re really in the show since the museum had episodes of MASH playing a TV as well.
The Swamp Is Open For Visitors
The Swamp
Speaking of, the tent Hawkeye and Trapper John live in is the Swamp. Its nickname was right out of the novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors. The entire show was based on this novel. The author of the book said that some of his college friends chose the name for Hawkeye’s dorm, and he decided to take the name with him overseas.
The Swamp
Five Roles, One Actor
The actor Soon-Tek appeared on the show as not one, but five different characters. In the episode “The Bus” in season four you can spot them. Later on in the series, he appeared in “The Yalu Brick Road” in season eight. Next time you’re watching the show, see if you can spot the other three roles he played.
Five Roles, One Actor
John Wayne Quote
In one episode, Radar was doing impressions, and he performed a John Wayne bit, including a line from a movie that hadn’t been made at the time of the story according to the show’s timeline. The line “I’m not gonna hit ya” wouldn’t be said for another 10 years after the Korean War.
John Wayne Quote
Tech Cast
Despite the fact that the show was filmed in a rather desolate location, the actors were well-connected to the tech community. A lot of the cast appeared in IBM Personal Computer commercials and Alan Alda even took on a personal endorsement for the Atari personal computer.
Tech Cast
Trivial Pursuit
In Trivial Pursuit, there is a (wrong) claim that Hawkeye only saluted once throughout the whole series. The correct fact is that he saluted Radar twice, saluted Frank absentmindedly, and also saluted several times more on random occasions. For a game that prides itself on accuracy, that’s a pretty big oversight.
Trivial Pursuit
Tony Packo’s
Tony Packo’s is mentioned in the series as Klinger is a big fan of the restaurant in Toledo, Ohio. Throughout filming, he mentions the place several times. As it turns out, Tony Packo’s is, in fact, a real place, located on Toledo’s east side. The restaurant is very popular with the locals as well.
Tony Packo’s
A 15-Year-Old Soldier
Colonel Potter lied about his age when he was 15 so he could enlist to join the military. He fought in World War I, II, and the Korean War. A day before World War II began, his mother-in-law moved in with him and his wife. We gotta say, his track record is very impressive.
A 15-Year-Old Soldier
Bloomington, Illinois
McLean Stevenson didn’t just portray a character that was from Bloomington, Illinois, he too was from the same city. As it turns out, his cousin was a famous Bloomigtonian: Adlai Stevenson. He was the one-term governor of Illinois, two-time Democratic presidential nominee, and U.S. Ambassador for the United Nations. McLean didn’t just bring his hometown to his character. He spoke about Henry Blake, saying, “I played my dad. My father was a country doctor, and he was 80 years old when he passed away.” Unfortunately, Blake did not make it back to Bloomington after the war.
Bloomington Illinois
Rejected Episode
During the show’s run, CBS rejected one episode: it spoke of a story about the soldiers standing outside a bid to get sick enough to be sent home to the US. Author James Wittebols wrote in Watching MASH, Watching America, “Such an anti-military event was deemed too unpatriotic for mass audiences”. This example was the perfect one to show the tensions creators had to face when telling a story about the reality of life during a war. However, they still had to cater to the commercial reality of TV all the while.
Rejected Episode
An Autism Advocate
William Christopher, who played Father Mulcahy, is an advocate for people with autism. In fact, his son, Ned, is autistic. William works with the National Autistic Society to raise awareness by public service announcements. Together with his wife, Barbra, William has written a book about their son, Ned, in the 1980s, named Mixed Blessings.
An Autism Advocate
Charged With Battery
Harry Morgan, who played Colonel Potter, was charged with misdemeanor spousal battery in July of 1997. He had counseling for six months and the charges were dropped. After MASH ended, he found a second career in TV movies. In 2011, he passed away at the age of 96.
Charged With Battery
Gary Burghoff
Turns out there wasn’t much remorse when actor Gary Burghoff left the show in 1979. Mike Drew, a TV columnist wrote in 1983, “No castmates cried much over the departure of Burghoff.” After which the actor himself wrote to Drew, “While there may not have been tears shed by my cast members over my leaving the show, they did know – and still do – of my contribution.” The rest of the cast also responded through TV Guide, saying, “When Gary left the show, he left in friendship and with our warm wishes for a happy and successful life.”
Gary Burghoff