M*A*S*H

M*A*S*H was a Comedy/Drama Television series that ran on CBS from 1972-1983. It is widely considered to be one of the top Television Series of All-Time.

The series was based on the 1970 Robert Altman film “M*A*S*H” which starred Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould.

Both the film and the series were based on a 1968 novel entitled “MASH: A Novel about three Army Doctors” by writer Richard Hooker.

The show centers around the Doctors and Support persons in the fictional 4077th MASH, a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in the Korean War.

The show starred:

Alan Alda – Capt. Hawkeye Pierce
Wayne Rogers – Capt. Trapper John McIntyre
Mike Farrell – Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt
Harry Morgan – Col. Sherman Potter
McLean Stevenson – Ltc. Henry Blake
Larry Linville – Maj. Frank Burns
Loretta Swit – Maj. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan
William Christopher – Father Francis Mulcahy
Gary Burghoff – Cpl. Radar O’Reilly
David Ogen Stiers – Capt. Charles Emerson Winchester III
Jamie Farr – Cpl. Max Klinger

Up until the 2010 Super Bowl broadcast, the final episode of M*A*S*H was the most-watched program in Television History.

Notable guest-stars included John Ritter, Ron Howard, Patrick Swayze, Leslie Neilsen, and character actor Edward Winter who played psychotic Intelligence Officer Col. Flagg in 6 memorable and hilarious episodes.

The show was filmed in the hills above Malibu, California.

The tent affectionatly called “the swamp” in the series is now in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

Gary Burghoff was the first actor cast for the series.

M*A*S*H won 14 Emmy Awards during its 11yrs on the air.

Alan Alda won 5 Emmy Awards, Loretta Swit won 2 Emmy’s, and Gary Burghoff and Harry Morgan each won 1 Emmy for their work on the show.

The highest ranking the show received in the yearly Neilsen ratings was #3, for its 11th and final season.

The show spawned a spin-off, “AfterMASH” which ran from 1983-1985. Harry Morgan, Jamie Farr, and William Christopher were the only regulars to move to the spin-off.

The show, set during the Korean War, lasted 11 years. The actual Korean War lasted 3 years.

Alan Alda and Jamie Farr were each US Army Veterans and both served in Korea (after the war) during their military stints.

David Ogden Stiers went to North Eugene High School in Eugene, Oregon with my Father. (Same class)

The part of Max Klinger was only intended to appear in one episode.

The “replacement” characters of Potter, Hunnicutt, and Winchester all lasted on the series longer than the chraracters they replaced.

Alan Alda was the only actor to appear in every episode.

Larry Linville and McLean Stevenson have both passed away since the show ended.