The Real Reason McLean Stevenson Left MASH - Looper (2024)

FAQs

Why did Mclean Stevenson leave the show? ›

Despite the show's success, Stevenson began to resent (as did Wayne Rogers) playing a supporting role to the wisecracking Hawkeye (played by Alan Alda), and asked to be released from his contract during the show's third season.

And though Linville never had any regrets about leaving the series, in 1986, he once again proved himself a villain in the eyes of M*A*S*H fans when the character actor gave The News and Observer a three-word review of the show's most-watched episode, the series finale. "Boring as hell," Linville said.

As the tone of the series had evolved to more serious storylines, Linville felt that he had taken the Frank Burns character, which had become increasingly one-dimensional, as far as he could, and chose to leave the series to pursue other roles.

In 1975, Rogers left M*A*S*H after three years in a contract dispute and because he felt the writers were slighting Trapper John's character development. Essentially, his character had become the straight man to Alan Alda's endearingly wry Hawkeye character.

Burghoff left M*A*S*H in 1979 after the seventh season because of burnout and a desire to spend more time with his family, though he returned the following season to film a special two-part farewell episode, "Goodbye Radar". He explained, "Family, to me, became the most important thing.

Alda almost turned down the role of Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H (1972) because he did not want war to be a "backdrop for lighthearted hijinks... "I wanted to show that the war was a bad place to be.".

Mobile Army Surgical Hospital 4077 was fictional, but the wisecracking main character Hawkeye Pierce was based on a real person: H. Richard Hornberger.

Although he glibly answers that the initials "B.J." stand for "anything you want", he tells Hawkeye that his name is not an initialism, but simply B.J., derived from the names of his parents, Bea and Jay.

He had a particularly heated relationship with Alan Alda. Once, Mike Farrell told him that his problem was that he could dish it out but he couldn't take it, and Gary said, "And I'm getting real sick and tired of dishing it out." The poor guy didn't even realize what he'd said.

Why did they change Father Mulcahy in MASH? ›

He was played by George Morgan in the pilot episode of the television series, but the producers decided that a quirkier individual was needed for the role, and Christopher was cast in his place.

M*A*S*H's "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" held on to its impressive record for over 25 years, with 2010's Super Bowl XLIV eventually topping it with 106.5 million.

In 1980, the Argus-Leader reported that Alan Alda was the highest-paid TV actor of all time, earning $5.6 million a season on M*A*S*H, which also included the money he made as a writer.

Jamie Farr and Alan Alda were the only two main cast members to have actually served in the U.S. Army in South Korea. Both of them did their tours of duty after the 1953 cease fire. Farr was drafted, serving in Japan at Camp Drake before eventually touring and performing throughout South Korea with friend Red Skelton.

Loretta Jane Swit (born Loretta Szwed; November 4, 1937) is an American stage and television actress known for her character roles. Swit is best known for her portrayal of Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on M*A*S*H, for which she won two Emmy Awards.

Leaving the 4077th

By the third season, Rogers had grown weary of playing second banana, and even though Trapper's character was fleshed out more during the latter half of the third season, Rogers decided to depart at season's end, and his character had to be written out of the series.

Wayne Rogers: Actor celebrated as Trapper John McIntyre, Hawkeye Pierce's sunnier sidekick in the hit comedy 'M.A.S.H.

In the book, "MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors," by Richard Lee Hooker, we are told Trapper's nickname came to him because he was caught having sex with a woman on a train. When the woman was confronted about the incident, she said, "He trapped me!" Hence Trapper.

The TV series "M*A*S*H" was based on MASH units. Personnel assigned to the 8225th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Korea move a wounded soldier, during the Korean War, Sept. 1, 1951. Personnel assigned to the 8209th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Korea operate on a wounded soldier in 1952, during the Korean War.

John "Bonzo" Bonham, Keith Moon, Neil Peart, rock is full of incredible drummers, but have you ever heard Radar drum? Gary Burghoff, who played Radar O'Reilly on the long running TV comedy MASH, was apparently an accomplished drummer, and in one episode he ripped off a pretty impressive solo.

Why was Radar not in the last episode of MASH? ›

because he wasn't as happy in the show as other people were and he was really anxious to move on and play something different." But Gary didn't do much acting after he left the series and he would actually return to M*A*S*H, or at least to the franchise.

Now, to make things extra confusing, M*A*S*H featured nine — yes, nine — different actresses as "Nurse Able" over the course of the series, most notably Judy Farrell, wife of Mike Farrell (B.J. Hunnicutt).

According to Collider, Alda earns a not-too-shabby $1 million per year in residuals from the show that ran 11 seasons from 1972 to 1983.

Hawkeye has given formal salutes only four times throughout the series, two of them being to Radar: the first time at the end of Fallen Idol when he gives Radar his Purple Heart after being wounded, the second in part 2 of Good-Bye Radar through the window of the OR during surgery just as Radar is about to leave for ...

The 8055th was one of 10 fully-functioning mobile hospitals operating during the Korean War. Hornberger, who created Hawkeye to represent his own audacious surgical exploits, pioneered the use of arterial repairs on the front lines of war.

The Army has now essentially replaced the MASH with combat surgical hospitals (CSH) and forward surgical teams (FST). MASH units were designed as mobile, flexible, forward-deployed military hospitals, providing care for the wounded near the frontlines of the battlefield.

The Vietnam War marked the demise of the MASH units as only one unit, known as the "2nd MASH Unit", served actively, and only from October 1966 to July 1967. The Vietnam War was a very different environment from the Korean War which MASH units were created in.

Kellerman appeared in some of the movie's most memorable scenes, earning her nickname after mischievous doctors sneak a microphone into the tent where she's sleeping with surgeon Frank Burns (Robert Duvall), broadcasting their lovemaking over the PA system. “Oh, Frank, my lips are hot,” she says. “Kiss my hot lips!”

Alda Asked Farrell To Grow The Mustache

Both men played similar roles as a jokester in their show roles. To Farrell, it was a vivid memory. “Alan said, 'They think we're too much alike. ' Would you mind growing a mustache,” he said.

'M*A*S*H' stars Alan Alda and Mike Farrell reunite for 50th anniversary of the show. Hawkeye and Hunnicutt are still going strong. Actors Alan Alda and Mike Farrell reunited on Saturday to mark the 50th anniversary of M*A*S*H, which premiered on Sept. 17, 1972.

What disease does Alan Alda have? ›

Veteran actor Alan Alda hasn't slowed down since he was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2015. For this week's issue of PEOPLE, the actor, 86, reflected back at his reign on M*A*S*H, the comedy-drama series that followed a team of American doctors and support staff stationed in South Korea during the Korean War.

"Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" received a gargantuan 60.3 rating and 77 share, luring well over 100 million viewers. A whopping 105.9 million people watched on average over the two-and-a-half hours, with that number peaking at 121.6 million in the final six minutes.

Christopher died in his Pasadena home from non-lung small cell carcinoma, his eldest son John Christopher told the Times. The actor played the role of Father Mulcahy from 1972 to 1983 and in the follow-up series “After MASH” from 1983 to 1985.

Nice try, but Mulcahy was the only one of the three in the movie, and he was never deaf.

William Christopher, an actor who played Father Mulcahy on the television series "M.A.S.H.," died Saturday, according to reports from NBC Los Angeles and KABC-TV. He was 84. His agent told the NBC station that Christopher died early in the morning following a battle with cancer.

Alan Alda, who wrote the episode, made sure to include Sidney Freedman's trademark exit as his last line in the series: "Ladies and gentleman, take my advice.

The game — in which Patriots quarterback won his fourth of seven Super Bowls — ranks as the most watched TV program of all time according to Nielsen data.

Jamie Farr (born Jameel Joseph Farah; July 1, 1934) is an American comedian and actor. He is best known for playing the cross-dressing Corporal turned Sergeant Maxwell Q. Klinger in the CBS television sitcom M*A*S*H.

Who is the highest paid sitcom actor of all time? ›

Did you know that Jamie Farr and Alan Alda were the only two cast members on M*A*S*H to have actually served for the US Army in Korea? Both of them did their tours of duty after the 1953 cease fire.

Alda almost turned down the role of Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H (1972) because he did not want war to be a "backdrop for lighthearted hijinks... "I wanted to show that the war was a bad place to be.". Suffered from a severe case of polio as a young child. At its worst point he was only able to move his left arm.

The film inspired the television series M*A*S*H, which ran from 1972 to 1983. Gary Burghoff, who played Radar O'Reilly, was the only actor playing a major character who appeared in both the movie and the TV series.

Hawkeye and Margaret become romantically involved while they are trapped behind enemy lines. Hawkeye and Margaret become romantically involved while they are trapped behind enemy lines. Hawkeye and Margaret become romantically involved while they are trapped behind enemy lines.

Lieutenant Colonel Henry Braymore Blake is introduced in the 1968 novel M*A*S*H and is also a character in the film (played by Roger Bowen) and television series (played by McLean Stevenson). He is a surgeon and the original commanding officer of the 4077th MASH unit.

I dropped out of school to become a doctor." McIntyre was on "M.A.S.H." from 1972 to 1975, becoming one of many original cast members to leave the wildly popular show that went on until 1983.

Alan Alda appeared in every episode of the classic sitcom MASH, and he once revealed to CNN his four personal favorites from the series.

Colonel Sherman Tec*mseh Potter appears in the M*A*S*H and AfterMASH television series. He was portrayed by Harry Morgan and replaced the departing character of Henry Blake as commander of the 4077th MASH.

Why is Hawkeye deaf now? ›

After Clint got in the way of the Tracksuit Mafia's nefarious plans, the gang hired a mercenary who went by the name "The Clown" (Hint: it's Kazi from the show). The Clown was instructed to kill Clint and almost did. After cornering him, The Clown stuck arrows in both of Clint's ears, deafening him.

He was played by George Morgan in the pilot episode of the television series, but the producers decided that a quirkier individual was needed for the role, and Christopher was cast in his place.

Rogers enjoyed working with Alda and the rest of the cast as a whole (Alda and Rogers quickly became close friends), but eventually chafed that the writers were devoting the show's best humorous and dramatic moments to Alda.

He is also portrayed as a motorcycle enthusiast in at least two episodes, including the final episode "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen" (2/28/83). His final line in that episode (and the series) is not spoken.

After receiving orders to report stateside, Major Burns was replaced by Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester, a more serious character, not to mention a better doctor. ''M*A*S*H,'' at times with comedy and at times with sharp commentary, detailed life at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.

The film inspired the television series M*A*S*H, which ran from 1972 to 1983. Gary Burghoff, who played Radar O'Reilly, was the only actor playing a major character who appeared in both the movie and the TV series.

Margaret and Donald marry in camp at the end of season 5 and go to Tokyo for their honeymoon, but in Fade Out, Fade In, Margaret returns to camp early and is very sullen; she later reveals that after the first couple of days of their honeymoon Donald "seemed to shut down completely".