'M*A*S*H': Where is the Cast Today?

M*A*S*H (i.e. the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) was one of the most iconic TV shows of the '70s. The series followed a group of soldiers during the Korean War. The series was a spinoff of the 1970 film of the same name, which was inspired by Richard Hooker's 1968 novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors. Larry Gelbart developed the story of the army doctors into a comedy for television. It had everything you could ever dream of in a show — heart, laughs amidst the dark subject matter of the war, and an incredible ensemble cast to bring each episode to life. 

After running on CBS for 11 seasons, the beloved sitcom ended in an emotional farewell episode, "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen," which drew in 125 million viewers at the time. Throughout its run, it won 14 Emmy Awards and garnered a whopping 100 nominations. It also earned Golden Globe wins and was honored with the Peabody Award for its contributions to the TV industry. 

Here's what the cast members have been up to since the show ended in 1983.

1. Alan Alda

Alan Alda took on the role of Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce, which had been played by Donald Sutherland in the film. Hawkeye Pierce becomes the Chief Surgeon and is the center of the show. Though he drinks heavily and is a bit of a wisecrack and prankster, he's an incredible doctor. He doesn't care how much red tape he needs to jump over to get his job done. 

Following his years on M*A*S*H, Alda became a household name and used his prominence to be outspoken in politics — namely, women's rights. He's continued working in Hollywood for years, most notably as the host of  Scientific American Frontiers, The West Wing, ER, and most recently in Ray Donovan.

2. Loretta Swit

Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan was an army brat who previously served in World War II before becoming the head nurse of the 4077th MASH, making her the highest-ranking female there. Though she starts the series as being very strict, she eventually loosens up and even has an affair with Frank. 

Following the show, Swit has appeared in numerous shows, including Love, American Style, Pyramid, Match Game, Murder, She Wrote, Diagnosis: Murder, and more. In 1989, she also received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

3. Jamie Farr

Max Klinger was the first character introduced on the show who had neither been in the film or the original novel. He's an orderly who also appeared in the spinoff series AfterMASH. He's known for his wacky stunts like wearing women's clothing around the camp to try to get a psychiatric discharge.

Farr went on to appear on numerous game shows over the years, including The $25,000 Pyramid, Super Password, Body Language, Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour, Wordplay, The $1.98 Beauty Show, The Magnificent Marble Machine, and Tattletales. He also went on a national tour in the play The Odd Couple opposite M*A*S*H co-star William Christopher. 

4. William Christopher

Father John Patrick Francis Mulcahy, or, as he was most commonly referred to, Father Mulcahy, was a role originally played by George Morgan in the pilot but was replaced by William Christopher for the remainder of the series. Though Mulcahy is an ordained Catholic priest, he has an understanding and familiarity with other religions and faiths. Instead of pushing his beliefs on others, he teaches other members of the camp by example.

He's also known for his time appearing on the TV series Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Following his days on M*A*S*H, Christopher appeared on Murder, She Wrote, Mad About You, and Days of Our Lives before he passed away in 2016.  

5. Wayne Rogers

Trapper John McIntyre was one of the main characters in the first three seasons of the show. He becomes a central figure in later seasons. He famously earned his nickname of "Trapper" after getting caught in a precarious state (having sex) with a woman in a train bathroom. When confronted the woman claimed "He trapped me!" and the nickname stuck.

Following the show, Rogers appeared on various TV shows including City of Angels and House Calls. He passed away in 2015 in Los Angeles, California. 

Read More: 'Happy Days': Where is the Cast Today?

6. McLean Stevenson

Henry Blake is the original commanding officer of the unit as well as a surgeon. He's been a career army doctor and is one of the most beloved members of the group. He wasn't a very strong officer, so he left the army after the show's third season. In the final episode, the writers added that his plane never made it home. It was an unfriendly reminder that not everyone returns home from war. 

Following M*A*S*H, Stevenson went on to star in his own show, The McLean Stevenson Show, and The Love Boat, Condo, The Golden Girls, and Dirty Dancing before he passed away in 1996. 

7. Larry Linville

Frank Burns, similar to the character in the film, is the main antagonist of the series for the first five seasons. Though he's a well-trained surgeon, he blames others for his mistakes and considers himself superior to the other doctors he serves with. He had an interesting exit from the show following Major Margaret Houlihan's marriage (to someone else, following their long affair) and the rest of the camp seemed to be glad he was gone. 

Linville went on to appear in The Rockford Files, Grandpa Goes to Washington, Herbie the Love Bug, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and more. He passed away in New York City in 2000 due to complications with cancer surgery.

8. Gary Burghoff

Walter Eugene "Radar" O'Reilly planned to star in the spinoff series W*A*L*T*E*R. Unfortunately, the pilot was never picked up. Walter is the only character portrayed by the same actor in both the film and television series. He has great hearing and extra-sensory perception, which earned him the nickname of Radar. 

Burghoff appeared in Love, American Style, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, AfterMASH, Burke's Law, and more. His last acting role was in 2010 for the film Daniel's Lot.  

9. Mike Farrell

J. Hunnicutt was a fourth season replacement for Trapper and stayed on with the cast until the very end. He has a devoted wife and baby girl back home and is known as the family man of the unit. He was the stark opposite of the womanizing Trapper.

He served as a producer on the Robin Williams film Patch Adams and appeared on the TV shows Providence, Desperate Housewives, and more. 

10. Harry Morgan

Colonel Sherman T. Potter replaces Henry Blake on the show in the fourth season and is well-liked by the rest of the crew, especially Radar. He helps boost morale around the camp during some of the tougher times.

Morgan starred in a slew of films, including The Apple Dumpling Gang, The Cat from Outer Space, and Dragnet. He passed away in 2011.  

11. David Ogden Stiers

Major Charles Emerson Winchester III was introduced in the show's sixth season as a replacement for Frank Burns. He remained a supporting protagonist throughout the series. He was very kind, the complete opposite of his predecessor, which made him well-liked. 

In addition to appearing in a number of Perry Mason TV films, he was the voice of many notable Disney characters, including Cogsworth in 1991's Beauty and the Beast and Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins in 1995's Pocahontas.

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This article was originally published on August, 25, 2020.

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