M*A*S*H

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M*A*S*H title screen from the television series
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M*A*S*H title screen from the television series

M*A*S*H was a media franchise active, in various forms, from 1968 to 1986. Owned by 20th Century Fox, the series concerns a group of people who served at the 4077 mobile army surgical hospital during the Korean War. The original incarnations of the series are set during the war and feature Hawkeye Pierce as the main character. Later spin-offs involve characters who appeared in the series, but take place after the end of the war. However, almost all versions of the series fit into the genre of black comedy and involve medicine in a prominent role due to most of the main characters being doctors.

The franchise effectively ended with the conclusion of Trapper John, M.D. on September 4, 1986. As of 2006, there has been no attempt to reprise the series since then. However, a fanbase for the series still exists and 20th Century Fox has had notable success selling the film and seasons of the original TV series on DVD.

1969 Canadian paperback edition of the original book.
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1969 Canadian paperback edition of the original book.

Contents

[edit] Novels

Main article: M*A*S*H (novels)

The M*A*S*H series began with the novel M*A*S*H: A Novel About Three Army Doctors written by Richard Hooker based on his own experience serving as a surgeon at a MASH unit. The novel was originally published in 1968 and was followed by several sequels.

[edit] Film

Sutherland and Gould in the film
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Sutherland and Gould in the film
Main article: MASH (film)

MASH was a 1970 feature film adaptation of the original novel. The film was directed by Robert Altman and starred Donald Sutherland as Hawkeye Pierce and Elliott Gould as Trapper John McIntyre.

[edit] Television series

Main article: M*A*S*H (TV series)

M*A*S*H was a telelvision spin-off of the feature film that ran from 1972 to 1983. It starred Alan Alda as Pierce and Wayne Rogers as McIntyre. Rogers left the show after the third season and was replaced by Mike Farrell as B. J. Hunnicutt. This series is the most popular and well-known version of the franchise.

[edit] Video game

An Atari 2600 video game version of M*A*S*H was released in 1983. In this game, the player controlled a helicopter and army doctors. The goal was to rescue wounded soldiers to take back to the MASH 4077. While the Korean countryside looked somewhat realistic, the action was simply side-view and the characters looked like generic 4-bit Atari 2600 characters.

[edit] Spin-offs

[edit] Trapper John, M.D.

Main article: Trapper John, M.D.

Trapper John, M.D. featured the character of Trapper John McIntyre, played by Pernell Roberts, twenty-eight years after the events of the M*A*S*H film and television series. It was the first spin-off to feature a character from the series in civilian life after the war. Legally, Trapper John, M.D. is considered a spin-off of the MASH film rather than the television series.

[edit] AfterMASH

Main article: AfterMASH

AfterMASH was a successor to the original M*A*S*H television series featuring Harry Morgan, Jamie Farr and William Christopher as the same characters they played in the original television series after the conclusion of the war. Gary Burghoff and Edward Winter also appeared in guest appearances. However, the show was canceled after only two seasons.

[edit] W*A*L*T*E*R

Main article: W*A*L*T*E*R

W*A*L*T*E*R was the pilot for a television series that wasn't picked up. It would have featured Gary Burghoff reprising the role of Walter O'Reilly, who is no longer referred to as "Radar." The pilot was shown as a "CBS Special Presentation" on July 17, 1984.

[edit] Cast of characters

Character M*A*S*H
Novels Film TV series Trapper John, M.D. AfterMASH W*A*L*T*E*R
Henry Blake No actor Roger Bowen McLean Stevenson  
Frank Burns No actor Robert Duvall Larry Linville  
Lieutenant Dish No actor Jo Ann Pflug Karen Philipp  
Sam Flagg   Edward Winter   Edward Winter  
Duke Forrest No actor Tom Skerritt  
Sidney Freedman   Allan Arbus  
Ho-Jon No actor Kim Atwood Patrick Adiarte  
Margaret Houlihan No actor Sally Kellerman Loretta Swit  
B. J. Hunnicutt   Mike Farrell  
Spearchucker Jones No actor Fred Williamson Timothy Brown  
Maxwell Klinger   Jamie Farr   Jamie Farr  
Trapper John McIntyre No actor Elliott Gould Wayne Rogers Pernell Roberts  
Father Mulcahy No actor Rene Auberjonois William Christopher (George Morgan in the pilot)   William Christopher  
Radar O'Reilly No actor Gary Burghoff   Gary Burghoff
Donald Penobscot   Beeson Carroll/Mike Henry  
Hawkeye Pierce No actor Donald Sutherland Alan Alda  
Sherman T. Potter   Harry Morgan   Harry Morgan  
Igor Straminsky   Jeff Maxwell/Peter Riegert  
Ugly John No actor Carl Gottlieb John Orchard  
Walter Koskiusko Waldowski No actor John Schuck  
Charles Winchester   David Ogden Stiers  

[edit] See also

M*A*S*H
Film: MASH
TV series: M*A*S*H | Trapper John, M.D. | AfterMASH | W*A*L*T*E*R
Characters:

Hawkeye Pierce | Trapper John McIntyre | Duke Forrest | B.J. Hunnicutt | Henry Blake | Sherman T. Potter | Frank Burns | Margaret Houlihan | Charles Winchester | Radar O'Reilly | Father Mulcahy | Maxwell Klinger | Igor Straminsky | Sidney Freedman | Col. Flagg | Spearchucker Jones | Ugly John | Walter Koskiusko Waldowski | Ho-Jon | Lieutenant Dish | Donald Penobscot

Episodes: Season 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11
Books: M*A*S*H: A Novel About Three Army Doctors | M*A*S*H Goes to Maine
Related material: Continuity errors and anachronisms | Guest stars | Differences between book, film and TV versions of M*A*S*H | Suicide Is Painless