In the early part of the series he was a stock character of comic relief who usually talked about the Korean orphans taken care of by Catholic nuns. He was played by George Morgan in the pilot episode of the series, but the producers decided that a quirkier individual was needed for the role. In 1984, Burghoff guest-starred in two episodes of AfterMASH as Radar, now living on the family farm in Iowa. His full name is never given in the original novel or film, but on the TV series it is Walter Eugene O’Reilly, “Walter” being picked by Burghoff himself.
Just as the series was wrapping production, a brush fire destroyed most of the outdoor set on October 9, 1982. Later, after the indoor set was renovated to permit many of the “outdoor” scenes to be filmed there, both sets were used for exterior shooting as script requirements dictated (e.g., night scenes were far easier to film on the sound stage, but scenes at the helicopter pad required using the ranch). The indoor set, on Stage 09 at Fox Studios in Century City, was used for the indoor scenes for the run of the series. The final episode produced was the penultimately aired episode “As Time Goes By”.
In the television series, he is 44 years old and a reservist called up to active duty and taken from his private practice in Bloomington, Illinois. He replaced Trapper, both in his position within the unit and as an ally of Hawkeye Pierce and a foil of Frank Burns, appearing in all but one episode of the rest of the series. Trapper John, along with The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s Lou Grant, thus became one of a handful of 1970s television characters to be successfully adapted from situation comedy to drama. In the first season, McIntyre’s chief nurse, nicknamed “Starch”, is said to have served with/worked for him in Korea, but never appeared in the novel, movie, or TV series. This frustrated Rogers, and in combination with a dispute over the terms of the original five-year contract, he quit the show shortly before production of the fourth season began; the character of Trapper was abruptly discharged from the Army and sent back to the United States.
Korea. Vietnam. Iraq. It’s still funny.
Nonetheless, he maintains a dismissive attitude toward his better-trained colleagues, blaming others for his failures. In the novel, Burns is a well-off doctor who attended medical school, but whose training as a surgeon was limited to an apprenticeship with his father in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Among the resident in-patients is one of Potter’s subordinates from World War I, who addresses him as “Sarge” as opposed to his retired rank of colonel. Formally salute Potter as he leaves the camp, one of the few times either is shown doing so. As an indication of their respect for him, in the final episode Hawkeye and B.
Capt. Spearchucker Jones
Her name changed several times before it finally dialectical behavior therapy techniques for addiction settled on “Nurse Kellye”; for example, she was referred to as “Nurse Able” in her first appearance in “A Full Rich Day”. 1st Lt. Kealani “Kellye” (sometimes referred to as Lt. Nakahara or Lt. Yamato) was portrayed by Kellye Nakahara. Duke later comes to appreciate Spearchucker’s skill as both a surgeon and a former professional football player. As portrayed by Skerritt in the film, he stands at 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm) and is dark-haired. Captain Augustus Bedford “Duke” Forrest appears in the novel and the film (played by actor Tom Skerritt). She refuses to leave Korea until she finds her family, leading to the irony that although the end of the war means Klinger is free to return to the US, he chooses to stay with her in Korea and aid in her search.
- The Swamp and Operating Room sets, one of the show’s 14 Emmy Awards, early drafts of the pilot script, costumes from the show and other memorabilia were all exhibited.
- On another occasion, he gave away a Bronze Star he was awarded because he felt he did not deserve it.
- Zale’s name is mentioned for the final time in “Yes Sir, That’s Our Baby”.
- Early seasons aired on network prime time while the Vietnam War had not ended; the show was forced to walk the fine line of commenting on that war while at the same time not seeming to protest against it.
Outside the U.S., the series is available on Disney+’s Star section and the Star+ service in Latin America. McLean Stevenson won the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series in 1974. The show won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series (Musical or Comedy) in 1981. Like the movie, the series was as much an allegory about the Vietnam War (still in progress when the show began) as it was about the Korean War. Stories persist that the episode was seen by so many people that the New York City Sanitation/Public Works Department reported the plumbing systems broke down in some parts of the city from so many New Yorkers waiting until the end to use the toilet.
Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen.
The JAG colonel investigating the incident to determine if a court-martial is warranted concluded there were no grounds for a court-martial, and indicated that according to Burns’ record, “If you hadn’t been drafted as a doctor, I think you’d have been assigned as a pastry chef.” In an early episode, before his character becomes more of a buffoon, he demonstrated himself to be an efficient, though still micromanaging, commander. The character also appeared as a new central character in AfterMASH, a spin-off starring the three cast members who had voted (unsuccessfully) to continue the first series. Despite his stern military bearing, Potter is a relatively relaxed and laid-back commander, not above involving himself in camp hijinks and understanding the need for fun and games to boost morale during wartime, particularly in the high-pressure atmosphere of a MASH. Potter is married to Mildred, and they have only one daughter and one grandson in some episodes, while in others he has multiple children – including a son born in 1926 who is a dentist – and grandchildren. While Henry is in command of the 4077th, his wife – called Mildred in earlier episodes, Lorraine in later ones (the reason is never explained) – gives birth to a son back in Bloomington.
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In another episode, Burns is gullible enough to believe that the US Army Corps of Engineers is going to make MASH hospitals amphibious. In the TV series, though by military rank Burns is second-in-command of the unit, he is in fact outranked in medical matters by Hawkeye, who reluctantly accepts appointment by Colonel Blake as Chief Surgeon. The film version includes elements of the novel’s Major Jonathan Hobson, a very religious man who prays for all souls to be saved. In the film, it is overtly sexual and broadcast throughout the camp when Radar puts a microphone under Hot Lips’ bunk in her tent. As Burns holds the same rank as Hawkeye in the novel, Blake tries to make sure neither is on duty at the same time, but cannot do so when things get busy. He unjustly accuses a rookie orderly, Boone (Bud Cort in the film), of killing one of his patients and nearly kills another patient, earning him retaliatory assaults from Duke and Trapper John.
Main characters
Maxwell himself was primarily on set every day as the stand in for Alan Alda, performing this task for the duration of the series. In later seasons, his roles were expanding, making him more of a recurring cast member. In the episode “I Hate a Mystery”, Ho-Jon steals many valuable items and Hawkeye’s poker winnings to bribe the border guards to bring his family down from the North.
Staff Sergeant Zelmo Zale
- In season 3, he remarked that he would be glad to live past age 18, though other ages are given in other episodes, and by then the actor was pushing 30.
- She is called “Lt. Nakahara” in the season 10 episode “The Birthday Girls”, and in the last regular episode of season 11, the final episode filmed, “As Time Goes By”, Major Houlihan calls Kellye “Lt. Nakahara”.
- Although Burns was Hawkeye’s archenemy and Blake was Hawkeye’s friend, one trait shared by Colonel Blake and Major Burns was a hypocritical attitude toward their marriage vows.
- Longtime supporting cast members included Kellye Nakahara, Jeff Maxwell, Johnny Haymer, Allan Arbus, Edward Winter and G.
- In one early episode “Hot Lips and Empty Arms” she is very angry at herself when she finds her college roommate has a dream marriage with a rich doctor, children, a great house, a swimming pool, and a washing machine – all of which could have been hers.
- Burns further asserts that the other surgeons could not keep up with him and complained that he was pushing them too hard.
Many of the stories in the early seasons are based on tales told by real MASH surgeons who were interviewed by the production team. “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” broke the record for the highest percentage of homes with television sets to watch a television series. Army in Korea so that military personnel could watch that episode, in spite of 14 hours’ time-zone difference with the East Coast of the US. Considerable research was done by the producers, including interviews with actual MASH surgeons and personnel to develop story lines rooted in the war itself. After season five, Linville left to be replaced by David Ogden Stiers as surgeon Major Charles Emerson Winchester III. The writers found creating so many names difficult, and used names from elsewhere; for example, characters on the seventh season were named after the 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers.
