M*A*S*H was the type of show that could be insanely funny or entirely sobering since it was based during the time of the Korean war and as such was often walking a fine line between depicting what happened in such units and actually protesting the war. It was a favored show of many since it did manage to give a lot of laughs but it was also one that retained the favor of the audience since it wasn’t just one thing or the other, acting as a variety of different attitudes and emotions concerning the war and what it meant to be in harms way on a continual basis. The characters helped to make the show what it was and throughout its long history this show was one that people looked forward to every season upon its return. When it went off the air people actually broke down and cried in some regions since it was the end of an era that many had found absolutely perfect.
Let’s find out what happened to the cast.
David Ogden Stiers
David’s career spanned decades and while his character on the show wasn’t always the most well-liked he was perfect for his part since he was the foil that Hawkeye and Hunnicut needed. Throughout the rest of his career however David played a large variety of roles, from the villain to the uncertain character to the guy that you just had to like since he was one of the best of the bunch. But he also was a stage actor and did voice overs for video games, expanding his repertoire in such a way that one could hardly be anything but impressed. Sadly, David passed away in March of 2018.
Harry Morgan
Reading the list of Harry Morgan’s accomplishments might take a while since he was in so many different productions that trying to remember them all, if folks from that era are still around, would take a long, long time. Be that as it may, those of us from this era no doubt remember him fondly from the show, and from such classics as Dragnet, where he was just as good and continues to be a fond memory. As you can see however, Harry passed away in 2011.
William Christopher
Christopher doesn’t have as many acting credits to his name but he did manage to show up on a few different shows that people will likely remember like The Patty Duke Show, Good Times, and even the Andy Griffith Show. As one of the characters on M*A*S*H he was the type that didn’t really stand out as much but was still easy to notice since he was one of the only ones that seemed to be the good guy ALL the time. Christopher passed away in 2016 sadly.
Mike Farrell
Mike has the distinction of having actually served in the military as a US Marine. After being discharged he worked at various jobs up until he managed to establish his acting career. As a partner in crime to Alan Alda’s character he was quite funny, but when the show went off the air he started getting into other things aside from acting despite the fact that he’s still considered to be active in the industry.
Jamie Farr
Farr was actually drafted into the US Army at one point after having started his acting career. He’s had a wide array of roles throughout the years, some as himself and others as different characters. On the show his character was one of the most amusing since people could almost always expect him to dress in women’s clothing in an attempt to get himself sent home on account of being crazy. Of course it never worked.
Loretta Swit
If anyone remembers Loretta’s character was at first a serious hardcase. She had no friends and was the straight-laced individual that would brook no foolishness and often got after those that tried to instigate anything in her presence. As the show went on however she managed to soften and lighten up quite a bit as the idea of being a team player was finally developed into her character. She’s had plenty of exposure since then but her role in the show was one that many people still remember.
Gary Burghoff
As Radar he was the only actor to star in the movie and then in the regular series, and it’s pretty fortunate since he’s one of the characters that people remember quite well and were very fond of. Radar was after all the unassuming kind of guy that was just there to follow orders and get along with others. It’s also great that he was such a friendly guy because Gary didn’t have to act so much as be himself.
Alan Alda
Alan Alda was, more or less, the spine of the show and the guy that everyone looked to when it came time to change something up or find direction. He’s been extremely busy since the show ended and has managed to find his way into TV shows, movies, and even podcasts throughout his career. Unfortunately it was discovered just this year that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s back in 2015.
It’s great to see that everyone from the show had a long and storied career, but it’s also sad that it’s still gone. With any luck however no one will attempt to remake or reboot this series, EVER. You don’t just revive a classic like this without angering a lot of people.
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