Several of these living TV legends continue to work in film and TV to this day, and perhaps they will gather together in September to celebrate the iconic show's special birthday. This was not something added to the original script. stood for; they unanimously reply that it stood only for "B.J." On the other hand, B.J. The main reason was to distinguish the two characters, who seemed quite similar. The 1972 hit television series M*A*S*H was a spinoff of the similarly popular, albeit darker, movie of the same name, launching the successful career of director Robert Altman. later apologizes to Hawkeye for hitting "the best friend I ever had", and then breaks down sobbing over the excruciating reality that the first person that Erin called "Daddy" was somebody else, added to which he knows he will never regain the lost time he should have had with Erin. The character is named for the series DP, Bill Jurgensen, but Mike Farrell likes to never answer what B.J. Imagine what M*A*S*Hwould have been like without Jamie Farr's character! TV series) Trapper also had a moral code, and though he was normally easygoing, he occasionally showed his dark side. As a young actor, Rogers met actress Mitzi McWhorter in New York in the late 1950s. However by the premier of Season 4 he is on his way back to . In 1988 and 1990, he appeared before the United States House Committee on the Judiciary as an expert witness, testifying in favor of retaining the banking laws enacted under the GlassSteagall Legislation act of 1933. To counter his leave, the creators attempted to sue Wayne for breaking his contract, but the actor had a loophole that they weren't aware of: He had never actually signed the contract they'd presented him. 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. Trapper's TV portrayal was further compromised when the producers decided that Hawkeye, not Trapper, was to be the chest cutter and therefore Chief Surgeon. In the series finale, B.J. M*A*S*H was undoubtedly one of the most popular sitcoms of all time. Season 5 continued to put comedy first, though Margaret began to change and Burns ran out of room to grow. Trapper left no goodbye note but did "give" Radar a kiss on the cheek to pass on to Hawkeye, which he very reluctantly does. (son) & Kimberly 'Kim' McIntyre (daughter) (on Trapper John, M.D. Boston born and raised, John McIntyre is a thoracic surgeon (chest cutter), and in the film is appointed chief surgeon at the 4077th. The two exchange a long brotherly embrace, and Hawkeye boards a chopper while B.J., now wielding his San Francisco sign from the fingerpost, gets back on his motorcycle, but says one last thing to Hawkeye before he rides off: "I'll see you back in the States. THEN: Standup comedian McLean Stevenson played the commanding officer of the 4077, Henry Blake, for three years before leaving to find starring roles in other shows and movies. tries to reassure him that they will still get to see one another back home, but with each of them living on an opposite coast, Hawkeye doesn't see how and becomes convinced that once they go home they'll never see one another again; B.J., however, refuses to accept that finality. He is Hawkeye's partner in chaos initially, but is replaced by Trapper John once he arrives. He was a regular panel member on the Fox News Channel stock investment television program Cashin' In as a result of having built a career as an investor, investment strategist, adviser, and money manager. In the original novel he, Hawkeye and Duke were all married, while in the film there is no mention of Trapper's marital status, but they all lived a semi-hedonistic lifestyle with their drinking and carousing. He gets drunk, packs his duffel bag and tries to go AWOL, even knocking Hawkeye down when he tries to stop him. Which 'M*A*S*H' Cast Members Are Still Alive Today? [8][9] He died exactly one year before fellow M*A*S*H cast member William Christopher. 185 lbs. gets into a discussion with Hawkeye about the things they're not going to miss once they head home, but when their discussion comes around to what they will miss- each other, B.J. So I would still go witrh Trapper. Contents. Trapper left no goodbye note but did "give" Radar a kiss on the cheek to pass on to Hawkeye, which he very reluctantly does. In the final episode, B.J. Boston, MA (in book, film and TV series)San Francisco, CA in Trapper John, M.D. The comedy remained strong through season 6 and Winchester was definitely a breath of fresh air. 's daughter, B.J. 's are considerably more brilliant- and devious. revolved around the interrelation between Trapper and his younger colleague, Dr. George "Gonzo" Gates (Gregory Harrison), who had served in a MASH unit in Vietnam and exhibited some of the same behaviors Trapper John himself once had. Omigod, he trapped me! The track was muted for these scenes, and given the serious nature of the show, producers pushed for no laugh track at all. Monster M*A*S*H is a FANDOM TV Community. Interestingly, the growth of the mustache also coincided with a change in B.J. . During its 11-season run, the staff at the 4077th celebrated theholiday four times. A large fanbase for the series continues to exist; the show has never been out of syndication worldwide, and 20th Century Fox has had notable success selling the film and seasons of the TV series on DVD. The Actors from M*A*S*H On How M*A*S*H Changed Our Lives, Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce, Later, at the beginning and the end of Season 5's. Gary Burghoff was the first actor cast. With M*A*S*H airing before the internet was a thing, it's fun to revisit and discover details we never noticed before. does not appear-. And in his place was Mike Farrell playing Capt. In addition to the disputes about contracts, he says he also left M*A*S*H (1972) because he felt the writers were not giving Trapper John any character development. [10], Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan, I Dream of Jeannie Fifteen Years Later, United States House Committee on the Judiciary, "Wayne Rogers, Trapper John on 'M.A.S.H.,' dies at 82", "Wayne Rogers: Actor, Entrepreneur, Financial Pundit", "Wayne Rogers, Trapper John on 'M*A*S*H*,' dies at 82", Vishay Technology names Wayne Rogers to its Board, 8/10/2006, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wayne_Rogers&oldid=1137078902, This page was last edited on 2 February 2023, at 17:58. TV series) He was a big part of the show's makeup during those early seasons. gets his discharge papers and is overly excited to finally be going home. that everyone in camp calls "Ferret Face". Much of the story line of Trapper John, M.D. He was also the head of Wayne Rogers & Co., a stock trading investment corporation. The armistice is finally signed ending the war, but more wounded arrive and then the 4077th is ordered back to its original location. sits back watching the fun. (Harry Morgan). It ran from 1979 to 1986, and thus overlapped with M*A*S*H, which ended in 1983, but did not overlap with Trapper's time on M*A*S*H. Pernell Roberts (right) as an older Dr. John McIntyre, with Gregory Harrison (left) as Dr. George "Gonzo" Gates from Trapper John, M.D.. in 1986. Hair Color: ", "I'm a temporarily misassigned civilian.". Birthplace: Captain B. J. Hunnicutt, played by Mike Farrell, is a fictional character in the TV show M*A*S*H, which ran from 1972-1983 on CBS. Trapper John, M.D. Disobeying Major Burns' order to stay in camp, Hawkeye hitches a ride with Radar (who is on his way to Kimpo) to see Trapper one last time, but missed him by just ten minutes. Surgeon at the 4077th M*A*S*H Lucille Ball's Daughter Lucie Arnaz Is Honoring Her Mom on 'Will and Grace', The Real Reason Why Frank Burns (Larry Linville) Left 'M*A*S*H'. Anyone who loved the show would have thought that it made a poignant moment and would be just as exciting once the time capsule was found, but the person who discovered it wasn't very impressed, according to actor Alan Alda. Hazel When Mike Farrell's Captain B.J. In 1973, a play by Tim Kelly, based on the book, television show, and film, was published in both one-act and full versions. In the CBS television series M*A*S*H (1972-83) Trapper John is with the group as they say goodbye to Henry Blake at the Season 3 finale. Colonel Blake). Its final episode in 1983 was the most-watched in television history.[2]. Hooker was merely their shared pen name. Shortly after B.J. B.J. In the film, Elliott Gould played the Trapper John character and Donald Sutherland was Hawkeye. was originally intended as a continuation of the departed Trapper John, with many of the latter's habits and mannerisms initially being retained through B.J. and Hawkeye swap their own personal reflections of one another with Hawkeye saying, "I'll never be able to shake you. Some gossip still made its way around, but there was no way of knowing all of the fun secrets, inside jokes, and hidden details behind favorite TV shows. then reveals that the real target of the joke was Hawkeye himself, brilliantly proclaiming that "the greatest joke of all was the joke that never came". maintaining that they stood for nothing at all, Hawkeye went to great lengths to get at the truth, sending telegrams to many of B.J. W*A*L*T*E*R was the pilot for a television series that was not picked up. That same year, Harry Morgan replaced McLean Stevenson. premiered, Wayne Rogers returned to TV in House Calls, a sitcom based on the 1978 Walter Matthau film. Farrell's wife at the time, Judy Farrell, also acted on M*A*S*H in the recurring role of Nurse Able. His exit is abrupt and, in the show, only explained as Trapper having been "discharged," though viewers are offered no other explanation. about what he would be doing if he were at home with his family. Sandy reddish blonde (on M*A*S*H TV series), Black (in 1970 film and Trapper John M.D. Sadly, in the nearly four decades since the show went off the air, many of the main cast members have passed away, including William Christopher (Father Mulcahy), Wayne Rogers ("Trapper" John), Larry Linville (Major Frank Burns), Harry Morgan (Colonel Potter) and McLean Stevenson (Lt. Rogers was cast as U.S. Army Lieutenant Richard Henry Pratt in 1965 in Death Valley Days. When he made his exit, there was nothing the show's creators could do to make him stay. Most of the cast had no idea when Henry Blake was being offed from the show. 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's unfortunate that the role was swapped for a heterosexual man who only cross-dressed to attempt to get out of the war, as the character was supposed to have been gay, which would have been some much-needed representation on television in the 1970s and '80s. It didn't take long for B.J. Far better. Trapper John, M.D. Pilot; Novels. But while Hawkeye continued womanizing, B.J. Hawkeye Pierce is featured as the main character, played by Donald Sutherland in the 1970 film M*A*S*H and by Alan Alda on the television series also titled M*A*S*H. Later spin-offs involve characters who appeared in the series, but were set after the end of the war. There were plenty of other details that were either omitted, changed or exaggerated as well, including the length of the war. Relatives/Children: Rogers never gave an official reason why he walked away from the show, but Farrell has an idea. Judson), whereas he played . Consequently, unbeknownst to viewers at the time, Abyssinia, Henry would be Trapper John's final M*A*S*H episode as well as Henry's. "Trapper" John Francis Xavier McIntyre is a fictional character in Richard Hooker's M*A*S*H novels, as well as the film and the two TV series (M*A*S*H and Trapper John, M.D.) This article is about the media franchise. He's not only cute, he's funny! Despite his unceremonious exit from M*A*S*H, Wayne was apparently offered an opportunity to reprise the role he'd played in the series in his own spinoff show, Trapper John, M.D. stop at Rosie's Bar and get plastered. In 1990, Rogers co-starred with Connie Selleca in the CBS made-for-television movie Miracle Landing based on the true story of the 1988 Aloha Airlines Flight 243 crash landing after an explosive cabin depressurization. However, that changed radically when Alan Alda was cast as Hawkeye. Instead, the Trapper John, M.D. Nurse Bayliss was one of the few Black actors to appear as a recurring character on the show, and she was prominently featured in the season two episode "Dear Dad Three" in which she is forced to treat an angry and racist patient. Much of the story line of Trapper John, M.D. The film was directed by Robert Altman and starred Donald Sutherland as Hawkeye Pierce and Elliott Gould as Trapper John McIntyre. B.J. Running from 1972 to 1983, M*A*S*H lasted three times longer than the war itself, and the series finale, the two-and-a-half hour Goodbye, Farewell and Amen, remains the highest-rated episode in American television history with over 120 million viewers tuning in. The show begins following surgeons "Hawkeye" Pierce and "Trapper" John, played by Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers, respectively. In the TV series, while Hawkeye was depicted as a confirmed bachelor, Trapper was married, but still fraternized with the nurses while remaining devoted to his wife and children. 1970 MASH film and M*A*S*H and Trapper John, M.D. The entire cast received scripts and had to act out the majority of the episode before they each received a copy of the final page before their end of the season party, which had to be a shocker for the entire cast. He was replaced on the show by Mike . He even made Frank panic when he said: "To think of all those years I wasted taking showers by myself.". secretly manipulates things to where Charles again gets victimized (again losing his pants) while Hawkeye is vilified by the others and B.J. : Eventually, B.J. The ruse didnt work, as the character was so popular he stayed for the entire run of the series. Once the degree of MD or DO is conferred on a member of the military they are given the rank of Captain in both the US Air Force and US Army. is in a helicopter and forced to cut a rope leading down to a wounded soldier he and the pilot were attempting to rescue from an enemy patrol, effectively abandoning him to capture or death. It starred Alan Alda as Hawkeye Pierce and Wayne Rogers as Trapper John McIntyre. THEN: Larry Linville played Hawkeyes primary antagonist, Major Frank Burns, for the first five seasons of M*A*S*H. Feeling he had taken the Burns role as far as it could go, Linville declined a contract renewal. said, but motions for the pilot to take off nonetheless. Spouse(s): Despite a guarantee that his character would have a better development arc in this series, as Trapper would then be the show's main character, he decided to decline the offer. Sadly, in the nearly four decades since the show went off the air, many of the main cast members have passed away, including William Christopher (Father Mulcahy), Wayne Rogers ("Trapper" John), Larry Linville (Major Frank Burns), Harry Morgan (Colonel Potter) and McLean Stevenson (Lt. After five weeks of army training at Fort Sam Houston, Peg has their daughter Erin, and while they're out dining at the Top of the Mark (Peg's first night out since giving birth), B.J. B.J, like Radar and Colonel Potter, is Methodist. Radar had tried to reach Hawkeye in Tokyo to alert him of Trapper's departure, but without success. All Rights Reserved. is overcome with envy over Radar's discharge, and says he almost hates Radar because he is home while he is still stuck in Korea, then mentioning that he feels the same way about Trapper even though the two have never met. Family/Personal information . It will either be inside a glove, behind a clipboard, or in his pocket. Between directing 31 episodes and writing 13 episodes while continuing to act on the show, Alan Alda made history as the first person to win an Emmy for writing, directing, and acting in a show. AfterMASH was a successor to the original M*A*S*H television series, featuring Harry Morgan, Jamie Farr, and William Christopher after the war, as the same characters they played in the original television series. He has to make some complicated arrangements to get transportation, but finally- and abruptly- he is on his way when Klinger tells Colonel Potter that his discharge orders were rescinded, but Potter pays no attention. Hawkeye starts asking him questions, swearing that he has seen him somewhere before. Despite his friendship with Hawkeye, it is implied that Trapper never bothered to contact him for the remainder of the war to apologize for his awkward departure; even though that was completely selfish and out of character on his part, it was probably the writers' intent to not let his departed character cast a negative shadow on his replacement, B.J. While angry over missing Trapper, Hawkeye met his replacement in the person of Captain B.J. Hawkeye unexpectedly ups the ante by claiming Lacy has appendicitis and requires surgery (a trick he and Trapper John once used to put Colonel Flagg temporarily out of commission). Only Alan Alda knew this secret. Season 4 was pretty similar to the previous two seasons save the fact that BJ and Potter had replaced Trapper and Henry. Trapper was also referenced in Period of Adjustment, during which B.J. They married in 1960, had two children, and divorced in 1983. Weight: It has been conceded by fans, critics and the producers of Trapper John M.D. Hunnicutt. series. Jeff Maxwell was never a series regular on M*A*S*H, but he appeared on the show in a recurring role for ten years. He was the youngest of the main characters on the show, and was 78 in 2022. is a TV dramatic series that showed the character in a contemporary setting (approximately 25 years after the Korean War ended). Christopher continued the role of Father Mulcahy through all 11 seasons of M*A*S*H and into the spinoff AfterMASH. himself; he explains that he only got as far as Guam (one-third of the way home) before finding out that all flights are canceled, his orders had been rescinded, and that he was ordered back to the 4077th. Was Radar O'Reilly in the original MASH movie? The franchise effectively ended with the conclusion of Trapper John, M.D. Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan The object of Hawkeye and Trapper John's ire because of her rigid allegiance to a military protocol that seem to them ridiculously out of place in a hospital so close to the front line of battle. was given the honor of speaking the last word in the series. Burghoff is notable for being the only actor from the movie MASH (1970) to reprise his role as a main cast member on the television series. The most prominent example of this was in Period of Adjustment when, soon after Radar went home, B.J. NOW: Roger passed away Dec. 31, 2015, due to complications from pneumonia. Monster M*A*S*H is a FANDOM TV Community. In Mail Call, Trapper becomes overwhelmingly homesick. Radar had tried unsuccessfully to reach Hawkeye in Tokyo to alert him of Trapper's departure. Charles was played by David Ogden Stiers. and Trapper John share is their penchant for tomfoolery in the form of pranks and practical jokes, except that B.J. tended to be more passive, preferring to be a quieter voice of reason. Gary Burghoff and Edward Winter also appeared as guests. BJ > Trapper Again, Trapper just felt like diet Hawkeye (which is funny because Trapper was the main in the movie). In the TV show MASH, were the character replacements for Henry Blake, Trapper John, and Frank Burns better or worse? Although he shared most of Hawkeye's assessment of the Army, the war, and regulation in general, B.J. Study now. Home: remained strongly devoted to his family back home, although he did have two close calls with infidelity while at the 4077th: While largely unflappable in other regards, B.J. Rogers also appeared in the 1980s miniseries Chiefs. But Hawkeye stopped him before he did anything, gently reminding him that, being doctors, they were there to save lives, not take them. Offers may be subject to change without notice. It's the signpost that sat in the middle of the camp. in for a Bronze Star for bravery, B.J. On two separate occasions, Margaret drunkenly professes her attraction to Trapper John. Alan Alda played Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce for all eleven seasons of M*A*S*H, and he was the only actor to appear in all 256 episodes. At the beginning of Season 4 he replaced Trapper John at the 4077th, shortly before Henry Blake's replacement, Colonel Potter, arrived as the new commander. Colonel Henry Blake, McLean Stevenson, colloquially referred to as "Mac," wanted to end his contract with M*A*S*H. But the thing that made his leave stand out amongst other characters who left the popular television sitcom was that Henry Blake's leave was permanent. They did all they could do with those characters, even Larry Linville (Major Burns) said that they did everything they could with his character. Burghoff returned for a pair of guest appearances in the spinoff AfterM*A*S*H, and attempted to revive the character in a pilot, W*A*L*T*E*R. NOW: Burghoff is retired in California where he collects stamps and invented a new type of fishing pole. In a season six episode, Major Charles Winchester added one for his hometown of Boston. Jamie Farr played Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger on M*A*S*H for all eleven seasons, although his character only appeared in a recurring role for the first three seasons before being upped to series regular status for season four. Rogers co-starred with Robert Bray and Richard Eyer in the western series Stagecoach West on ABC from 1960 to 1961. But by the end of the third season, Trapper was often treated more as a sidekick, which did not go unnoticed by Wayne Rogers; when he accepted the role of Trapper John for the TV series he was told that Trapper and Hawkeye would be almost interchangeable equals, but this turned out to not be the case when Alan Alda was cast as Hawkeye. Audiences still looked forward to seeing which outfit Klinger would wear next and what stunts he'd pull to attempt getting discharged. M*A*S*H: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, Wayne Rogers (for M*A*S*H) and Pernell Roberts (for Trapper John, M.D.). MASH is probably one of my favorite shows of all time, but it had a reputation for replacing characters. The series is correct in having him be a Captain. RELATED: M*A*S*H Star David Ogden Stiers Passes Away at 75. What kind of motorcycle did BJ have on MASH? "MASH", in posters for the movie and in the trailer, it was rendered as M*A*S*H. M*A*S*H, a TV adaptation of the film, ran from 1972 to 1983, more than three times as long as the war it chronicled. The rank of Major is attained for members of the AMEDD after serving as a Captain for 6 years. Here are the actors from the series who are still alive today. After the third season, Rogers left the show and was replaced by Mike Farrell as B. J. Hunnicutt. After an OR session and a brief game of pick-up football during which Hawkeye catches a long pass thrown by Trapper, a delighted Hawkeye finally remembers him from a crazy college football game between Androscoggin and Dartmouth; Androscoggin won 6-0 during a blizzard when Hawkeye intercepted one of Trapper's passes and scored in the last few seconds of the game. In The Joker is Wild, B.J., evoking the spirit of Trapper John, makes a bet with Hawkeye that he can pull pranks on the entire staff within 24 hours. NOW: Alda continues to act in occasional projects, including playing Jack Donaghys soft-hearted liberal father on the sitcom 30 Rock. He has most recently appeared on Ray Donovan, The Longest Ride, The Blacklist, and Horace and Pete.