It’s been 53 years since M*A*S*H graced our screens for the first time, with the medical dark comedy remaining just as loved over half a century on from its original run.
Focusing on the goings-on of the fictional 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Uijeongbu, South Korea, during the Korean War (1950–1953), the TV show followed the mismatched crew of doctors and staff for an impressive 11 seasons.
It became the TV show of the era, with millions tuning in for every weekly episode, and its series finale becoming one of the most-watched single TV episodes of all time.
Read on to remember the legendary cast.
It’s been 53 years since M*A*S*H graced our screens for the first time. (Getty)
Alan Alda as Dr Benjamin Franklin ‘Hawkeye’ Pierce
The show revolved around Dr. Benjamin Franklin Pierce, aka Hawkeye, a fun-loving surgeon who made the most of living in the isolated army camp, mostly by pulling pranks on Major Margaret ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan.
Alan Alda not only took on the lead role, but also wrote and directed many episodes, including the finale, which attracted 121.6 million viewers.
He reflected on the accomplishment in a May 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, 42 years on from when it occurred on February 28, 1983.
Alan Alda played the lead character, Dr Benjamin Franklin ‘Hawkeye’ Pierce. (Getty)
“It was at least half the people in the country watching it at the same time. We had an inkling at the time because we were watching it on a big screen at the studio and then driving to dinner, realising the streets were empty,” he told the outlet.
“The most valuable to me for the rest of my life was what we did between scenes – sitting around waiting an hour for them to light the next shot. We would kid one another and play. Sometimes we would rehearse a scene, but mostly we would just connect.”
After playing the beloved Hawkeye for 11 seasons, Alda went on to forge a successful acting career in both TV and film.
His credits include roles on ER, The West Wing, 30 Rock and The Blacklist as well as movies like The Aviator and Wanderlust.
Alda has been married to American musician Arlene Alda since 1957, and they share three adult daughters.
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He not only played the lead, but also wrote and directed a number of episodes, including the record-breaking finale. (Getty)
In 2015, Alda was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He has since struggled with his stiff fingers, with the now 89-year-old telling Vanity Fair, “When people ask me, ‘How are you?’ I often say, ‘making progress.’ I don’t mention which direction.
“The little things I used to be able to do, I have trouble doing now. Something as simple as buttoning or unbuttoning a shirt might take 10 tries until I get the right angle.
“Instead of being impatient about it, I find it’s like an exploration, like learning a new dance step. I finally find an angle to come in on, and I get it done, and there’s such a moment of pleasure, a shot of dopamine.
“It’s a little victory, and these little victories that fill my day, I wouldn’t have if I didn’t have Parkinson’s. Not that I welcome Parkinson’s, but I’m really glad I stumbled into this attitude.”
Loretta Swit as Major Margaret ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan
The character of ‘Hot Lips’ pioneered roles for strong women on screen. (20th Century Fox)
Loretta Swit played head nurse Major Margaret Houlihan, aka ‘Hot Lips’.
Though her character was stern and no-nonsense, she was often willing to ignore rules and regulations, using her sex appeal to get her own way.
Her unique approach to the role earned her two Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy.
After the show wrapped, Swit continued acting in small roles on shows like The Love Boat and Murder, She Wrote.
The actress had a lot of interests outside of acting, including musical theatre, having kicked off a one-woman touring stage production of Eleanor: Her Secret Journey, playing former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in 2013.
Loretta Swit died aged 87 earlier this year. (AP)
At age 84, she delved into her passion for designing jewellery, and once even wrote a book on needlepoint, titled A Needlepoint Scrapbook.
She was also an animal rights activist, raising money for many charities and was a vegetarian and vegan.
She was married to actor Dennis Holahan in 1983, with the pair having met on the set of her acclaimed show when he played Per Johannsen, a Swedish diplomat who became briefly involved with Swit’s character.
They divorced in 1995, not having any children together.
Swit died in her New York City home on May 30, 2025, aged 87.
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Alda posted a heartfelt tribute to her after hearing of her death.
“Loretta was a supremely talented actor,” he shared on X.
“She deserved all her 10 EMMY nominations and her 2 wins. But more than acting her part, she created it.
“She worked hard in showing the writing staff how they could turn the character from a one joke sexist stereotype into a real person – with real feelings and ambitions.
“We celebrated the day the script came out listing her character not as Hot Lips, but as Margaret. Loretta made the most of her time here.”
Jamie Farr as Sergeant Maxwell Q. Klinger
Jamie Farr was endearing both on and off screen. (CBS)
Jamie Farr’s role as the eccentric Sergeant Maxwell Q. Klinger was meant to last only one episode, but his persistent ridiculous stunts to get out of the army (including cross-dressing as a woman) led him to be even more endearing, both on and off screen.
When he joined the series in episode four of the first season, he was a struggling actor needing to pay rent and support his young family.
In 2021, he recalled to Trib Live, “My agent said it’s just one day and I said ‘I don’t care!’ I had to pay my rent, we had our son Jonas. We needed groceries
“He said, ‘It’s only $250 for the day’ and I said, ‘Well, what’s the part?’ and he said, ‘They’ll tell you when you get there.'”
Farr went on to guest-star on shows like The Love Boat and Mad About You when the series wrapped.
He also spent a lot of time on Broadway in musicals such as Guys and Dolls and plays such as The Odd Couple. He continued until 2018 when he collapsed during rehearsal for Jack of Diamonds, he decided to retire from stage acting.
Farr still looks back fondly on the series. (Getty)
Farr was very loyal to the series that helped him rise to fame, hosting many M*A*S*H re-run episodes and providing commentary on his favourite episodes in M*A*S*H: The Best By Farr.
He married his wife, model Joy Ann Richards shortly after returning from his military service in the Korean War, with the actor being the only one of the cast who actually served in the war. They share two children, Jonas, born 1969 and Yvonne, born 1972.
These days, the 91-year-old focuses his energy on theatre productions and has served on the advisory board of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, but he will always look back fondly on M*A*S*H.
“You look back on your career and your life and it’s something special that you have, something that really lasts like M*A*S*H that’s such a treasure in TV history,” he told Trib Live.
William Christopher as Father Francis Mulcahy
William Christopher played Father Francis Mulcahy, a soft-spoken Roman Catholic chaplain stationed at the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. However, in real life, Christopher was a Methodist.
William Christopher played Father Francis Mulcahy, a Roman Catholic chaplain, though he was a Methodist in real life. (CBS)The late actor reprised his role as a priest on Days of Our Lives. (Getty)
During the fifth season of M*A*S*H, Christopher contracted a case of hepatitis and missed many episodes, which nearly cost him his role.
Alda begged producers to keep him, with the lead actor resorting to writing his co-star’s illness into the show in an attempt to keep him on screen.
After the show wrapped, Christopher made guest appearances on hit shows such as The Love Boat and Murder She Wrote, before once again playing a priest on US soap Days of Our Lives in the noughties.
The actor died from cancer at his home in Pasadena, California, on New Year’s Eve 2016. His wife of 59 years, Barbara, was by his side. He was 84.
Harry Morgan as Colonel Sherman T. Potter
Harry Morgan played Colonel Sherman T. Potter, a man of integrity who was both an excellent surgeon and a great leader. Though he led by example, there were times he ignored regulations and followed his heart instead.
Harry Morgan made a mark on the series. (Getty)The actor died aged 96. (Getty)
Morgan won an Emmy Award in 1980 for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for the role.
He then went on to star in over 100 films, TV and stage projects after the hit show, including The Love Boat, 3rd Rock From the Sun, and The Twilight Zone.
Morgan died in 2011 at his home in Brentwood, California, after a bout with pneumonia. He was 96.
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