"M*A*S*H" (1972) TV series 1972-1983

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Writers:

Linda Bloodworth-Thomason (writer) (5 episodes 1973-1976)
Elias Davis (writer) (17 episodes 1981-1982)
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

Release Date:

17 September 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | War

Plot:

The staff of an army hospital in the Korean war find that laughter is the best way to deal with their situation.

Plot Keywords:

Dramedy | Sitcom | Acronym In Title | Lieutenant | Helicopter

Awards:

Won 8 Golden Globes. Another 41 wins & 129 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Oct. 10	5:00 PM	HALMRK	Smilin' Jack	#4.21
Fri. Oct. 10	5:30 PM	HALMRK	The More I See You	#4.22

Cast

Alan Alda	...	Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce / ... (251 episodes, 1972-1983)
Loretta Swit	...	Maj. Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan / ... (234 episodes, 1972-1983)
Jamie Farr	...	Cpl. / ... (210 episodes, 1972-1983)
William Christopher	...	Lt. / ... (207 episodes, 1972-1983)
Mike Farrell	...	Capt. B.J. Hunnicut / ... (178 episodes, 1975-1983)
Harry Morgan	...	Col. Sherman T. Potter / ... (178 episodes, 1974-1983)
Gary Burghoff	...	Cpl. Walter "Radar" O'Reilly / ... (153 episodes, 1972-1979)
David Ogden Stiers	...	Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III / ... (130 episodes, 1977-1983)
Larry Linville	...	Maj. Frank Burns (115 episodes, 1972-1977)

(more)

Series Directed by
Charles S. Dubin		(44 episodes, 1976-1983)
Alan Alda		(32 episodes, 1974-1983)
Burt Metcalfe		(31 episodes, 1975-1983)
Gene Reynolds		(24 episodes, 1972-1977)
Hy Averback		(17 episodes, 1972-1977)
Don Weis		(16 episodes, 1972-1978)
Jackie Cooper		(13 episodes, 1973-1974)
William K. Jurgensen		(9 episodes, 1975-1979)
Harry Morgan		(8 episodes, 1976-1982)
George Tyne		(7 episodes, 1975-1978)
William Wiard		(6 episodes, 1972-1973)
Larry Gelbart		(6 episodes, 1974-1976)
Mike Farrell		(5 episodes, 1979-1983)
Nell Cox		(3 episodes, 1981-1982)
James Sheldon		(2 episodes, 1972-1979)
Lee Philips		(2 episodes, 1972-1975)
Earl Bellamy		(2 episodes, 1973)
Alan Rafkin		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Tony Mordente		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
David Ogden Stiers		(2 episodes, 1981-1982)

Series Writing credits
Larry Gelbart		(57 episodes, 1972-1983)
Laurence Marks		(29 episodes, 1972-1978)
James Fritzell		(23 episodes, 1974-1978)
Everett Greenbaum		(23 episodes, 1974-1978)
Ring Lardner Jr.		(21 episodes, 1973-1977)
David Isaacs		(16 episodes, 1976-1979)
Ken Levine		(16 episodes, 1976-1979)
Alan Alda		(13 episodes, 1973-1983)
Gene Reynolds		(12 episodes, 1974-1977)
Richard Hooker		(9 episodes, 1972-1979)
Burt Prelutsky		(8 episodes, 1975-1977)
Simon Muntner		(7 episodes, 1975-1976)
Larry Balmagia		(7 episodes, 1978-1982)
Robert Klane		(6 episodes, 1972-1975)
Gary Markowitz		(6 episodes, 1974-1979)
Sid Dorfman		(5 episodes, 1973-1977)
Linda Bloodworth-Thomason		(5 episodes, 1973-1976)
Jay Folb		(5 episodes, 1975-1977)
Ronny Graham		(5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Sheldon Keller		(4 episodes, 1973-1974)
Thad Mumford		(4 episodes, 1979-1983)
Dan Wilcox		(4 episodes, 1979-1983)
Mary Kay Place		(3 episodes, 1973-1974)
Erik Tarloff		(3 episodes, 1974-1981)
John D. Hess		(3 episodes, 1974-1977)
John W. Regier		(3 episodes, 1974-1976)
Tom Reeder		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Dennis Koenig		(3 episodes, 1979-1983)
Jim Mulligan		(3 episodes, 1979)
John Rappaport		(3 episodes, 1980-1983)
Karen Hall		(3 episodes, 1983)
Hal Dresner		(2 episodes, 1972)
Burt Styler		(2 episodes, 1972)
Bernard Dilbert		(2 episodes, 1973-1979)
Carl Kleinschmitt		(2 episodes, 1973)
Jerry Mayer		(2 episodes, 1973)
McLean Stevenson		(2 episodes, 1973)
Bill Idelson		(2 episodes, 1976-1978)
Allan Katz		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Don Reo		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Sheldon Bull		(2 episodes, 1978-1980)
Burt Metcalfe		(2 episodes, 1979-1983)
Mitch Markowitz		(2 episodes, 1979)
Paul Perlove		(2 episodes, 1981)
Elias Davis		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)
David Pollock		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)

Series Produced by
Burt Metcalfe	....	associate producer / producer / ... (177 episodes, 1972-1983)
Gene Reynolds	....	executive producer / producer (120 episodes, 1972-1983)
Larry Gelbart	....	executive producer / producer (71 episodes, 1973-1976)
Stanford Tischler	....	associate producer (57 episodes, 1977-1980)
Allan Katz	....	producer (24 episodes, 1976-1977)
Don Reo	....	producer (24 episodes, 1976-1977)
Jim Mulligan	....	producer (9 episodes, 1979-1980)
John Rappaport	....	producer (9 episodes, 1979-1980)
Dennis Koenig	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Thad Mumford	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Dan Wilcox	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Johnny Mandel		(18 episodes, 1972-1979)
Duane Tatro		(3 episodes, 1972-1973)

Series Cinematography by
William K. Jurgensen		(44 episodes, 1972-1977)
Dominic Palmieri		(17 episodes, 1978-1980)
Richard A. Kelley		(3 episodes, 1973)
Meredith M. Nicholson		(2 episodes, 1975-1976)
William T. Cline		(2 episodes, 1977)
Andrew Jackson		(unknown episodes)
Sherman Kunkel		(unknown episodes)
Vilis Lapenieks		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Stanford Tischler		(60 episodes, 1972-1980)
Fred W. Berger		(32 episodes, 1972-1977)
Larry L. Mills		(23 episodes, 1977-1980)

Series Casting by
Joyce Agu		(21 episodes, 1977-1980)
Sam Christensen		(21 episodes, 1977-1980)

Series Art Direction by
Rodger Maus		(28 episodes, 1974-1977)
Jack Senter		(23 episodes, 1972-1973)
David M. Haber		(10 episodes, 1978-1980)
Walter McKeegan		(3 episodes, 1973-1974)
Frank T. Smith		(2 episodes, 1979-1980)
John Leimanis		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Bert Allen		(27 episodes, 1976-1980)
Stuart A. Reiss		(15 episodes, 1972-1973)
Norman Rockett		(15 episodes, 1974-1976)
Ralph Sylos		(11 episodes, 1972-1974)
Don Webb		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Don Marando	....	personal makeup artist (1 episode, 1973)
Terry Miles	....	makeup artist (1 episode, 1983)

Series Production Management
Mark Evans	....	executive production manager / unit production manager / ... (73 episodes, 1972-1980)
Joseph Silver	....	post-production supervisor (50 episodes, 1973-1980)
Ted Butcher	....	unit production manager (28 episodes, 1973-1977)
James Blakeley	....	post-production supervisor (24 episodes, 1972-1973)
Jack Sonntag	....	production supervisor (24 episodes, 1972-1973)
David Hawks	....	unit production manager (21 episodes, 1977-1980)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Hawks	....	assistant director / first assistant director (80 episodes, 1976-1980)
Leonard S. Smith Jr.	....	assistant director (67 episodes, 1973-1976)
Michele Futrell	....	second assistant director / assistant director (25 episodes, 1978-1979)
James Engle	....	assistant director (12 episodes, 1972)
Robert Doudell	....	assistant director (11 episodes, 1973)
Cathy Kinsock	....	second assistant director (9 episodes, 1979-1980)
Barbara Gelman	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Russell Llewellyn	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Michael Casey	....	assistant property master (unknown episodes)
Kurt V. Hulett	....	property man (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Stephen Bass	....	sound mixer (25 episodes, 1979-1980)
Tony Romero	....	boom operator (25 episodes, 1979-1980)
William Hartman	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
David M. Ice	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Don Isaacs	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Godfrey Marks	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Ed Rossi	....	supervising sound editor (unknown episodes)
Richard Sperber	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Will Yarbrough	....	production sound mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunt double: Harry Morgan / stunt double: Gary Burghoff / ... (4 episodes, 1975-1983)
Jean Coulter	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Tom Elliott	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Chuck Hicks	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Leslie Hoffman	....	stunt: nurse M*A*S*H olympics (unknown episodes)
Pat Romano	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Rick Sawaya	....	stunt performer (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Gerald B. Wolfe	....	still photographer (66 episodes, 1979-1982)
J.B. Richner	....	dimmer board technician (25 episodes, 1978-1979)
Al LaVerde	....	key grip (unknown episodes, 1978-1982)
Curtis Foster	....	rigging gaffer (unknown episodes, 1979-1980)
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)
Michael Hofstein	....	additional camera operator / aerial director of photography (unknown episodes)
Jim Sellars	....	first assistant camera (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rita Bennett	....	costumer: women (unknown episodes)
Albert H. Frankel	....	costumer: men (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Virgil E. Hammond III	....	post-production (15 episodes, 1977-1978)

Series Music Department
Lionel Newman	....	music supervisor (68 episodes, 1972-1980)
Johnny Mandel	....	composer: theme (40 episodes, 1972-1980)
Bob Bain	....	musician: guitar (24 episodes, 1972-1973)
Tommy Tedesco	....	musician: guitar (24 episodes, 1972-1973)
Leonard A. Engel	....	music editor (unknown episodes)
Joseph Silver	....	supervising music editor (unknown episodes)
Kenneth Wannberg	....	music editor (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (25 episodes, 1972-1983)

Series Other crew
Walter D. Dishell	....	medical advisor (73 episodes, 1972-1980)
Larry Gelbart	....	developed for television by / executive script consultant (60 episodes, 1972-1980)
Alan Alda	....	creative consultant (22 episodes, 1977-1983)
Gene Reynolds	....	creative consultant (22 episodes, 1977-1983)
Ronny Graham	....	story consultant / program consultant (17 episodes, 1977-1979)
Jay Folb	....	story consultant / executive story consultant (12 episodes, 1976-1977)
David Isaacs	....	executive script consultant / story editor (11 episodes, 1977-1979)
Ken Levine	....	executive script consultant / story editor (11 episodes, 1977-1979)
Larry Balmagia	....	story editor (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Thad Mumford	....	executive story editor (9 episodes, 1979-1980)
Dan Wilcox	....	executive story editor (9 episodes, 1979-1980)
Laurence Marks	....	story consultant (3 episodes, 1973-1974)
Dennis Koenig	....	story editor (3 episodes, 1979-1980)
Elias Davis	....	executive story consultant (unknown episodes, 1981-1983)
David Pollock	....	executive story consultant (unknown episodes, 1981-1983)
Rita Hudis	....	technical advisor: medical (unknown episodes)
Lee Sollenberger	....	animal handler (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• 20th Century Fox Television

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• CBS Television (1972-1983) (USA)
• FS Film Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Armies of the World  props and costumes

Also Known As:

MASH (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

25 min (255 episodes) | 25 min (256 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Certification:

Australia:M (some episodes) | USA:TV-PG | Finland:K-7 (2006) (DVD) | New Zealand:M (Complete Box Set) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG | Australia:G (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

By the time the series ended, three of the regulars were promoted: Klinger (Jamie Farr) from Corporal to Sergeant, and Father Mulcahy (William Christopher) from Lieutenant to Captain. Frank Burns (Larry Linville) was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel when he was shipped back to the US following Margaret's Marriage. (Farr and Christopher also saw their names move from the closing credits of the show, to the opening credits.) Radar O'Reilly was temporarily promoted to Second Lieutenant, but disliked officer's duties, and asked Hawkeye and B.J. to "bust" him back to Corporal.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The characters drink beer from aluminum cans, which were not available until well after the 1950s.

Quotes:

Hawkeye: [as they see a soldier reported dead turn up alive] I thought he was dead.
Trapper: He got better.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 'M*A*S*H': 30th Anniversary Reunion (2002) (TV)

Pierce, Trapper, Hunnicut, Radar, thank you... we will miss you always

Without any doubt, this is the best show ever made. The writing is incredible, and the plots are very relevant to any society. Showing the worst of man to the very best of man, this show very well described the human condition. With deep drama, and good comedy, this show takes the audience through the ups and downs of life, while showing us the horror of war, yet leaving us with hope, knowing that there is good in humanity after all. The interaction between the characters is amazing, everyone becoming a family, and something wonderful being birthed in the midst of something horrible: war. Yet, even with the anti-war message, they refrain from bashing on soldiers (as most anti-war people tend to do) and they express pride in the bravery of them, while hating the need to fight.

All in all, this is the best show ever made, and I am deeply sorry that it did not run a few years longer.