I can't remember how old I was when I stumbled upon reruns of MAS*H for the first time, but I of course remember being instantly charmed by the hilarious antics on the nostalgic medical series.
With Alan Alda in the lead as the goofy surgeon, Hawkeye Pierce, who never cared about the military's strict rules, the talented cast had a way of warming our hearts despite the potentially bleak historical setting of the Korean War. Though they would sometimes touch on more poignant themes throughout the series, viewers knew they would have a smile on their face any time they tuned in.
However, I had no idea how much was going on behind the scenes with the actors, writers, and crew throughout the filming of this record-breaking series. Even Alda had more hiding about him on set when the camera's stopped rolling!
Take a look to see some of the most surprising facts about the show and be sure to let us know in the comments if we forgot your favorite tidbit.
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1. The Series Outlived Its Historical Backdrop
Audiences stayed in the fictional world of the Korean War, which actually lasted only three years, for a whopping 11-year series thanks to the endlessly entertaining stories the cast and crew provided.
2. Wayne Rogers Never Signed His Contract
The actor who portrayed Trapper John in the first three seasons was able to eventually make his exit so easily as he never signed anything tying him down to the role. Rogers expressed several frustrations throughout filming.
3. There Were Actual Vets In The Cast
Before starring as Hawkeye, Alan Alda joined the ranks of the US Army Reserve and spent six months touring Korea.
His future co-star Jamie Farr was also among the men who were sent overseas during the Korean War and can even be seen wearing his own dog tags throughout the series.
4. Alda Liked To Multitask
While starring as the rule-breaking doctor, Alda also took the helm in other ways by directing 31 episodes and penning the script for 19 of them.
In fact, he is reportedly the first performer to earn Emmy's in all three categories for the same series.
5. Klinger Wasn't Supposed To Stay
Farr's now legendary cross-dressing role as Maxwell Klinger was originally intended to show up in the first episode and never appear again.
Of course, fans couldn't help but respond to his hilarious character and he remained throughout all eleven seasons of the series.
6. Writers Hid Tragic Plots From The Cast
Not even McLean Stevenson, who played the role of bumbling leader Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake, had much notice that his character was going to die following his last scene.
Everyone knew the actor would be leaving the series after the third season, but had no idea he would be so permanently written off until just before filming.
Only Alda was informed well before the scene was filmed.
7. Radar's Teddy Bear Had A Name
Gary Burghoff, the actor behind the naive Corporal Radar O'Reilly, had a love of all animals that was often shown as above. He later revealed that while it was never addressed out loud on the series, the character's iconic stuffed animal frequently shown on his cot was secretly dubbed "Tiger" by the cast behind the scenes.
8. The Crew Really Buried A Time Capsule
In the second to last episode of the final season, "As Time Goes By," the characters gathered several items to bury in a time capsule and, in reality, actually left it there after filming wrapped in the hopes someone would find it years down the road.
However, it only took a couple of months for a construction worker to uncover the surprise. After asking Alda if they wanted any of the items returned to him or his cast mates, the actor simply said, "Keep it."
9. Writers Liked To Get Revenge
When cast members nagged the writers' team with tons of notes regarding their characters' story lines, the scribes would occasionally get retaliation by forcing the actors to film winter scenes in heavy parkas despite the actual summer weather hitting 90-100 degree levels.
They only did this about twice throughout the series, clearly getting their not-so-subtle point across.
10. Radar Had A Spinoff Series
Though you're likely more familiar with the spin-off series Trapper John, M.D., which ran for seven seasons with Pernell Roberts taking over Wayne Rogers' original role, he wasn't the only MAS*H character to star in his own show. Another spin-off series starred Farr, Harry Morgan, and William Christopher reprising their roles in AfterMASH, which lasted for two seasons.
Unfortunately, Gary Burgoff's pilot for WALTE*R, which followed Radar's return home and new career as a police officer, was not picked up for a full series run.
11. The Finale Is The Most Watched Episode Of Scripted TV
The finale, "Goodbye, Farewell, Amen," pulled in an incredible 105.8 million viewers when it aired on February 28, 1983, making it the only show to crack into the Super Bowl's reign as one of the top 10 most-viewed televised events in history.
Did we miss any of your favorite facts about the nostalgic series? Let us know below and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
