"M*A*S*H" (1972) TV series 1972-1983

Writers:

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

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:

Nurse | Colonel | Doctor | Korean War | Captain

Awards:

Won 8 Golden Globes. Another 42 wins & 130 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Nov. 22	9:00 PM	TVLAND	The Light That Failed	#6.6
Sun. Nov. 22	9:30 PM	TVLAND	Change Day	#6.8

Cast

Alan Alda	...	Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce (251 episodes, 1972-1983)
Loretta Swit	...	Major Margaret Houlihan (247 episodes, 1972-1983)
Jamie Farr	...	Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger / ... (211 episodes, 1972-1983)
William Christopher	...	Father Francis Mulcahy (209 episodes, 1972-1983)
Harry Morgan	...	Colonel Sherman T. Potter / ... (180 episodes, 1974-1983)
Mike Farrell	...	Captain B.J. Hunnicut (179 episodes, 1975-1983)
Kellye Nakahara	...	Lieutenant Kellye Yamato / ... (165 episodes, 1973-1983)
Gary Burghoff	...	Corporal Walter Eugene O'Reilly (159 episodes, 1972-1979)
David Ogden Stiers	...	Major Charles Winchester (130 episodes, 1977-1983)
Larry Linville	...	Major Franklin Marion Burns (120 episodes, 1972-1977)

Also Known As:

MASH (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

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

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone Sound Recording) | Mono (1972-1973)

Certification:

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

Gary Burghoff created his own wardrobe for Radar, emphasizing that his clothes would be a size too big. It was also his idea for Radar to have glasses, feeling that it would accent his ESP whereas his lack of sight would heighten his hearing.

Goofs:

Continuity: Although the Korean war lasted slightly over than three years (Summer of 1950 through Summer of 1953), MASH seemed to pack at least four or five Christmases throughout its run. Of specific note: Dear Dad - 1972, Dear Sis - 1978, Death Takes a Holiday - 1980, Twas the Day After Christmas - 1981.

Quotes:

Radar: [as Hawkeye and Trapper wrestle with Frank Burns, for his battery-warmed socks] They're hunting socks, sir.
Henry Blake: At this hour?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "That '70s Show: The Girl I Love (#5.11)" (2003)

The golden achievement of television.

Of all the sitcoms made, this still stands out as the greatest. Maybe it's because it's so different from every other comedy that makes it so awesome. Instead being stupid to get it's laughs, it instead uses black humor and sarcasm, but it also showed the effects of war not only on those fighting, but those that repaired the ones who were fighting. The whole cast, even after the cast changes, was simply wonderful, something to be marveled at. As good as "The Drew Carey Show" is, every sitcom pales in comparison to this. One thing that makes it really great was the casting of Jamie Farr, who was from Ohio, both in real life and the show, and always talked about going home to Toledo, so it also hits close to home. Our local FOX station currently shows re-runs at midnight, and watching it alone, the experience is stunning. An added bonus is it isn't like modern sitcoms one bit. This show tries and does get a point across about how horrible war is, which is something modern sitcoms wouldn't even come close to doing as effectively even if they tried. This is the greatest sitcom of all time, there will never be another like it, ever.