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Who was your favorite MASH character


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Mine was Radar. He seemed like such an innocent in a war zone, however he did his job as clerk so well. Plus he loved animals. My second favorite was BJ, he remained faithful to his wife (I did not like Trapper John for that reason).

 

Bit of trivia, the theme song lyrics (only used in movie, the tv show only used the music) was written by the 14 year old son of the director and he made millions while his dad was only paid $70,000 for directing the movie.

 

Regarding favorite characters, this is regarding the TV series, not the movie.

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I chose to believe he was tempted but didn't actually capitulate. I block it out.

 

I was just coming back here to ask what happened in that episode. Now that I've given it more thought, I can't remember exactly what happened. I know Hawkeye talked him out of writing a letter to Peg but I can't remember if it was an emotional affair or more.

 

ETA: I just did a little research. It looks like he came close but didn't follow through.

Edited by Trresh
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Just as a person, Radar would be my favorite. but my favorite episodes were the earlier ones with Frank Burns and Colonel Blake. (And guest appearances from Colonel Flag and/or Sidney Freedman always added some good times too). I loved Hawkeye and Trapper together and how they messed with Frank and Margaret.

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I really can't say I have a favorite, they were all amazing. Just since no one has mentioned her, I think they did an amazing job with Margaret. They showed her toughness, but also human side.

 

 

Mash was dd13s FAVORITE show when she was about 4yo-7yo. I would bet that she has seen every episode at least once. When we homeschooled, she would stay up late with me to watch it on TV during the week.

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Loved Colonel Blake and Hawkeye.

 

Some of my favorite episodes were:

 

Hawkeye is named chief surgeon. There is an inaugural party, Frank and Margaret go balistic, call in the general, and he finds Hawkeye in a card game with the usual "miscreants" while he waits for a surgical patient to stabilize enough to perform surgery. I think that may also have been the episode in which Trapper and Hawk get their gorilla costumes!

 

Episode when then they trick Frank into not transferring out of the unit by making him believe there was gold nearby.

 

Adam's Ribs - "Sir, you got succotash all over my mink stole!" (Irate Klinger)..."We want something else. We want something else!"

 

Oh, the one where Frank is in charge and denies Hawkeye's R & R. So, Trapper and Hawk cook up a plan to make Hawkeye look like he's cracking under the pressure - eating "liver" (supposedly from a patient) in the mess haul, etc.

 

Probably an absolute classic was the long underwear episode. Freezing outside, Trapper cons Hawkeye out of his longjohns and then loses them in a poker match so that they end up traded all over camp for various favors before they end up on Colonel Blake who needs an emergency appendectomy..."Wait. Don't cut the longjohns!" Although, that would likely tie for the episode in which Hawkeye trades every kind of favor imaginable in order to wrangle new boots, but it all goes south and he ends up wearing a golf bag on his leg.

 

Lots and lots of good ones. I didn't laugh nearly as much when Radar left and Frank went nuts. Charles just wasn't that much fun and the show became much more serious.

 

Faith

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Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce. I learned everything I ever needed to know about life from Hawkeye. :D

 

And that is why I love you, Chucki. You have the best taste!

 

I still adore Alan Alda, but mostly I love Hawkeye.

 

In Kansas City MASH was on 3 times a day when I was a kid. I watched them all. I would often stay up and wait for my dad to get home so we could watch the late one.

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Mine was Radar. He seemed like such an innocent in a war zone, however he did his job as clerk so well. Plus he loved animals.

 

Gary Burghoff is a good actor. He's lived in my town for years and he's a jerk in real life. I've had several encounters with him in stores, while waiting tables at a small cafe here in college, etc. He's not very nice at. all.

 

But I did love Radar O'Reilly. :D

 

astrid

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And that is why I love you, Chucki. You have the best taste!

 

I still adore Alan Alda, but mostly I love Hawkeye.

 

In Kansas City MASH was on 3 times a day when I was a kid. I watched them all. I would often stay up and wait for my dad to get home so we could watch the late one.

 

I remember that. The last episode always seemed to be on late and it was a special treat being able to stay up and watch it.

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Gary Burghoff is a good actor. He's lived in my town for years and he's a jerk in real life. I've had several encounters with him in stores, while waiting tables at a small cafe here in college, etc. He's not very nice at. all.

 

But I did love Radar O'Reilly. :D

 

astrid

I have seen him on old game shows and thought that might be true.

 

I love the evolution of Margaret on the show. Father Mulchahy is also a favorite. Col. Potter because he is such a strong father to all those in his charge. I could (and sometimes do) watch it for hours on end. But I like each one because of the contrast to the other characters. I loved the psychologist, and that crazy intelligence office Flag.

 

Ok, now I just want to go watch TV and not teach my kids LOL.

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.............. My second favorite was BJ, he remained faithful to his wife (I did not like Trapper John for that reason).

...............

 

BJ did have an affair. I hated that episode!

......................

 

BJ was tempted in an episode with Susan St. James but he resisted and she did a drawing of him with a life preserver which indicated his lifeline to his wife and daughter.

 

 

These were two different episodes. In "Hanky Panky" he did have a physical affair but it was just one night (if I remember right). He started to write home to Peg, but Hawkeye stopped him, telling him to not hurt her.

 

The second was an emotional affair but not a physical one with St. James.

 

Well written, true to life experiences that I am certain many service men went through.

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MASH. I loved that show. My favorite character - Radar. Hands down. He was so honest and authentic, and it just killed me how when Col. Potter would be giving him an order and he'd be one step ahead. My second favorite- Frank Burns. He was so incredibly obnoxious and clueless. It just cracked me up.

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Astrid, I try not to think about what actors are probably like in real life lol. When I was in college I worked backstage at the Performing Arts center and met some real duds, Arlo Gurthie was not nice at all while Marvin Hamlish was very nice to everyone.

 

As an aside, my roommate when I lived in Hollywood back in 1975-1980 worked in a health food restaurant that was owned by Mike Farrell (BJ). She said that he was a very nice boss. That is when he came in, after all he was on a hit tv show at the time lol.

Edited by Jeannie in NJ
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I was in college when the show was on originally. No one was allowed tv's in their rooms so everyone would watch Mash on a tv in the rec. room of our dorm. I remember how shocked everyone was when Col. Blake was killed off. No one saw that coming. There were only a few shows where you were lucky to get a seat or even sit on the floor and Mash was the top one.

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My favorites are when it was the group consisting of Hawkeye, BJ, Col. Potter, Charles Emerson Winchester III, and the other regulars like Radar, Klinger, Father Mulchahey (sp?), & Margaret. It's my favorite ensemble from the show.

 

I enjoyed that cast as well.

Frank was a fun foil for Hawkeye and the others, but Charles was on their level and could give as good as he got. His character was also written with more depth and he had a couple of episodes that were very emotional (in particular the one where he stands up so vehemently for a soldier with a stuttering problem and we find out at the end that his beloved sister also stutters).

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I loved MASH. When I lived in SLC they had it on every night. I liked Colonel Potter, Hawkeye, BJ the most but the rest was great as well. The final episode was a killer. It has stayed with me always and I don't think I will ever forget it. I have looked into buying the box set and well, let's just say that I don't see that happening anytime in he near future. Very expensive.

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COLONEL FLAG!!!!! :smilielol5::smilielol5::smilielol5:Every episode with that nut is priceless!

 

Faith

 

I lived for the Colonel Flag episodes. Especially the one where he breaks his own arm. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

I enjoyed that cast as well.

Frank was a fun foil for Hawkeye and the others, but Charles was on their level and could give as good as he got. His character was also written with more depth and he had a couple of episodes that were very emotional (in particular the one where he stands up so vehemently for a soldier with a stuttering problem and we find out at the end that his beloved sister also stutters).

 

I adore Charles. My favorite episode is the one where Klinger is delivering the mail and he hands a letter to Charles, saying it's from his sister, Honoria. Only Klinger pronounces it so that it rhymes with gonorrhea. :lol: Charles looks up at him and says, "That's On-OR-ia," in that oh-so-Charles way. Absolutely had me on the floor. :D

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Sniff...you're all making me nostalgic. I still get teary when I remember the episode where Henry finally gets to go home. At the very end, Radar walks into surgery holding a radiogram and looking stricken - Henry's helicopter taking him out went down and he was killed.

 

I don't know if there was or ever will be another show that made me laugh or cry like that one did. I just pulled up the theme song on youtube and it made me feel a pang in my heart.

 

Sadly though DH hates it with an undying passion. I don't get it. Someday when he's gone for a night I'll have to watch it with DD.

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I was in college when the show was on originally. No one was allowed tv's in their rooms so everyone would watch Mash on a tv in the rec. room of our dorm. I remember how shocked everyone was when Col. Blake was killed off. No one saw that coming. There were only a few shows where you were lucky to get a seat or even sit on the floor and Mash was the top one.

 

If I remember right, the cast didn't know Henry was going to die. It was done as a 'surprise' so their reactions would be truely shocked and authentic.

 

One of my all time favorite TV shows. Classy classics. I'm so glad ratings rules of the day made them use 'clean' language. It makes the show an easy one to watch--and you always got the point of the horror and stress they lived under. Can't say that about today's TV shows with all the language and gore.

 

One more story....I was a married and a pro photographer when the last show aired. My dad had been dealing with leukemia for a couple of years but was doing really well. He and I had spent many hours of his treatment times watching MASH. It was one of our things to do together.

 

The finale aired during the big banquet at a photography convention dh and I were at. I skipped the chicken dinner to watch MASH. At the end, I was sad and bit mad over some of the last show (I hated for Hawkeye to 'lose' it, ya know?) After the show I thought about picking up the phone and discussing it with my dad....but it was a long distance call (remember those?) and I figured I'd wait until we got home two days later. My dad died of a massive heart attack less than two days later...before I had a chance to call him.

 

To this day, the finale of MASH and the death of my dad are interlinked. Moral of the story---if you have the urge to call someone, do it. :D Life is too short. These days with cell phones and text messaging, it's easier to follow through on those urges.

 

Getting my kleenex now....and figuring out who I'm going to call and chat with....

 

Oh and Hawkeye and Radar were my favs. The episode when Radar left and left his teddy bear for Hawkeye still brings me to tears.

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One of the few shows we would never miss!

I really didn't have a favorite character, I more focused on the ones I hated. Frank. :glare:

 

When the series ended, we went to my brothers home for a MASH going away party. He had a color TV and we didn't.

I was shocked. It was acutally red blood in those surgery scenes. In black and white it was much less menacing looking.

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Gary Burghoff is a good actor. He's lived in my town for years and he's a jerk in real life. I've had several encounters with him in stores, while waiting tables at a small cafe here in college, etc. He's not very nice at. all.

 

But I did love Radar O'Reilly. :D

 

astrid

Really? Oh, that makes me so sad; I loved his character.

I was in college when the show was on originally. No one was allowed tv's in their rooms so everyone would watch Mash on a tv in the rec. room of our dorm. I remember how shocked everyone was when Col. Blake was killed off. No one saw that coming. There were only a few shows where you were lucky to get a seat or even sit on the floor and Mash was the top one.

 

Yeah, the actors didn't know until the were handed the script the morning of shooting either. They wanted to capture the real emotions of the loss.

 

 

 

One of my family's favorite shows. Hubby somehow never watched it [or not much at least] and so doesn't share our passion for it. We're forever quoting episodes, etc.

 

I don't know that I have a favorite character. So many to like. I didn't like Burns, or Margaret-who-loved-Burns, but I like strong-independent-Margaret. Charles had his pluses and minuses. Loved Klinger, hated when he stopped wearing dresses. Loved RADAR as I said. Both colonels.

 

Ahh, so many memories.

 

The finale still gives me the shudders. :(

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I loved MASH growing up! I watched the re-runs every day after school. I can't choose a favorite character because I knew and loved them all! I loved how the show/characters evolved from the goofy to the deep (and still goofy). I grew with them. There were births, weddings, and funerals. Life! I learned that Korean people buried kimchi in the ground (it was my only exposure to Korean culture as a kid, ha!) DH had always disliked the show because FIL disliked the way they presented Koreans. But when DH watched the WHOLE SHOW (like from pilot to last episode!) with me, he was laughing and crying right with me. When we watched them, though, I realized how inappropriate so much of the humor was! But it didn't make me stop watching it, just made me more aware of where my weird sense of humor came from...:001_huh::lol::001_huh:

 

Incidentally, it is set in Uijongbu, which is where I ultimately served as a teacher for 2 years. Funny!

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