M*A*S*H

Events in Film & TV

Film Premiere

1970-01-25 Dark comedy film "M*A*S*H", directed by Robert Altman, starring Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould, and based on novel by Richard Hooker, premieres (Palme d'Or 1970)

  • 1970-05-16 23rd Cannes Film Festival: "M*A*S*H" film, directed by Robert Altman wins the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film

Television Debut

1972-09-17 TV comedy series "M*A*S*H", adapted from the movie, starring Alan Alda, Loretta Swit, Wayne Rogers, and McLean Stevenson debuts on CBS in the US; runs for 11 years garnering 14 Emmy and 1 Peabody Award

  • 1973-01-21 Leslie Nielson appears on M*A*S*H in "Ringbanger"
  • 1973-01-28 Ron Howard appears on M*A*S*H in "Sometimes You Hear the Bullet"

Emmy Awards

1974-05-28 26th Emmy Awards: M*A*S*H, Alan Alda & Mary Tyler Moore win, 1st Daytime Award presentation and "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" wins 5 awards, including Cicely Tyson for Dramatic Performance

  • 1980-12-01 Mel Harris appears on M*A*S*H in "Cementing Relationships"
  • 1983-02-28 Final TV episode of "M*A*S*H", a 2-hour special directed by series star Alan Alda titled "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen", airs (CBS); record 125 million watch in the US

Birthdays in Film & TV

  • 1908-12-02 Robert F. Simon, American actor (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance; Operation Petticoat; M*A*S*H), born in Mansfield, Ohio (d. 1992)

Harry MorganHarry Morgan (1915-2011)

1915-04-10 American actor (December Bride; M*A*S*H, 1975-83 - "Col. Sherman Potter"; AfterMASH; Dragnet - "Bill Gannon"), born in Detroit, Michigan

  • 1918-02-15 Allan Arbus, American commercial photographer, and actor (M*A*S*H - "Dr. Sidney Freeman"; Greaser's Palace; Curb Your Enthusiasm), born in New York City (d. 2013)
  • 1919-08-26 Ronny Graham [Stringer], American composer, lyricist, screenwriter (M*A*S*H (TV series), and actor (Chico & the Man; Mel Brooks films), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1999)

Robert AltmanRobert Altman (1925-2006)

1925-02-20 American screenwriter, producer and director (The Player; M*A*S*H; Nashville), born in Kansas City, Missouri

  • 1925-11-23 Johnny Mandel, American composer, arranger and musician (M*A*S*H theme), born in New York City (d. 2020)
  • 1927-11-14 McLean Stevenson, American actor (M*A*S*H, 1972-75 - "Col. Henry Blake"; Hello Larry), born in Normal, Illinois (d. 1996)
  • 1928-02-04 Dave Ketchum, American character actor (Get Smart - "Agent 13"), and writer (Happy Days; The Love Boat), born in Quincy, Illinois)
  • 1928-02-25 Larry Gelbart, American television writer, playwright, director and author, best known as creator and producer of M*A*S*H, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2009)
  • 1928-11-15 John Orchard, British actor (Capone, M*A*S*H), born in Kennington, London (d. 1995)
  • 1932-10-20 William Christopher, American comedian and actor (M*A*S*H & AfterMASH - "Father Mulcahy"), born in Evanston, Illinois (d. 2016)
  • 1933-04-07 Wayne Rogers, American actor (M*A*S*H, 1972-75 - "Capt. 'Trapper' John McIntyre"; House Calls), born in Birmingham Alabama (d. 2015)
  • 1933-05-25 Roger Bowen, American actor (M*A*S*H (film); The Main Event: What About Bob?: Petulia), born in Providence, Rhode Island (d. 1996)
  • 1934-07-01 Jamie Farr [Jameel Farah], American actor (M*A*S*H & AfterMASH - "Cpl. Klinger"), born in Toledo, Ohio
  • 1935-07-17 Donald Sutherland, Canadian actor (The Dirty Dozen; M*A*S*H (film): Ordinary People; Hunger; Games films), born in St. John, New Brunswick

Alan AldaAlan Alda (87 years old)

1936-01-28 American Emmy Award-winning actor and director (M*A*S*H - "Capt. 'Hawkeye' Pierce"; West Wing), born in NYC, New York

  • 1936-06-02 Sally Kellerman, American actress (M*A*S*H (film); Back to School; The Player), and singer, born in Long Beach, California (d. 2022)
  • 1937-11-04 Loretta Swit [Szwed], American Emmy Award-winning actress (M*A*S*H - "Major Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan", born in Passaic, New Jersey
  • 1938-08-29 Elliott Gould, American actor (M*A*S*H, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice), born in Queens, New York
  • 1939-02-06 Mike Farrell, American actor (M*A*S*H;, 1975-83 - B.J."; Providence), producer (Patch Adams), and human rights activist, born in Saint Paul, Minnesota
  • 1939-09-29 Larry Linville, American actor (M*A*S*H, 1972-77 - "Major Frank Burns"), born in Ojai California (d. 2000)
  • 1942-10-31 David Ogden Stiers, American stage and screen actor (M*A*S*H, 1977-83 - "Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III"; Lilo & Stitch), born in Peoria, Illinois (d. 2018)
  • 1943-05-24 Gary Burghoff, American Emmy Award-winning actor (M*A*S*H (the film); M*A*S*H, 1972-79 - "Cpl. Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly), born in Bristol, Connecticut
  • 1948-03-29 (Walter) "Bud" Cort, American actor (M*A*S*H(film); Brewster McCloud; Harold and Maude), born in New Rochelle, New York
  • 1948-04-28 Marcia Strassman, American actress (M*A*S*H; Welcome Back, Kotter - "Julie Kotter"), born in New York City (d. 2014)
  • 1951-05-08 Deborah Harmon, American actress (Ted Knight Show; M*A*S*H; Just the 10 of Us), born in Chicago, Illinois

Weddings in Film & TV

  • 1983-12-21 American "M*A*S*H" actress Loretta Swit weds (46) American actor Dennis Holahan (41); divorce in 1995

Deaths in Film & TV

  • 1992-11-29 Robert F. Simon, American actor (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance; Operation Petticoat; M*A*S*H), dies at 83
  • 1995-11-03 John Orchard, British actor (Capone, M*A*S*H), dies at 66
  • 1996-02-15 McLean Stevenson, American actor (M*A*S*H, 1972-75 - "Col. Henry Blake"; Hello Larry), dies of a heart attack at 66
  • 1996-02-16 Roger Bowen, American actor (M*A*S*H (film); The Main Event: What About Bob?: Petulia), dies of a heart attack at 62
  • 1997-11-04 Richard Hooker [Heister Richard Hornberger], American army surgeon, and novelist (MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors - inspiration for film and TV series), dies of leukemia at 73
  • 1999-07-04 Ronny Graham [Stringer], American composer, lyricist, screenwriter (M*A*S*H (TV series), and actor (Chico & the Man; Mel Brooks films), dies of liver disease at 79
  • 2000-04-10 Larry Linville, American actor (M*A*S*H, 1972-77 - "Major Frank Burns"), dies of pneumonia, following cancer surgery in at 60

Robert AltmanRobert Altman (1925-2006)

2006-11-20 American screenwriter, producer and director (The Player, M*A*S*H, Nashville), dies of complications from leukemia at 81

Harry MorganHarry Morgan (1915-2011)

2011-12-07 American actor (December Bride; M*A*S*H, 1975-83 - "Col. Sherman Potter"; AfterMASH; Dragnet - "Bill Gannon"), dies in his sleep at 96

  • 2013-04-19 Allan Arbus, American commercial photographer, and actor (M*A*S*H - "Dr. Sidney Freeman"; Greaser's Palace; Curb Your Enthusiasm), dies of congestive heart failure at 95
  • 2014-10-24 Marcia Strassman, American actress (M*A*S*H; Welcome Back, Kotter - "Julie Kotter"), dies from breast cancer at 66
  • 2015-12-31 Wayne Rogers, American actor (M*A*S*H, 1972-75 - "Capt. 'Trapper' John McIntyre"; House Calls), dies of pneumonia at 82
  • 2016-12-31 William Christopher, American comedian and actor (M*A*S*H & AfterMASH - "Father Mulcahy"), dies at 84
  • 2018-03-03 David Ogden Stiers, American stage and screen actor (M*A*S*H, 1977-83 - "Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III"; Lilo & Stitch), dies of bladder cancer at 75
  • 2020-06-27 Johnny Mandel, American composer, arranger and musician (M*A*S*H theme), dies at 94