Inspired By Real People
M*A*S*H was interlarded with characters named after real people, and in a way, all those who were involved in the production were playing when they came to work. This gaming theme was taken quite literally when, in seasons 6 and 7, names of patients were inspired by professional baseball players for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Angels.
It was like having bits and pieces of reality mixed in a whirl of fiction; all in the name of fun. Even actor, Mike Farrell, made a request to name his fictitious daughter after his real-life daughter, Erin. And Radar’s girlfriends were derived from his real-life past relationships.
America's Favorite Teddy Bear Before Ted
As mentioned, M*A*S*H has become many things to many people, with some even managing to take a literal piece of its history home with them. One an otherwise uneventful day on set, a nameless teddy bear was discovered in a random corner of the set at Fox Ranch. It was pulled out of oblivion by staff and given a starring role as Radar’s pillow pet. Its value has skyrocketed since.
That was all it took for the teddy bear to etch its way into our consciousness. Long after the last episode aired, the scrappy little bear was sold at auction, along with a letter from Gary Burghoff attesting to its authenticity. A total of 19 bidders fought it out for this adorable little piece of history. It was finally sold for a grand total of $14K. To think that somebody had just left it there at the set to rot!
From Gust Appearance To Iconic Cast Member
Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger, played by Jamie Farr, was apparently a mere afterthought; his effeminate, high-heel-wearing character, was there merely to insert quick jokes into episodes. He was never really intended to last longer than a single episode, but something about his character just clicked with the writers and audiences alike. His character’s unique way of traversing the war effort opened up new avenues and fresh ideas, so they kept Farr around.
Corporal Klinger was a sneaky character, often involved in opportunistic scenes, one-time get-rich scenarios that drew laughs and an odd kind of admiration. His long run in the show and the lasting love people have for him are a far cry from the original idea of having him depart after failing a psychological exam… which is ironic considering that’s exactly what Klinger was always hoping to do!
The Inimitable Alan Alda
Alan Alda’s career would go on to prosper in time, replete with six Emmy Awards, and an astounding 21 nominations. He even clinched a Golden Globe Award. Perhaps none of these would have been possible had he not been given the role in M*A*S*H wherein he appeared in every single episode that ran for 11 seasons—clear proof that he fit the job description perfectly—a mutually beneficial scenario for him and the program.
During the heydays of the show, Alda would travel every weekend from the set in Los Angeles to his family in New Jersey. He would have liked to move his family but wasn’t sure how long the series would last. With the benefit of hindsight, he surely would’ve taken the plunge and made the move!
Between Fiction and Reality
To increase the credibility of the show and overall performance, M*A*S*H was often based on real events, mostly scenarios that had happened during the Korean War. The actors, too, experienced them vicariously through tales told to them by those who have been on the battlefield themselves: veteran doctors and patients.
To maintain its appeal to a general audience, some of the details relayed by veterans to the writers and actors had to be censored and polished with humor. Actor, Gary Burghoff, who has a deformed hand in real life, had it kept off camera, covered in sets, slipped into his pocket, anything to keep it out of the view of the public.