Things MASH Producers Hid from Fans

Things MASH Producers Hid from Fans
"MASH" continues to captivate audiences with its timeless blend of humor and drama, solidifying its place as one of the most beloved television shows in history.
The show's impact on the medium is undeniable, as it still holds the record for the highest viewership of a scripted show on American television. The iconic characters and their talented portrayals have left a lasting impression on fans.
However, behind the scenes, there are intriguing mysteries that have remained hidden from even the most dedicated fans. Join us as we reveal all the secrets that the producer of "MASH" kept concealed from the public eye.

[@buffyshaw3326]

Klinger wasn’t gay, he was just after a section 8. He got married twice in the series.

[@glenntanner5132]

He was not gay!!! He was just trying to get out of the army, out of the war,

[@Teri6419]

We were still in the Navy in 1972. I was working with MASH docs at the time. They loved the series. Klinger never struck us a gay, he just wanted Section 8 discharge!

[@seandobson499]

I joined the British army in 1971 and agree with the two comments that Klinger was not gay, he just wanted out, anyway he could.

[@donbrynelsen2157]

What did Hogan's Hero's have to do with Mash?

[@sgrant39]

It never demeaned Asians.

[@pagehuddleston6778]

Klinger actually wore his real dog tags in the show and he really is from Ohio

[@MuskratOutdoors]

Klinger wasn't gay, he was trying to get kicked out of the army.

[@timburns4880]

The creators originally wanted him to play his character as gay. Jamie Farr played it straight as a guy just trying to get out playing crazy by wearing dresses. They even addressed it in the show when we first meet Sydney Freedman. Klinger could have gotten out by signing an affidavit saying he was gay. He refused. So, Klinger was definitely NOT gay.

[@jamestrombley386]

Clinger was not gay nor did he pretend to be.

[@tonydodds5207]

My uncle served in the Australian Army Aviation regiment and was in Korea. He often said how true to life the show was.

[@danielsoucy6688]

Radar was in the original mash-movie With Donald Sutherland!

[@badbiker666]

The laugh track originally used on M.A.S.H. was the same as the one used for most other TV comedies at the time. A sound engineer named Charley Douglass recorded the audience laughter from the pantomime segments of The Red Skelton Show around 1953. He taped several shows and assembled the recordings into a single tape. There were segments of the tape the consisted of mild laughter and others where the audience was quite raucous. He did this while working for CBS, but when he left, he took the idea of canned laughter with him. His recording became the standard and the same one was used for all TV comedies. What's interesting is that that same recording is still occasionally used, which means that the people you hear laughing to your favorite TV comedy shows are all, probably, dead.

[@dpcnreactions7062]

One of the things I loved about the show is the Journey BJ took while he was in Camp. When he arrived, BJ was very green and fresh faced but over time, he grew more experienced yet at the same time, ground down by war and was world weary

[@mt3311]

Col. Flagg was my favorite.

[@kevinhealey6540]

Allan Alda said he feels strange when someone asks for his autograph. He always gives it upon request, but he said that the person asking for it, is elevating him.

[@loricrane5315]

6 decades, still the BEST show ever.

[@nickgov66]

Actually, the Korean war is still going on now. It's just that since the end of the shooting war, a state of ceasefire has existed between the former combatants. This means that theoretically fighting could restart if Kim Jong Un felt it necessary.

[@daviswall3319]

I love the theme song to uhh M asterisk A asterisk S asterisk H 😄

[@getx1265]

Always loved Col Potter's references to Camp Grant... my mom worked at our home town real-life MASH staging base during WW2.

[@joshuauriarte452]

Jamie Farr based all of his personas, dresses, and reactions on the people he interacted with while in the military as he said he saw close to everything when it came to section 8ers which was common for people drafted in WWII Korean even Vietnam. The episode with the commander was based on a real situation. Where commanders would throwing troops at a useless target that had little to no strategic value. This wasn't uncommon and is well documented by troops but sadly not not of ranking command. When it was documented by commanding troops, it was hidden.

[@bylifeorbydeath]

In 1972 Klinger was not LGBTQ+ character, that in imposed on him wrongly.

[@walterkirk9511]

One of the funniest jokes is were hawkeye and radar are told to count off ,radar asks hawkeye are you 1 hawkeye answers yes,are U?...

[@jay_aich]

Gary Burghoff played Radar.

[@TerryKeever]

I loved the show as soon as I saw it. Then during my junior year of high school in 1977, we performed the play M*A*S*H. I played Trapper John. Didn't see the movie til it was on tv.

[@pmclaughlin4111]

Mike Farrell who stepped into the role of BJ Hunnicut served in the Marine Corps and as they say, once a Marine always a Marine...which is obvious in BJ's first appearance in uniform...

[@donaldjones3580]

I went to a lunch get together (RTE) at Tony Packo's Chili in Toledo as a nod to Klinger. A 1000 mile round trip by motorcycle in less then 24 hours.

[@georgecopley8361]

What about the women who played nurses. They were an essential part f series.

[@MyDuckfoot]

Why doesn't anyone mention the Movie MASH it was a hit long before the TV show

[@JimRhenow]

My favorite scene: The CIA spy who called himself "The Wind". Fell out of a window during an attack in the dark. Hawkeye informed everyone that "The Wind has broken his arm."

[@tomdalton4016]

Klinger was all man he was just trying to get out of the army ! Watch the show and you will know

[@harryjohnson8605]

It took me to reach adulthood to now appreciate MASH

[@pmclaughlin4111]

Klinger was loosely based on a real person. Although the higher ups wanted him played as effeminate (wink wink), that was never the intention. During filming, it was decided that not only was Farr going to play him as originally intended (not gay), he would lean into the role becoming the Klinger we know. Higher ups didn't know their directive was not followed until post production. Too late

[@paultiller6766]

Loved the book, loved the movie and loved this show!

[@markdraper3469]

I pretty much missed the first couple of seasons because I was doing shiftwork in the USAF. So the post-Trapper episodes are my favorites. But watching the series evolve was part of putting the military in the past. In 1980, my civilian job brought me to the 20th Century Fox studio and on the way out, I was lucky to see Alan Alda and a few others leaving a soundstage in costume. Anyway, call me strange, but I kinda grew away from TV after M.A.S.H. ended.

[@kermitefrog64]

Even though this was during the Korean Conflict it reminded me of what my uncle went through in the Vietnam War and my Grandfather's experience in WW II.

[@shaneomack5018]

Henry being killed is the saddest scene ever in the history of television

[@colwilliamnoydb4134]

Alan Alda was a Commissioned officer in the US Army. Served in a Artillery Unit.

[@leonshelton4282]

Question if Mounted was gay then why did start dating a Korean girl and eventually marry her in the last few episodes?

[@jamspandex4973]

In the UK, we had the version on BBC2 that did NOT have the laugh track. On one occaision, they showed an episode WITH the laught track, and go so many complaints, that the BBC had to issue an apology.

[@johntinus9068]

Great series! I still watch it every evening where i live!😂

[@joshuahunter7972]

Thanks for the behind the scenes. Mash's last episode was before I was born. I love to show. Watched it with my grandfather wow now has past.

[@johnfnoone3164]

Ned Beatty was also a guest

[@Woodstepper74]

Best Tv show of all time

[@RobertWillows]

Trapper John in mash we know, I heard of Trapper John Md show. Could that be same character later in life?

[@deaniej2766]

I think that Hawkeye and Trapper John did a completely unneeded surgery on an officer to keep him off the battlefield and neither of them seemed to have reservation about it. The later episode with B. J. always seemed like they were having a "re-do". Like maybe the writers were running out of ideas. Okay, they had some conflict over it that wasn't in the first one, but the surgery still got done and the objectional officer was taken off the battlefield all the same. It was not a surprise that Hawkeye was willing to do something that he had already done before. For much the same reasons.

[@macdodd]

Thanks for the vid. I have watched this show multiple times & still enjoy it & cry at some bits too.

[@gypsycrossroads]

The set where the MASH 4077th was located is still very secluded and not developed. I can only assume the time capsule was dug up from a fan not a construction worker.

[@user-sd7ms1vq1g]

You made me laugh and care. Thank you.

[@leroythompson1577]

I always liked the new character major Charles he brought that up or snobbery of Boston high Society but he showed a caring side to, and a funny side without trying to be funny. I was thought it was interesting that the character Hawkeye from Maine Charles from Boston are so different Hawkeye, the laid-back country bumpkin Dr. type, but super smart and Charles Winchester, the third upper Boston society, upper snobbery yet they fit perfectly on that program. Here’s another note that some people don’t know Farrell, who played Max Klinger actually wore the dog tags that he wore when he was in the army.

[@jackiearmstrong8960]

I love everything about Mash

[@GeorgeRuffner-iy7bm]

Good show for anyone who wants to be entertained by this group of funny (and serious) clips. 🙈🙉🙊 😎 🇺🇸

[@MrBreadman1966]

When the BBC showed the series over here in the UK they removed the laugh track completely which made viewing that bit better.

[@johncassity3661]

Sorrell Booke served in the Korean War

[@johnfnoone3164]

Patrick Swazi Ron Howard George Wendt sorrel Brooke had appearances

[@raymondjacobs1644]

I watched it when it first aired and I loved it, Spec 4 U.S.Army, Nam Vet, Ray Jacobs.

[@Nannie4334]

I watched it with my parents. My dad was a big fan of the show. One Christmas he got volka in a IV bag. LOL. It was suppose to be a joke. I was so sad when the show was cancelled. If I catch episodes, it brings back memories for me.

[@makmcdermott]

If you get a chance to read the book - it's great.

[@tomartos]

I am fan of the original movie it was raw and real. The TV show became too message giving as opposed to the reality of war

[@778denver]

Way to butcher Klinger's character. If you don't know wtf you're talking about, say less!

[@Kang2112]

Love Klinger.

[@TheDrysfa]

We never had a laughter track when shown in the UK.

[@johnhanson403]

George Wendt and Andrew Dice Clay were in the same episode

[@TheCrossroads533]

I prefer the Altman film and cast to the TV series.

[@Dsdcain]

Jamie Farr lobbied to not have Klinger be a stereotypical homosexual. He didn't play Klinger as gay, just as a guy dressing in women's clothes to try and get out of the army. It made for some seriously funny episodes. I believe it was a sort of nod to Lenny Bruce who claimed he got out of the military by dressing in women's clothing.

[@mikerobinson8758]

I met Robert Altman in Dallas while he was filming Dr. T and The Women. I made the mistake of bringing up M*A*S*H* the series. He was CLEARLY not a fan.

[@teresafinch7790]

The BBC never used the laugh track. UK audiences don't like tbem.

[@rolonnemarieross7243]

Gay men don't wear dresses, Cross-dressers do and REAL men Wanting to GET OUT OF THE ARMY do. Geez. We LOVE KLINGER

[@michaelhband]

👍👍👍

[@taustinlover]

Klinger wasn't part of the LGBT. In fact, when Sidney Freedman called him a homosexual, Klinger got offended. At best, he was a crossdresser, however the only reason he was a crossdresser was to get out of the Army. Outside of the Army, he wouldn't have worn women's clothing at all.

[@Techrat3D]

My family and I still watch MASH to this day. Morally it is a very good way of describing the dark side of any war. As my uncle, a Vietnam veteran once told me, "War is NOT glorious." It also took me some getting used to watching MASH in the German language now where I live, but they did a good job.

[@OpenCarryUSMC]

Alda being in the reserves and Farr serving 2 years doesn’t mean MASH had real soldiers who brought military realities to the set. Reservists who aren’t called up and troops on active for two years have no clue what real military stuff happens outside of the tiny little piece of the picture they’re in. Career Marine here. You don’t get Jack about military life beyond doing what you’re told until you have a good four years under your belt and some rank on your sleeves (that you don’t get with two years active nor with being a Zero in a reserve unit).

[@briankane6547]

[@drats1279]

The movie was priceless, the TV show not so much. I stopped watching it a few years in because it became the Alan Alda show with him getting most of the jokes with that stupid phony laugh of his.

[@richardwebster5659]

The movie was awsome, the TV series so-so.

[@thomasm1964]

MASH was brilliant until Alda used it as a vehicle for his own political leanings. Then it became worthy and unwatchable.

[@ShawnMurphy-nu2hw]

Was he gay in real life?

[@CarlDworman]

Maybe gay, maybe not.