‘MASH' Cast Members We've Lost: Honoring the 4077th's TV Legends

From the outset, the cast of the television series MASH was a solid ensemble of performers, led by Alan Alda, who consistently walked the show's tightrope between comedy and drama. Together, the actors operated in the shadow of war (specifically the Korean War), using humor and heart to survive the chaos of everything that surrounded them. And while much of that cast would change during the show's 1972 to 1983 run, MASH would go from strength to strength, improving every step of the way.

For the actors behind the uniforms, the end of the series-or their time on it-ushered in new chapters of their lives. Some leaned into different acting roles, while others pivoted into unexpected second careers. For instance, Wayne Rogers (Trapper John) traded in his scalpel for stocks, becoming a successful financial analyst and television commentator. David Ogden Stiers (Charles Winchester III), always the classically trained performer, split his time between acting and orchestral conducting. Harry Morgan (Sherman Potter), a seasoned character actor long before MASH, continued working into his 90s, remaining a familiar face on television well into the 2000s. William Christopher, closely associated with his role as Father Mulcahy, became an advocate for autism awareness, drawing from his own family's experience to help others.

L-R: Mike Farrell and his wife Shelley, the cast of MASH and Alan Alda with wife Arlene.

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The concept of a television sitcom focusing on doctors stationed at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Uijeonbu, South Korea, wouldn't seem to be the blueprint for a hit TV series. But that's exactly what M*A*S*H was, thanks to an incredible ensemble of actors that the audience felt as though they'd gotten to know […]

In some cases, the post-MASH years included career reinvention. McLean Stevenson, despite the abrupt and dramatic exit of his character Henry Blake, continued to seek sitcom success-though lightning never quite struck again. Larry Linville, whose tightly-wound Frank Burns was a masterclass in comic antagonism, maintained a steady TV presence but never outran the shadow of his most famous role. Kellye Nakahara (Nurse Kellye) stepped away from acting and returned to her first love: watercolor painting, building a successful career in the arts. And Loretta Swit (Margaret Houlihan) fully embraced her animal activism.

One unfortunate thing that the above-mentioned actors (with the exception of Alda) have in common is that they've passed on, yet memories of them endure and what follows is a tribute to them all.

McLean Stevenson (Lt. Col. Henry Blake)

MASH, McLean Stevenson,

MASH, McLean Stevenson, 1972-1983

Background: McLean Stevenson was born in 1929 in Normal, Illinois, and came from a prominent political family-his cousin was Adlai Stevenson II, the former governor of Illinois and Democratic presidential nominee. But politics wasn't his calling and after working a series of odd jobs-including stints as an insurance salesman and assistant athletic director-Stevenson transitioned into show business in his 30s. He built up a modest résumé in television and commercials before landing his breakout role on MASH as Lt. Col. Henry Blake, the affable, often befuddled commanding officer of the 4077th. Blake's sudden and shocking death at the end of Season 3 marked one of the first truly jarring moments in TV history.

Life after MASH: After leaving the series, Stevenson tried his luck with a string of television projects-including The McLean Stevenson Show and Hello, Larry-but none matched the success or warmth of MASH. He also guest-hosted The Tonight Show and made occasional appearances in film and television throughout the 1980s and early '90s. Despite his post-MASH* career never quite catching fire, he remained a fondly remembered figure, particularly for his portrayal of Henry Blake.

Personal: Stevenson was married and had a daughter, though he largely kept his personal life out of the spotlight.

Death: He died on February 15, 1996, at the age of 68, following a heart attack.

Dale Sherman: "Stevenson wanted the role of Hawkeye, but was left with the role he will be remembered for, the clumsy but well-intentioned Henry Blake. Stevenson was a writer, who would contribute to two scripts in the series and was known on the set as someone who would defend the cast and crew when needed. His Henry Blake was beloved by many fans, which made the death of the character even more shocking when it occurred at the end of Season Three. Stevenson hated seeing the character be killed off, but he would later admit that it was the right way to show the audience that war kills indiscriminately. It is still remembered as one of the biggest shocks in television series history."

Larry Linville (Maj. Frank Burns)

Larry Linville in MASH

Larry Linville in MASH

Background: Larry Linville was born in 1939 in Ojai, California. Originally studying aeronautical engineering at the University of Colorado, he took a sharp turn into the performing arts and was eventually awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He returned to the U.S. in the 1960s and built a solid career as a character actor, appearing on series like Bonanza, Mannix and The F.B.I. before his signature role as the bumbling and bitter Maj. Frank Burns on MASH. Linville's Frank was a sniveling, insecure foil to Hawkeye and Trapper John, yet often painfully human beneath the bluster.

Life after MASH: Linville departed the series after five seasons, feeling that his character had run its course. He went on to appear in numerous guest spots on TV-including Fantasy Island, The Love Boat and Murder, She Wrote.

Personal: He was married five times and had one daughter, Kelly.

Death: In 2000, Linville passed away at age 60 due to complications following lung surgery. His ashes were scattered at sea near Bodega Bay, California.

Dale Sherman: "Robert Duvall played Burns in the film, but Linville took the character of Frank Burns and turned him from the psychotic failure of the film to the weasel of the series. Fascinating as well is that Burns in the series not only could be competent (unlike his film counterpart) but even likable at times. He even gets to save the day in at least an episode or two and Linville-who had started his television career as the villain who got to beat up Mannix and the like each week - would later leave the series where he could see there was nothing left to be done with the role, but his mark on Burns would give us a prototype for such annoying characters in other series."

Harry Morgan (Col. Sherman T. Potter)

MASH, Alan Alda, Harry Morgan, Mike Farrell, Season 4.

MASH, Alan Alda, Harry Morgan, Mike Farrell, Season 4.

Background: Veteran actor Harry Morgan brought gravitas and heart to the role of Col. Sherman T. Potter, who took over command of the 4077th after Henry Blake's death. Born in Detroit in 1915, Morgan originally intended to become a lawyer but shifted gears into acting after studying at the University of Chicago. He began his stage career in the 1930s and moved into film and television in the '40s, eventually becoming one of Hollywood's most dependable character actors. Prior to MASH, he was already well-known to audiences thanks to his work on Dragnet, December Bride and a wide variety of Westerns and dramas.

Morgan's portrayal of Potter-a tough but fatherly leader with a dry wit and deep moral compass-became a beloved part of the show's later years. He remained with the series through its finale and reprised the role on the short-lived spinoff AfterMASH.

Life after MASH: Even into his 80s, Morgan continued acting, popping up in shows like 3rd Rock from the Sun and lending his voice to animated projects.

Personal: Married to his wife Eileen for over 45 years until her death, Morgan was a devoted husband and father of four.

Death: He passed away peacefully at home in Los Angeles on December 7, 2011, at the remarkable age of 96.

Dale Sherman: "Can any fan say his name without sounding like Klinger doing an impression of Potter? Anyway, Morgan came into the series in a guest role in Season 3 as a crazy general in ‘The General Flipped at Dawn,' and would be asked back the following season to play a somewhat similar, but certainly saner, version of the character. Like Farrell, Morgan had the task of coming in as a replacement for a beloved person on the show and managed to help take things in a new direction. Potter was Army, and did follow the rules, but like his counterparts in the real Korean War, also knew that doctors were not soldiers, and sometimes rules had to be bent in order to make things work. With Morgan as Potter, the series finally began to steer away from the early days of ‘all military are either bad or ignorant.'"

Harry Morgan with Jack Webb in 1967 and Alan Alda in 1983

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Wayne Rogers (Capt. ‘Trapper' John McIntyre)

Wayne Rogers and Alan Alda

Wayne Rogers and Alan Alda

Background: Alabama-born Wayne Rogers brought a cool charm and laid-back intelligence to the role of Trapper John, Hawkeye's partner-in-crime during MASH's first three seasons. A graduate of Princeton University with a degree in history, Rogers served in the U.S. Navy before making his way to New York's Neighborhood Playhouse to study acting. Early roles in film and TV-including a memorable part in Cool Hand Luke-led to his casting on MASH, where his easy chemistry with Alan Alda helped define the show's initial tone.

Life after MASH: Rogers left the series in 1975, frustrated with the increasingly imbalanced focus on Hawkeye. He went on to star in House Calls, another hit medical comedy series, and maintained a steady acting career for years. But Rogers' second act came in the world of finance-he became a successful investor and frequently appeared as a commentator on Fox News' Cashin' In.

Personal: Married twice, he had two children from his first marriage and spent his later years with his second wife, Amy Hirsh.

Death: Rogers died of complications from pneumonia on December 31, 2015, at the age of 82.

Dale Sherman: "At times Trapper seemed to be regulated to that of Hawkeye's audience, laughing at his jokes, rather than a major character in the show (something Rogers himself was quite aware). However, when given a chance to do something more, Rogers gave us a character that was not simply Hawkeye Jr., but a man who was more aware, and even more adult than Hawkeye. Further, while Hawkeye exhibited his anger through talk, Rogers exhibited a fiery edge to Trapper's anger that could easily move to the physical. Mike Farrell as BJ would prove to be a fine replacement, but the buddy-buddy atmosphere of the first three seasons with Hawkeye and Trapper would be gone-to be replaced with one of a group interacting-and so, too, would be what some fans see as the show's golden era."

William Christopher (Father Francis Mulcahy)

William Christopher in MASH

William Christopher in MASH

Background: William Christopher brought quiet strength and humor to Father Mulcahy, the kind-hearted chaplain of the 4077th. Born in Evanston, Illinois in 1932, Christopher studied drama at Wesleyan University and quickly found work in theater and on television. Prior to MASH, he had recurring roles on shows like Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and Hogan's Heroes, and was often cast as mild-mannered, quirky types. His gentle demeanor and comic timing made him a perfect fit for the character of Mulcahy-a man of the cloth who wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty.

Life after MASH: Christopher remained with MASH until the end and reprised his role in AfterMASH.

Personal: Beyond acting, he became an outspoken advocate for autism awareness after his adopted son Ned was diagnosed. With his wife Barbara, he co-authored Mixed Blessings, a book about parenting a child with special needs. Christopher largely retired from acting in his later years, focusing on family and charitable work.

Death: He passed away on December 31, 2016, from lung cancer at his home in Pasadena, California, at age 84.

Dale Sherman: "If you ever seen the first episode, you'll notice that it isn't Christopher as Mulcahy (it's actor George Morgan). Christopher doesn't appear as Mulcahy until the third episode of the series and only has a handful of lines, but he managed to bring a sweetness to the role that would personify what many would see as a positive role-model for Catholic Priests in the 1970s. Christopher so fit the role that when he developed hepatitis during Season Five, he feared he would be replaced.  Instead, the writers worked around him and even wrote a storyline about Mulcahy developing hepatitis in order to keep him in the show. Christopher, Farr, and Morgan would all go on to co-star in AfterMASH, and yet all were actors that came to MASH after its premiere, proving how valuable all three were to the series in the long-run."

David Ogden Stiers (Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III)

David Ogden Stiers in MASH

David Ogden Stiers in MASH

Background: David Ogden Stiers joined MASH in Season 6, stepping into the sizable shoes left by Larry Linville. But rather than replicate Frank Burns' buffoonery, he brought a new dynamic to the show as Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III-a brilliant, snobbish surgeon from Boston whose aristocratic airs masked a deeply human core. Born in Illinois in 1942 and raised in Oregon, Stiers attended Juilliard and made his Broadway debut in The Magic Show. He was a classically trained actor whose range extended from Shakespeare to science fiction.

Life after MASH: Stiers continued to work in television, film, and stage. He became a prolific voice actor, most famously lending his distinctive tones to Disney's Beauty and the Beast (as Cogsworth), Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. A passionate musician, he also conducted several orchestras and was a beloved figure in the Pacific Northwest arts community.

Personal: Though private about his personal life, he came out as gay later in life.

Death: He died on March 3, 2018, at the age of 75, following a battle with bladder cancer.

Dale Sherman: "Stiers had the most difficult job as a replacement performer on the show - he had to replace Burns, who by that point was more like Daffy Duck than a flesh-and-blood character on the program. Stiers brought a major change in tone to the show, conflicted at first by being stuck with scripts where the writers were unsure if they wanted to create a romance between Winchester and Houlihan or not (in some cases, it is easy to see that scripts written with Burns in mind, were hastily rewritten for Winchester). With Winchester's entrance, Hawkeye and BJ were not the only win-all characters of earlier seasons, and the show would shift even more into stories about the group. Stiers managed to bring an elegance to the role which, over time, was able to make the stick-in-the-mud Winchester likable in his own way."

Kellye Nakahara (Lt. Nurse Kellye Yamato)

Loretta Swit and Kellye Nakahara in MASH

Loretta Swit and Kellye Nakahara in MASH

Background: Though not one of the show's headliners, Kellye Nakahara became a fan favorite as the ever-present Nurse Kellye, appearing in nearly every episode of MASH from Season 2 onward. Born on the Hawaiian island of Oahu in 1948, she moved to the mainland to pursue an art career but found her way into acting in the early 1970s. Her role on MASH was initially small, but her natural warmth and good humor helped her grow into a recognizable and beloved member of the 4077th.

Life after MASH: After the series ended, Nakahara appeared in a handful of films-including a memorable turn as the cook in Clue-and returned to her first passion: painting. She became an accomplished watercolor artist, creating and selling pieces that often celebrated the landscapes of Hawaii and California.

Personal: Married to businessman David Wallett since 1967, she had two children and was active in community and charitable work in Pasadena.

Death: Nakahara passed away from cancer on February 16, 2020, at the age of 72.

Loretta Swit (Maj. Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan)

From left: Loretta Swit, Harry Morgan, William Christopher

From left: Loretta Swit, Harry Morgan, William Christopher

Background: Loretta Swit was the heart and backbone of MASH‘s ensemble, portraying Maj. Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan with intelligence, humor and emotional depth. Born in 1937 in Passaic, New Jersey, Swit studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and spent years working in summer stock and off-Broadway before landing guest spots on series like Mission: Impossible and Hawaii Five-O. When she joined MASH, the role of Hot Lips was initially a stereotype-the "sexy nurse"-but Swit pushed hard to evolve the character into a complex, professional and ultimately feminist figure. Her performance earned her two Emmy Awards.

Life after MASH: Swit continued to act on stage and in TV movies, but shifted much of her focus to animal rights advocacy. She became a prominent spokesperson for animal welfare, publishing a book of her artwork titled SwitHeart, with proceeds supporting rescue organizations.

Background: She was married to actor Dennis Holahan from 1983 until their divorce in 1995.

Death: Swit passed away on May 30, 2025, at the age of 87, at her home in New York City, leaving behind a legacy as one of television's most respected actresses and a passionate advocate for animals.

Dale Sherman: "Playing the only consistent female character on the show, Swit had to deal with being little more than cannon fodder for jokes early on. But even within the first season, we saw that Houlihan was more than just a hothead bent on rules and regulations, and it was through Swit's ability as an actor that we began to slowly sympathize with Houlihan. Swit herself would later dismiss the idea that her character went through the most dramatic changes in the series, but she took what at first could have been a comic cardboard villain and instead showed us a woman struggling with issues of empowerment and becoming her own person in an era where that simply was not the norm."

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