M*A*S*H Photo: Alan Alda, Mike Farrell Reunite to Toast 50th Anniversary
Former 4077th M*A*S*H roommates Alan Alda and Mike Farrell reunited on Saturday to toast the 50th anniversary of the acclaimed war comedy’s premiere.
“Mike Farrell and I today toasting the 50th anniversary of the show that changed our lives – and our brilliant pals who made it what it was,” Alda wrote on Twitter, sharing the photo below of him and Farrell sharing some proper wine versus anything from the Swamp’s still. “MASH was a great gift to us.”
Alda starred as Capt. Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce on the Korean War comedy, whereas Farrell joined the cast in Season 4 as as Capt. B. J. Hunnicutt. (Original cast member Wayne Rogers played Hawkeye’s original BFF, Capt. “Trapper” John McIntyre, for the first three seasons; Rogers died in December 2015.)
Of note, a total of four CBS classics celebrated their 50th anniversaries this week: Maude (on Sept. 12), The Waltons (Sep. 14), The Bob Newhart Show (Sep. 16), and M*A*S*H (Sept. 17). That, kids, was a helluva week of TV.
Mike Farrell and I today toasting the 50th anniversary of the show that changed our lives – and our brilliant pals who made it what it was. MASH was a great gift to us. pic.twitter.com/FGd8ZwBgIq
— Alan Alda (@alanalda) September 17, 2022
M*A*S*H originally starred Alda, Rogers, McLean Stevenson (as Lt. Col. Henry Blake), Loretta Swit (as Maj. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan), Larry Linville (as Maj. Frank Burns) and Gary Burghoff (as Cpl. Walter “Radar” O’Reilly), while Jamie Farr and William Christopher recurred as Klinger and Father Mulcahy.
Come Season 4, Rogers and Stevenson had been succeeded by Farrell and Harry Morgan (as Col. Sherman T. Potter), and in Season 5, David Ogden Stiers’ Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III replaced Major Burns.
Of the above, Alda, Farrell, Swit, Burghoff and Farr are still with us.
One of the best shows ever!
Short and to the point. I agree completely.
My all-time favorite tv series. It made me laugh (a lot) and it made me cry. It doesn’t get any better.
I seem to remember hearing about an reboot of sorts, using the Middle East as the new setting. I guess it’s gone by the wayside. Probably not a good idea to screw around with something as good as the original show.
Very nice to see. That show was a must watch for me when it aired, and I still enjoy it in reruns.
May there be many more years for both of you!
An amazing show. So funny, one of the very few shows that could successfully replace departing stars. Hard to believe it has been 50 years. Love the show to this day, and so watchable.
Hmm, didn’t recognize Mike without his mustache.
50 years ago? Yikes!
It is still the best comedy ever. My dad was a Korean War vet and we watched every week.
Mine was too and he hated this show lol. Still, it’s really good to see these two men together again!
I love those two. That show is in the top tier of my all-time favorites. Watched the reruns many many many times.
brilliant series, and the others you list, maude, bob newhart, the waltons, all wonderful.
A toast to Alan Alda, 86, & Mike Farrell, 83. 🍷🍷
David Ogden Stiers replaced Larry Linville for season 6 not season 5.
Yesterday I decided to commemorate the 50 year anniversary by going out for Barbeque Ribs. The closet thing to Adam’s Ribs out there.
But I did not forget the coleslaw.
One of the greatest shows of all the time!
83 and 86 years young – bless!
I love that show it was a great show happy anniversary to the cast members it’s hard to believe that it’s been fifty years
Is CBS recognizing the 50th anniversary of any of these shows?
CBS is too busy destroying itself with it’s present programming (with a few exceptions)to recognize any great classic shows that were on it’s network during it’s golden age when quality used to count not only for something but everything. Now it’s mostly mind numbing nonsense because it’s cheap to produce.
So true
What I haven’t figured out is why don’t the major networks get together. And go back to the way they used to do it. I mean premiere week. When all the networks started their new shows all at the same time. Today one starts and then its a month before something else comes along. Then it’s three new shows and then four reruns. Then it’s winter break. No wonder no one watches them anymore.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
I watched in many reruns on different station throughout my childhood and loved it. Not at first, but it eventually grew on me…and I laugh a lot even though I didn’t get the jokes as a kid. I still watch it now and then. It’s on ME TV everyday.
M*A*S*H was the best of the adult comedies that aired in that era. God bless everyone who participated in the show and R.I.P. to all of the stars and guest stars who have left us. Like the Beatles you’re timeless and your stories will continue for many generations to come.
One of my top 3 shows ever, I still occasionally watch it. Love the photos, then and now. Thank you for including the names of those still with us.
Congratulations on 50 years, have watched it for most of them and still love it and watch it today
Congratulations on 50 years, best show ever made
My favorite show, and favorite ensemble TV cast. So many laughs, so many tears. Glad its legacy has endured as long as it has, and hopefully it continues to find an audience for many years to come.
I must say my all time favorite show. I remember watching it with my dad
This is great. Thank you!
Not many drama/comedies hold but this one does as it was ahead of its time hence why its syndicated to this day congratulations
Amazing. What a truly great show that has stood the test of time.
One of my favorite shows of all time! The jokes are still funny and the shows dealing with more serious topics were so well done and still relevant today