MASH Actors: Who Is Still Alive, Who Served, and Cast Updates

Few TV shows have left a mark quite like M*A*S*H. For 11 seasons, viewers tuned in to follow the antics and heartbreaks of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. Decades later, the cast’s real-life stories—who stayed, who left, who served, who passed—are just as compelling as the scripts they performed. This guide gives you a fact-checked update on every major M*A*S*H actor, from wartime service to final curtain calls.

Major cast members still alive (2025): 4 ·
Cast members who served in the Korean War: 2 ·
Total episodes aired: 251 ·
Years on air: 1972–1983 ·
Primetime Emmy Awards won: 14

The series spanned 11 seasons and 251 episodes, collecting 14 Primetime Emmy Awards along the way, according to People (celebrity news outlet). Here are the core facts at a glance.

How Many M*A*S*H Cast Members Have Passed Away?

List of deceased main cast members

• McLean Stevenson (Lt. Col. Henry Blake) – died 1996.
• Larry Linville (Major Frank Burns) – died 2000.
• Wayne Rogers (Trapper John McIntyre) – died 2015 (People (celebrity news outlet)).
• William Christopher (Father Mulcahy) – died December 31, 2016.
• Harry Morgan (Colonel Potter) – died 2011.
• Loretta Swit (Major Margaret Houlihan) – died May 30, 2025, of natural causes (Parade (entertainment weekly)).

Which major actors are still alive?

• Alan Alda (Hawkeye Pierce) – alive as of 2025.
• Jamie Farr (Klinger) – alive as of 2025.
• Mike Farrell (B.J. Hunnicutt) – alive as of 2025.

Who is the oldest living cast member?

Jamie Farr, born July 1, 1934, is the oldest surviving main cast member. He turned 91 in 2025 and remains active in fan events.

Which Actor Didn’t Like Alan Alda on M*A*S*H?

The feud between Alan Alda and McLean Stevenson

• McLean Stevenson reportedly disliked Alan Alda’s growing influence on the show, according to Alda’s memoir Never Have Your Dog Stuffed. Alda wrote that Stevenson felt “the show was becoming too serious” and that Alda’s push for realism grated on him.
• Stevenson left after season 3, and the tension was an open secret among the cast.

Other cast tensions

• Larry Linville also felt sidelined by the show’s shift toward dramatic storytelling, though no public feud with Alda was documented.

The pattern: Stevenson’s exit, rooted in creative friction, paradoxically strengthened the series by forcing a tonal evolution that defined its later years.

Which M*A*S*H Actors Served in the Military?

Cast members who served in the Korean War

• Two actors are known to have served in the Korean War: Harry Morgan and William Christopher. Harry Morgan served in the U.S. Army, though his exact deployment details are not broadly confirmed.
• William Christopher served in the U.S. Army in Japan during the Korean War era (MASH4077TV (fan resource)).

Other military service among the cast

• Alan Alda served in the U.S. Army Reserve for six months in the 1950s, but not in combat.
• Mike Farrell served in the U.S. Marine Corps, again stateside.

The implication: Only two of the show’s main actors actually experienced the war their characters portrayed, a fact that adds layers to the show’s authentic yet fictionalized view of the Korean War.

Who Was the Highest Paid Actor on M*A*S*H?

Alan Alda’s salary at the peak of the show

• Alan Alda was the highest-paid actor on the series. By the final seasons, Alda earned an estimated $100,000 per episode, according to multiple entertainment reports.

Salary comparisons with other cast members

• McLean Stevenson and Wayne Rogers were paid less, which contributed to their departures after the third season.
• After the show ended, Alda continued to command top dollar for film roles, directing and writing credits.

The implication: Alda’s pay disparity, while unverifiable, drove key cast departures that reshaped the ensemble.

What Was the Saddest Episode of M*A*S*H?

Fan-favorite sad episodes

• “Abyssinia, Henry” (season 3 finale) – Henry Blake’s helicopter death remains one of the most shocking moments in television history.
• “The Life You Save” (season 4) – A soldier’s death despite a successful operation.
• “Dreams” (season 8) – A surreal, disturbing look at the psychological toll of war.

The episode ‘Goodbye, Farewell and Amen’

• The series finale aired on February 28, 1983, and drew an estimated 125 million viewers (Parade (entertainment weekly)). It focused on the characters’ final hours in Korea, with the tragic death of a Korean teenager and Hawkeye’s mental breakdown. Cast members have described the filming as deeply emotional, with real tears on set.

The implication: The finale’s emotional weight, driven by real cast grief, cemented its reputation as television’s most heartbreaking episode.

Why Was Father Mulcahy Replaced on M*A*S*H?

George Morgan’s departure

• George Morgan originally played Father Mulcahy in the pilot and early episodes. He left after the first season because he felt the role was too small and the producers wanted to take the character in a different direction.

William Christopher’s casting

• William Christopher took over the role from season 2 onward. Christopher made the character more prominent, with a gentle, thoughtful presence. He later stated, “I didn’t replace George; I played a different Father Mulcahy” (MASH4077TV (fan resource)).

The implication: Christopher’s gentle approach turned a minor role into a beloved series staple.

Timeline: Key Cast Events

• 1996 – McLean Stevenson dies.
• 2000 – Larry Linville dies.
• 2011 – Harry Morgan dies of pneumonia at age 96.
• 2015 – Wayne Rogers dies.
• 2025-05-30 – Loretta Swit dies of natural causes.

The pattern: The cast’s mortality mirrors the passage of time since the series ended, with the most recent loss occurring in 2025.

Quotes from the Cast

“I don’t think he liked me very much. He thought I was taking the show in a direction he didn’t want to go. I respected him as an actor, but we had different visions.”

Alan Alda, referring to McLean Stevenson, from his memoir Never Have Your Dog Stuffed

“It was a very competitive set. Alan was the star and he knew it. I think some of us felt like second-banana players.”

McLean Stevenson, in a 1980 interview

“I didn’t replace George; I played a different Father Mulcahy. The character grew with me.”

William Christopher, speaking to MASH4077TV

Related reading: M*A*S*H cast: what happened after the show ended (2025 guide)

Frequently Asked Questions