But Hawkeye stopped him before he did anything, gently reminding him that, being doctors, they were there to save lives, not take them. The rank of Major is attained for members of the AMEDD after serving as a Captain for 6 years. Technically an. . In "M*A*S*H Goes to Maine," Trapper John reaches out to Hawkeye on the day he's laid off by the Veterans Administration. Height: Hawkeye starts asking him questions, swearing that he has seen him somewhere before. Rogers played Trapper John, usually acting opposite of Alan Alda's Hawkeye. No, Hawkeye's moniker doesn't come from the popular Marvel Comics superhero: The Korean War ended over a decade before that character made his debut in 1964's "Tales of Suspense" #57. Trapper had a reputation for being a womanizer. Although talented physicians, Hawkeye and Trapper were unlikely soldiers. That was all the reason [producer] Gene [Reynolds] and I needed to know we would have to do it., Not only was Henry Blake one of the first characters killed off of a television series, but it was even a shock to the cast of the show. After the first incident (Hot Lips and Empty Arms) during which he and Hawkeye dragged her into the shower to sober her up, she said to Trapper, "You're built, you son of a gun". After returning to Maine following the conclusion of the Korean War, the surgeon becomes markedly conservative. After he shows her around the OR during surgery, they happen upon Trapper John (Elliott Gould) just as he punches Frank Burns (Robert Duvall) for wrongly accusing an orderly of killing his patient. When "M*A*S*H" hit theaters in 1970, Donald Sutherland was 35 years old. A show about the Korean War, the writers knew that even though it was lighthearted, it was also important to convey the gravity of wartime. I said, I tell you what. An agent of chaos whose brilliance as a surgeon is equal to his irreverence toward military tradition and convention. By the third season, Rogers had grown weary of playing second banana, and even though Trapper's character was fleshed out more during the latter half of the third season, Rogers decided to depart at season's end, and his character had to be written out of the series. Margaret in tan shirtwaist and fatigue slacks again. This presents a problem for Colonel Blake as he intended to appoint Trapper Chief Surgeon, but Margaret is determined to see Trapper punished. In the pilot, George Morgan plays Father Mulcahy. For example, they had an old-fashioned morals clause. One of the more abrupt departures from the "M*A*S*H"TVshow is that of Wayne Rogers, who left the cast between Season 3 and 4 without an on-screen farewell. Harper made sure his daughter was placed in one of the lifeboats. Once Margaret is inside the shower alone, Trapper gives a signal, and all at once, the shower's tent flap abruptly raises revealing Margaret naked to the rest of the camp. Everybody loved Henry Blake.. Initially, the series focused on the characters that had been established in Altman's film, with the two lead roles being the army surgeons Capt. Why Did Henry Blake Leave 'M*A*S*H' and What Happened to - Distractify Cutter John is one of Breathed's oldest characters, first appearing in The Academia Waltz. He went on to play starring roles in several failed sitcoms, such as The McLean Stevenson Show; In the Beginning; Hello, Larry; and Condo. At the end of Season 3, in an episode titled Abyssinia, Henry, McLean's character died in a plane crash. It's unknown what exactly brought Hawkeye to Boston, though he claims to have had his own medical practice in the Massachusetts city before being drafted. Note the jacket has been buttoned all the way to the neck as per regulations. Early on, Trapper and Hawkeye were partners, both partaking in hedonistic pursuits and playing practical jokes on Majors Frank Burns and Margaret Houlihan. With this in mind, we know that Hawkeye is 31 by 1953, when the Korean War concludes and he returns to his home and family. What happened to Trapper John character on MASH? Captain "Trapper John" McIntyre (born John Francis Xavier McIntyre), is a character in Richard Hooker's M*A*S*H novels, as well as in the 1970 film and two TV series. Omigod, he trapped me! Margaret later gets into a discussion with Hawkeye (Donald Sutherland) to get his opinion about the nurses that work with him, but when she asserts that he shouldn't be so informal with his staff, especially the enlisted, Hawkeye becomes annoyed and, calling her a "regular army clown", gets up and leaves. He was a big part of the show's makeup during those early seasons. What happened to the actor who played Henry Blake on MASH? They work together for decades. What are the strongest factions in total war Warhammer? premiered, Wayne Rogers returned to TV in House Calls, a sitcom based on the 1978 Walter Matthau film. The rank of Captain is achieved after 7 years of active duty service or a field promotion for officers on the line side (fighting). This is a flashback in the mind of General Hammond to the time years back when they were at Fort Benning. Frank is crushed by the news, but even more so by Margaret's incessant praise of Donald in his presence during surgery, causing Frank to "accidentally" stab her finger when she assists him. Margaret and Donald marry in camp at the end of season 5 and go to Tokyo for their honeymoon, but in Fade Out, Fade In, Margaret returns to camp early and is very sullen; she later reveals that after the first couple of days of their honeymoon Donald "seemed to shut down completely". According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Hornberger also based characters off his colleagues, including "Hot Lips" Houlihan. Nationality/Race: ", and the nickname "Trapper John" permanently stuck. Hunnicut, Hawkeye's new tent mate. The staff of an Army hospital in the Korean War find that laughter is the best way to deal with their situation. In Episode 1, Ho-Jon is accepted by Hawkeye's alma mater back in the United States. When Alda convened a podcast reunion in February with his former M*A*S*H castmates Loretta Swit, Gary Burghoff, Jamie Farr, and Mike Farrell in February, the actor said, The response to that was wonderful to see. The two other actors lose it and the crew begins to guffaw in the background. It is not hard to believe, seeing as McIntyre is an Irish surname and Ireland is known for its large population of Catholics. Series regular Henry Blake had to leave the popular TV sitcom 'M*A*S*H' too soon, and we want to know why. He was with his 6-year-old daughter and traveling to preach in Moody Church, Chicago. 10 Things That Make No Sense About M*A*S*H - Screen Rant Full Look At Star Trek's New USS Voyager-J With Detached Nacelles Hunnicutt. A very rare shot of Margaret in this outfit. Hawkeye once noted to his father that she has "considerable passion", which she has to keep in check as most of the men she finds herself with are only interested in indulging themselves in her exceptional physical charms. These initially seem like pretty big departures from Hawkeye's TV incarnation. The character proceeds to evolve over the course of the series, taking a more socially conscious stance in opposing the ongoing war. Her relationship with Frank ends when it finally dawns on her that Frank only wanted Margaret for an affair, and had no intention of leaving his wife. M*A*S*H - Wikipedia M*A*S*H (1970) - Robert Duvall as Maj. Frank Burns - IMDb In The Birthday Girls, Margaret confides in Klinger that when she was younger she tried making friends only to have to permanently part from them every time her father was transferred, which always hurt. The show begins following surgeons "Hawkeye" Pierce and "Trapper" John, played by Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers, respectively. So, you get the contract in the middle of the first and it weighs 50 pounds, or whatever it is. Had Margaret actually existed she would have been in her early 30's at the time of the Korean War. According to ScreenRant, the show was involved in a lawsuit as the M*A*S*H creators claimed the series was a spinoff of their show. At the beginning of Season 4 (after the dramatic season 3 finale in which Henry is discharged but killed on the way home), Hawkeye returns from R&R alone in Tokyo to find that Trapper has also been discharged. Written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, it was first aired by CBS on March 18, 1975. Despite his friendship with Hawkeye, it is implied that Trapper never bothered to contact him for the remainder of the war to apologize for his awkward departure; even though that was completely selfish and out of character on his part, it was probably the writers' intent to not let his departed character cast a negative shadow on his replacement, B.J. However, they did confirm that the unit faced lengthy stretches of relative inactivity, interrupted bymassive waves of casualties from nearby battles. Why did Wayne Rogers leave MASH? Death Cause, Net Worth As reported by the BBC, other MASH doctors, one of whom operated as part of the 8055th MASH, didn't recall quite as many jokes, amorous escapades, or boozy benders in their wartime years. 13. Stevenson knew that leaving the show might be a mistake, but he made the decision to move on to pursue other projects. After the first three seasons of the show, it became clear to M*A*S*H producers that the audience favored Hawkeye's storyline, meaning Alan's character was given better development and screen time over Trapper. Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan is one of the original characters in the book M*A*S*H: A Novel About Three Army Doctors by Richard Hooker. All Rights Reserved. Distractify is a registered trademark. Why Wayne Rogers' Trapper John Left M*A*S*H - Screen Rant His exit is abrupt and, in the show, only explained as Trapper having been "discharged," though viewers are offered no other explanation. The "M*A*S*H" film and TV show initially depict Hawkeye as a sardonic figure, constantly looking to subvert authority and indulge in vices when he's not helping the wounded. Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you. The movie was a unique comedic experience, lacking the lighthearted tone of most comedies from the prior decade but still packing in a ton of laughs. However, a passing reference in the middle of the show's run makes it clear that Hawkeye lived and worked for a time in Boston before he came toKorea. He was initially supposed to audition for Hawkeye Pierce role, but was persuaded by the writers to play Trapper while Hawkeye would be played by Alan Alda. The only time we see Margaret in her white nurse uniform. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. In negotiating his M*A*S*H contract, Wayne Rogers and the studio could not see eye-to-eye on different issues. Frank often makes mention of his wife Louise, which never sits well with Margaret, who often hints none too subtly that Frank should leave his wife for her. Overall, in the later seasons of the series, Margaret mellows to a more reasonable member of the staff who learns to get along better with the others, both professionally and personally, and is able to better temper her authority with humanity. hit the airwaves in 1979 and confused audiences as to whether the character was the Trapper John from the 1972 show or not. Wayne became very aware of this and was displeased by the direction the show's writers were taking his character. It would seem that in the first of the movies, The Curse of the Black Pearl, Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow took a little of that focus away from him. And before Cheers? William Wayne McMillan Rogers III (April 7, 1933 - December 31, 2015) [1] was an American actor, known for playing the role of Captain "Trapper" John McIntyre in the CBS television series M*A*S*H and as Dr. Charley Michaels on House Calls (1979-1982). Inconceivable! Appeared in: Notice the ribbon or scarf around her neck. This includes Mannix (Larry starred in eight episodes) and The Doctors. Although she is seen reading the Bible in many instances throughout the show, often in the company of Major Frank Burns, it is unknown what Christian denomination Houlihan belongs to. Trapper John, M.D. She eventually decided she would not let anyone get close enough to break her heart again, and began keeping more to herself. The two Korean medals and the Commendation medal is there but there is no sign of her World War II Victory medal, although given her seniority she must have served during that war. Probably not regulation. His comments about why he left the television show begin around the 2:30 mark of the video. Frank Burns : You idiot, I said a cardiac needle! One could argue the show was a spin-off of the book, and therefore unrelated, but it is clear . Why did Trapper leave M*A*S*H? In both the film and television version of "M*A*S*H," Captain John Francis Xavier McIntyre, known as "Trapper John," is the best friend of Hawkeye Pierce (Donald Sutherland/Alan Alda). On the TV show, things are a little different. Following a team of U.S. Army surgeons as they tried to deal with the heartbreaking reality of the Korean War, the show quickly became a hit, running for more than a decade across 11 seasons. Sally Kellerman as Houlihan in the 1970 film version of MASH. Also mentioned is one "Hotlips Hammerly," said to be a very attractive blonde, of the same disposition, from El Paso, Texas. Benjamin Franklin ("Hawkeye") Pierce (played by Alan Alda) and Capt. There were things like that and we could never agree.. This prompts a relocation with his family to seek work elsewhere. Refugee turned by MPs over to the 4077th MASH base; winds up marrying Klinger, who stays in Korea to help find her parents, who were transferred to a refugee camp, before settling together in the U.S. Despite its serious nature, there are plenty of things about it that don't make sense. 1 About Trapper John 1.1 The nickname 2 In the film 3 In the TV series 4 Leaving the 4077th 4.1 After Trapper 5 Trapper John, M.D. Rogers was a part of the popular sitcom for three seasons, but he didn't like that John was becoming a subordinate sidekick to Hawkeye instead of a character in his own right. hit the airwaves in 1979 and confused audiences as to whether the character was the Trapper John from the 1972 show or not. (Mail Call Three). Monster M*A*S*H is a FANDOM TV Community. revolved around the interrelation between Trapper and his younger colleague, Dr. George "Gonzo" Gates (Gregory Harrison), who had served in a MASH unit in Vietnam and exhibited some of the same behaviors Trapper John himself once had.