M*A*S*H

M*A*S*H is an American medical comedy/drama media franchise. It depicts a group of characters who serve at a mobile army surgical hospital (the 4077th M*A*S*H) during the Korean War and is best known for the TV series which was on the air for eleven seasons, from 1972 to 1983.

The M*A*S*H franchise began with the 1968 novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors by Richard Hooker. The novel was adapted into a film in 1970. The film was a box office success, and the TV series followed in 1972. The franchise also gave rise to 14 additional novels, which appeared between 1972 and 1977, and two spin-off television series. AfterMASH was a continuation of M*A*S*H. It was poorly received and lasted only two television seasons, from 1983 to 1985. Far more successful was Trapper John, M.D. which aired from 1979 to 1986 and was a spin-off from the 1970 film rather than the TV series.

Over the course of its original broadcast run, the M*A*S*H TV series won numerous awards and, after its first season, enjoyed consistently high ratings. The series finale, "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen", set a number of viewership and ratings records. Some of those records still stand thirty-plus years later, including being the most-watched series finale in American television history.

M*A*S*H is also notable for using its Korean War setting as an allegory for speaking out about the Vietnam War, which was still in progress when the movie appeared and during the early seasons of the TV series. Also, the TV series had a large number of not-quite-famous guest stars, some of whom later appeared on The Simpsons in guest roles.

M*A*S*H has been referred to several times in The Simpsons media.

References to M*A*S*H in The Simpsons

Television episodes

Picture Season Episode number Episode name Reference 4 69 "Lisa's First Word" In a flashback scene from the spring of 1983, Marge and two neighbor women are talking about the last episode of M*A*S*H. One of them says, "That Mike Farrell really boils my potato", and the other one says she already misses Klinger. 73 "Brother from the Same Planet" Lisa goes to Dr. Hibbert's office, is given eardrops, and then has to wait 20 minutes for them to sink in. Hibbert offers her a M*A*S*H coloring book in case she gets bored, then glances at the pictures and chuckles at one where the caption is "Hawkeye's antics irritate the other surgeons." 6 104 "Bart of Darkness" During an intense heat wave, the statues in the Springfield Wax Museum melt, which prompts Principal Skinner to complain, "I hardly think it's fair to be charged full price. I'm up to my knees in the original cast of M*A*S*H!" As Skinner speaks, the signpost showing the distances to various places in America and elsewhere (often seen in both the film and TV series) is visible in the background. After he finishes, the camera tilts down to show that he is standing in a puddle of melted wax, and floating in the wax are assorted items associated with the characters: Klinger's fur stole; a belt, shirt and boots from an Army uniform; a stethoscope; and Colonel Blake's fishing hat. 8 177 "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase" Troy McClure, hosting the episode, introduces himself by saying, "You may remember me from such TV spinoffs as Son of Sanford and Son and AfterMannix", referencing Sanford and Son, Mannix, and M*A*S*H and AfterMASH. 12 263 "Hungry, Hungry Homer" After Homer begins his hunger strike, Lisa gives him a copy of Mike Farrell's autobiography, My Core Beliefs, to inspire him. 13 279 "Half-Decent Proposal" When Artie Ziff sends his private helicopter to pick up Marge to spend the weekend with him, the M*A*S*H theme music plays as it lifts off from the Simpson home. Marge looks out the window as the helicopter gains altitude, and she sees that Homer has spelled out "KEEP YOUR CLOTHES ON" with white rocks in the backyard. This is a sight gag on the scene at the end of "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" where Hawkeye leaves the 4077th in a helicopter and sees that B.J. has spelled out "GOODBYE" with white rocks on the ground. 24 527 "Whiskey Business" When Moe calls the suicide hotline and gets put on hold, the on-hold music is "Suicide Is Painless", the sung version of the M*A*S*H theme song, which was only heard in the film. (The lyrics were considered to be too dark for television in the 1970s, so an instrumental version was used as the TV theme song.) 25 552 "The Yellow Badge of Cowardge" After Dr. Hibbert diagnoses Milhouse with traumatic amnesia and says he may never recover his memory (to Bart's relief), he quickly runs off to treat some cases of ice cream headache. As the M*A*S*H theme music plays, Hibbert is seen in closeup looking down at his patient, the same as Hawkeye in the TV series' opening sequence. Hibbert then helps to load his patient onto what at first appears to be a medical evacuation helicopter with two outboard platforms for carrying patients, but moments later is revealed to be a carnival ride. 30 656 "E My Sports" During the Conflict of Enemies world championship, Homer cuts off the electricity and a riot ensues. A piano-solo version of the theme song plays as the riot police restore order. 36 769 "Bart's Birthday" During the closing credits, the Simpsons appears in spoofs of well-known TV series finales, one of them being M*A*S*H..

Comic stories

Picture Comic issue Story name Reference Simpsons Comics #130 Marge the Sellout Homer's collection of old issues of TV Guide falls onto Marge. One of them has a cover story about M*A*S*H. Bart Simpson #74 Into the Woods Bart and Milhouse get lost in the woods near Kamp Krusty, and it's later revealed that they were quite near the camp the whole time. The story is reminiscent of the M*A*S*H television episode "They Call the Wind Korea", where Winchester and Klinger get lost in a windstorm and endure a night stopped on the road, only to discover the next morning that they were only two hundred yards from camp. The Simpsons Winter Wingding #5 One Flu Over Springfield When a flu epidemic sweeps through Springfield, Rev. Lovejoy is infected. Unaware of his status, he serves Holy Communion during a service at the First Church of Springfield and unknowingly infects the congregation. In the episode "Hepatitis", Father Mulcahy contracts hepatitis and is concerned about the impact on his ministry: Specifically, that he can't serve Holy Communion because he'll infect everyone when he places the wafers on their tongues.

Books

Picture Book Reference C. Montgomery Burns' Handbook of World Domination E*Y*E*W*A*S*H is one of the programs in production for the first season of the CMB Network, owned by Mr. Burns.

Common cast and crew

Cast

Picture Name Role in the M*A*S*H Franchise Role on The Simpsons Ed Begley, Jr. Guest-starred in the M*A*S*H episode "Too Many Cooks" as an inept infantryman who turns out to be a highly skilled chef. Voiced himself in the Season 10 episode "Homer to the Max" and the Season 20 episode "Gone Maggie Gone". Kim Cattrall Had guest roles in two episodes of Trapper John, M.D.: "The Surrogate" and "You Pays Your Money". Voiced Chloe Talbot in the Season 16 episode "She Used to Be My Girl" and the dream Simpson sister in the Season 21 episode "Oh Brother, Where Bart Thou?". Michael Paul Chan Had guest roles in two episodes of Trapper John, M.D.: "It's About Time" and "Fall of the Wild". Voiced one of the Chinese spies in the Season 22 episode "Homer the Father". William Daniels Guest-starred in the episode "Second Sight" on Trapper John, M.D. Reprised his role as KITT from Knight Rider in the Season 10 episode "The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace" and the Season 15 episode "Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore". Ted Danson Had an uncredited guest role in the Trapper John, M.D. episode "Love Is a Three-Way Street". Reprised the role of his Cheers character Sam Malone in the Season 6 episode "Fear of Flying". Elliott Gould Played Trapper John McIntyre in the M*A*S*H movie. Voiced himself in the Season 14 episode "The Dad Who Knew Too Little"; was also interviewed in The Simpsons: Celebrity Friends, The Simpsons: Mischief & Mayhem, and The Simpsons: Access All Areas. Ron Howard Guest-starred in the landmark first-season M*A*S*H episode "Sometimes You Hear the Bullet" as a young soldier who is discovered to be underage for military service. Voiced himself in the Season 10 episode "When You Dish Upon a Star" and the Season 11 episode "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder". Denice Kumagai Guest-starred in the M*A*S*H episode "Private Finance" as a young Korean girl whose mother misinterprets Klinger's offer of financial assistance as an attempt to "purchase" her. They are later the beneficiaries of a deceased crooked soldier's ill-gotten gains as the 4077th staff are able to use the money to help them move away from the fighting. Voiced a Dancer in the Season 8 episode "In Marge We Trust" and a Japanese mother in the Season 10 episode "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo". Jim Lau In "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen", played one of the POW Chinese musicians whom Major Winchester taught to play Mozart's Clarinet Quintet. Voiced a Hong Kong doctor in the Season 7 episode "Bart on the Road". Harry Morgan Played Colonel Sherman Potter in the M*A*S*H TV series and in AfterMASH. Before the Potter role began, Morgan had a guest appearance on M*A*S*H as the eccentric General Steele in the episode "The General Flipped at Dawn". Reprised the role of his Dragnet character Bill Gannon in the Season 7 episode "Mother Simpson". Joe Pantoliano Guest-starred in the M*A*S*H espiode "Identity Crisis" as a soldier who appropriates a fallen friend's identity (and discharge papers) in an attempt to get out of the fighting. Also had a guest appearance on Trapper John, M.D. in the episode "Where There's a Will". Voiced Dante Calabresi, Sr. in the Season 18 episode "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer". Maggie Roswell Guest-starred in the M*A*S*H episode "Kim" as a nun who runs a nearby orphanage and locates a young wounded boy's mother when the 4077th staff are unable to find any of his family. Voices Helen Lovejoy, Elizabeth Hoover, Luann Van Houten, Maude Flanders, and other characters. Sab Shimono Guest-starred in two episodes of M*A*S*H: "Dear Comrade", as a North Korean spy posing undercover as Major Winchester's houseboy; and "Back Pay", as one of three Korean doctors to whom Winchester demonstrates modern medical techniques. Voiced the master sushi chef in the Season 2 episode "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish", Mr. Sparkle in the Season 8 episode "In Marge We Trust", and a Gruff Japanese sailor in the season 18 episode "The Wife Aquatic". Donald Sutherland Played Hawkeye Pierce in the M*A*S*H movie. Voiced Hollis Hurlbut in the Season 7 episode "Lisa the Iconoclast". George Takei Guest-starred in the Trapper John, M.D. episode "What a Difference a Day Makes". Guest voice appearances as: Akira Kurosawa in "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish" (Season 2) Wink in "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo" (Season 10) Waiter in "A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love" (Season 13) Sushi chef in "What Animated Women Want" (Season 24) Himself in "The Burns Cage" (Season 27) Interviewed in: The Simpsons: Celebrity Friends The Simpsons: Mischief & Mayhem The Simpsons: Access All Areas Johnny Unitas Had an uncredited role as a football player in the football game scene of the M*A*S*H movie. Voiced himself in the Season 6 episode "Homie the Clown". George Wendt Had a brief, but memorable, guest appearance in the M*A*S*H episode "Trick or Treatment" as a Marine who gets a billiard ball stuck in his mouth. Reprised the role of Norm Peterson, his Cheers character, in the Season 6 episode "Fear of Flying". Fred Willard Guest-starred in the episode "Moonlighting Becomes You" on Trapper John, M.D. Voiced Wally Kogen in the Season 10 episode "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday".

Crew

David Isaacs Had diverse credits (co-writer, teleplay, story editor, executive script consultant) for 65 episodes of M*A*S*H and 13 of AfterMASH, all along with Ken Levine. Co-writer (along with Ken Levine) of the Season 2 episode "Dancin' Homer" and the Season 3 episode "Saturdays of Thunder". Ken Levine Had diverse credits (co-writer, teleplay, story editor, executive script consultant) for 65 episodes of M*A*S*H and 13 of AfterMASH, all along with David Isaacs. Co-writer (along with David Isaacs) of the Season 2 episode "Dancin' Homer" and the Season 3 episode "Saturdays of Thunder". Also provided the voice of Dan Hoard in "Dancin' Homer". Patrick Williams Composed music for seven episodes of AfterMASH. Scored the music for the Season 2 episode "Simpson and Delilah".

External links

• M*A*S*H at Wikipedia

References

Cultural references

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