September 17, 1972: 20th Century Fox Television presents a NEW Medical Drama: M*A*S*H, adapted from the 1970 movie directed by Robert Altman (& before that, as yours truly discovered in recent years, a series of books by Dr. Richard Hornberger, who served in a real-life M*A*S*H unit during the Korean War 2 1/2 decades ago), premiering on the CBS Television Network.

This Medical Drama features, among other cast members, Alphonso Dabruzzo, Jr. (known professionally as Alan Alda) starring as Hawkeye Pierce (who would go on to appear in EVERY episode, except one, of the 255 half-hour episodes), Loretta Swit as Hot Lips Houlihan, and Gary Burghoff as Radar O Reilly.

Humor is included, occasionally, for comic relief purposes, along with a laugh track; though set in Uijongbu, South Korea in the 1950s, M*A*S*H is filmed entirely on location in the Northern California mountains.

The series lasted 11 years until February 28, 1983 when the 2 1/2 hour finale was telecast, making the finale along the MOST-EVER watched single episode of a Television Series--a record STILL holding 3 decades later.

Reruns of M*A*S*H can currently be shown on TV Land.

M*A*S*H was such a well made and acted show that the episodes still hold up no many how many times you've seen them before. This is a real tribute to the cast and crew who first gathered 41 years ago to launch this program.

This Medical Drama features, among other cast members, Alphonso Dabruzzo, Jr. (known professionally as Alan Alda) starring as Hawkeye Pierce (who would go on to appear in EVERY episode, except one, of the 255 half-hour episodes), Loretta Swit as Hot Lips Houlihan, and Gary Burghoff as Radar O Reilly.

In which episode do you believe that Alan Alda didn't appear? He didn't miss any M*A*S*H episodes as far as I know. He did appear in the opening scene & tag only of "Temporary Duty", the last-produced episode of S6, but he still appeared in it. He was the only cast member to appear in S4's "Hawkeye", and Loretta Swit missed the last 3 or 4 produced episodes of S4, not including "Hawkeye". They were the only 2 regular cast members for all 11 seasons.

Ms. Swit did want to leave M*A*S*H in 1 of the later seasons to costar in Cagney & Lacey, but the producers wouldn't let her out of her contract. I think Margaret would've been irreplaceable on that show by then anyway.

September 17, 1972: 20th Century Fox Television presents a NEW Medical Drama: M*A*S*H, adapted from the 1970 movie directed by Robert Altman (& before that, as yours truly discovered in recent years, a series of books by Dr. Richard Hornberger, who served in a real-life M*A*S*H unit during the Korean War 2 1/2 decades ago), premiering on the CBS Television Network.

This Medical Drama features, among other cast members, Alphonso Dabruzzo, Jr. (known professionally as Alan Alda) starring as Hawkeye Pierce (who would go on to appear in EVERY episode, except one, of the 255 half-hour episodes), Loretta Swit as Hot Lips Houlihan, and Gary Burghoff as Radar O Reilly.

Humor is included, occasionally, for comic relief purposes, along with a laugh track; though set in Uijongbu, South Korea in the 1950s, M*A*S*H is filmed entirely on location in the Northern California mountains.

The series lasted 11 years until February 28, 1983 when the 2 1/2 hour finale was telecast, making the finale along the MOST-EVER watched single episode of a Television Series--a record STILL holding 3 decades later.

Reruns of M*A*S*H can currently be shown on TV Land.
it's also on ME-TV

I don't know why the finale is so highly rated; it's notthat good. Some parts are ok but that's it.

And that scene where the fire burns down the camp was so obviously tacked on!! I mean I know they put it in because a real fire burned down the outdoor set while they were filming but they could have tacked it on better.