Apparently, the 4077th Did NOT have a Barber on Site

[Sgt. Saunders]

Watching the many episodes of “M*A*S*H,” I’m always amused at how unrealistic the haircuts of the US Army personnel became over the show’s 11-year-run. Initially, the actors had regulation haircuts that the soldiers wore during the Korean War (and even today in the US military some 70 years later).

But, as the seasons of “M*A*S*H” progressed, the G.I. hair cuts seemed to be replaced with the flamboyant hair styles of the 1970s disco years. I mean, Mike Farrell’s flowing, almost Frito-Bandito-like moustache was bad enough, but Jamie Farr’s Max Klinger-mullet and Loretta Swit’s long, lustrous and exceedingly flowing blond coiffure were just too much to take. Ms. Swit looked like she was auditioning for a part as Farrah Fawcett’s replacement on “Charley’s Angels” rather than portraying a strictly by-the-book career US Army nurse and officer, circa 1952.

The silly and anachronistic hair styles on “M*A*S*H” sort of reminded me of how the late Garry Marshall apparently decided to replace the historically accurate, short 1950s hair styles of Richie Cunningham, Potsie Webber and Ralph Malph on “Happy Days” with similar long, flowing and blow-dried 1970s disco hair styles. There was absolutely no effort made to preserve the actual 1950s appearances and hair styles of the actors on either show.

At least, both McClean Stevenson and Harry Morgan, as the commanding officers of the 4077th, looked like they were part of the 1950s with their regulation US Army hair cuts while they were on “M*A*S*H.”

[Doug-oh]

That's a good point. There was little resemblance to the era the was based on.