Actor and South Saint Paul native Mike Farrell was replacing a popular character in one of the 1970’s most popular TV shows. He was thrilled for the job, but would M*A*S*H’s devoted fan base hate him?
Transcript
Welcome to MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds.
In the early 1970s, M*A*S*H was one of the biggest shows on TV. The comedy about a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) unit, set during the Korean War, was a hit with audiences. And it was in hot water. During the break between seasons three and four, the actor who played Trapper John, one of the MASH surgeons and a main character, was quitting. So writers had to chuck the story they were working on. And the producers had to find a replacement. Mike Farrell got the call. Born in South St Paul, he was a 36-year-old struggling Hollywood actor. He was thrilled to get the job, and then the terror set in. What if M*A*S*H's devoted fan base hated him? In September 1975, Farrell debuted as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt, family man and newest member of the 4077th MASH unit in the season four opening episode, "Welcome to Korea." The series didn't suffer for the change up. In fact, M*A*S*H became one of the longest-running and best-loved series of its era.
MN90 is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, made possible by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Online at MN90.org.