M*A*S*H (1972)
Plot.
Where to Watch.
Currently M*A*S*H is available for streaming online, rent, buy or watch for free on: Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, Hulu
Streaming in:🇺🇸 United States
Cast & Crew.
Alan Alda
Hawkeye Pierce / Creative Consultant / Director / Writer / Story
Mike Farrell
B. J. Hunnicutt / Director / Story / Writer
McLean Stevenson
Henry Blake / Writer
Loretta Swit
Margaret Houlihan
Larry Linville
Frank Burns
David Ogden Stiers
Charles Winchester / Director
Gary Burghoff
Radar O'Reilly
Jamie Farr
Maxwell Klinger / Director
Larry Gelbart
Creator / Producer / Director / Teleplay / Story / Writer
William Christopher
Father Francis Mulcahy
Gene Reynolds
Executive Producer / Director / Writer / Story
Jim Mulligan
Producer / Writer
William Christopher
Father Mulcahy
Allan Katz
Producer / Teleplay
Dan Wilcox
Producer / Writer
Thad Mumford
Producer / Writer
John Rappaport
Producer / Writer
Harry Morgan
Sherman Potter / Sherman Potter / General Steele / Director
Wayne Rogers
Trapper / Man on P.A. in Kimpo (voice) (uncredited)
Jeffrey Kramer
Sgt. Morgove / Driver
Deborah Harmon
Nurse Webster
Michael O'Keefe
Corporal Travis
Clete Roberts
Interviewer
Mary Jo Catlett
Nurse Walsh
Chao Li Chi
Korean Husband
Rita Wilson
Nurse Lacey
Rosalind Chao
Soon-Lee
Warren Stevens
Colonel Chaffey
Mako
Major Choi
Leonard Stone
Colonel Bidwell
Carmen Mathews
Colonel Lillian Bull
William B. Jurgensen
Director of Photography / Director
Richard A. Kelley
Director of Photography
Andrew Jackson
Director of Photography
Sherman Kunkel
Director of Photography
Joe Morton
Captain Saunders
Dominic Palmieri
Director of Photography
Ron Howard
Wendell
Meredith M. Nicholson
Director of Photography
Alex Karras
Lance Cpl. Lyle Wesson
Stafford Repp
Sgt. Clay
Joe Jackman
Director of Photography
William T. Cline
Director of Photography
Greg Mullavey
Capt. Tom Greenleigh
Mariette Hartley
Inga
Dominick Palmeri
Director of Photography
Charles S. Dubin
Director
Hy Averback
Director
Don Weis
Director
Jackie Cooper
Director
George Tyne
Director
Gail Strickland
Capt. Helen Whitfield
William Wiard
Director
David Packer
Pvt. Lumley
Nell Cox
Director
Lee Philips
Director
Richard Masur
Digger
James Sheldon
Director
Alan Rafkin
Director
Earl Bellamy
Director
Ned Bellamy
G.I.
Tony Mordente
Director
Joshua Shelley
Director
G.W. Bailey
Sgt. Rizzo
Joan Darling
Director
Ric Mancini
Sergeant Hodkey
Edward Winter
Colonel Flagg / Capt. Halloran
Ann Doran
Meg Cratty
John Erman
Director
James B. Sikking
Finance Officer
Mel Damski
Director
Maggie Roswell
Sister Theresa
Bruce Bilson
Director
Michael Switzer
Director
Michael O'Herlihy
Director
E.W. Swackhamer
Director
Dirk Blocker
James Mathes
Susan Oliver
Director
Melinda Mullins
Martine
Norman Tokar
Director
Terry Becker
Director
Stuart Millar
Director
Gwen Verdon
Brandy Doyle
Gabrielle Beaumont
Director
Stanford Tischler
Editor / Associate Producer
Fred W. Berger
Editor
John Ritter
Private Carter
Samuel E. Beetley
Editor
Larry L. Mills
Editor
Keene Curtis
Colonel Wortman
Howard Kunin
Editor
Joyce Robinson
Casting
Johnny Mandel
Original Music Composer / Music
John P. Ryan
Major Van Zandt
Duane Tatro
Music
John Carl Parker
Music
Andrew Dice Clay
Corp. Hrabosky
Jeff East
Lt. Pavelich
Earle Hagen
Music
Alex Henteloff
Captain Casey
Pete Rugolo
Music
Roger Kellaway
Music
Benny Golson
Music
Billy May
Music
Laurence Marks
Writer
Tom Reeder
Writer
Everett Greenbaum
Writer
Joey Forman
Jackie Flash
Teri Garr
Lt. Suzanne Marquette
Jim Fritzell
Writer
Elias Davis
Writer / Story / Teleplay
David Pollock
Teleplay / Story / Writer
Kevin Brophy
Roberts
Burt Prelutsky
Writer / Story
Karen Hall
Writer
Stefan Gierasch
Colonel Ditka
James Fritzell
Writer
Sandy Helberg
Bannister
Robert Klane
Writer / Teleplay
Jay Folb
Teleplay / Writer / Story
Robert Alan Browne
Col. Crocker
Sid Dorfman
Writer
Bart Braverman
Private Habib
Gary Markowitz
Writer
Todd Susman
Private Danny Baker
Larry Balmagia
Writer / Teleplay
Linda Bloodworth-Thomason
Writer
James Saito
Park
Peter Jurasik
Triplett
Sheldon Keller
Writer
Ned Beatty
Colonel Hollister
Carl Kleinschmitt
Writer / Story
Leslie Nielsen
Col. Buzz Brighton
Bernard Dilbert
Writer / Adaptation
Erik Tarloff
Writer
Frank Aletter
Major Stoner
Burt Styler
Writer
Nicholas Pryor
Major Burnham
Don Reo
Writer / Teleplay
Sy Rosen
Writer / Story
Jack Blessing
Lt. Rollins
Mitch Markowitz
Writer
John Fujioka
Colonel Kim
Jerry Mayer
Writer
Perry Lang
Sandler
John Anderson
General Collins
Paul Perlove
Writer
Glen Charles
Writer
Christopher Allport
Abbott
Jack Riley
Capt. Kaplan
Arthur Julian
Writer
Richard M. Powell
Writer
Mary Wickes
Colonel Reese
John Regler
Writer
Johnny Bonaduce
Writer
Johnny Haymer
Sergeant Zale
Michael Ensign
Major Cass
Hal Dressner
Writer
Craig Wasson
Pvt. Kurland
Richard Hooker
Novel
James Jay Rubinfier
Story
David Ketchum
Writer
Dennis Koenig
Executive Story Editor
David Graf
Lt. Spears
Lee H. Grant
Writer
Earl Boen
Major Hatch
Marc Mandel
Writer
Bruce Shelley
Writer
Gerald S. O'Loughlin
General Schwerin
David Isaacs
Teleplay
Louisa Moritz
Nurse Sanchez
Ken Levine
Teleplay
Joan Van Ark
Lt. Erika Johnson
Ed Jurist
Writer
Don Segall
Writer
Rick Mittleman
Writer
Allyn Freeman
Writer
Gerry Renert
Writer
Hal Dresner
Writer
Keith Walker
Writer
Richard Lineback
Pvt. Scala
Richard Cogan
Writer
Reinhold Weege
Story
Hamilton Camp
Frankenheimer
Bob Colleary
Writer
Larry Ward
General Rothaker
Lawrence Marks
Writer
Robert Karnes
Colonel
Dick O'Neill
Col. Pitts / The Admiral
Harvey J. Goldenberg
Kaplan
Gary David Goldberg
Writer
Richard Baer
Writer
Richard Baer
Writer
George Cheung
Peddler #1
Les Charles
Writer
Sorrell Booke
General Wilson Spaulding Barker
Paul Richards
Writer
Walter D. Dishell, M.D.
Writer
Simon Muntner
Teleplay
Jeff Wilhelm
Writer
Hope Summers
Nurse Meg Cratty
Cyril O'Reilly
Nick Gillis
George Wendt
Pvt. La Roche
James Karen
Dr. Chesler
Kavi Raz
Rammurti Lal
Mickey Jones
M.P. #2
Linda Kelsey
Nurse Baker
Loudon Wainwright III
Capt. Calvin Spalding
Britt Leach
Dan Blevik
Clyde Kusatsu
Kwang Duk / Captain Paul Yamato
Sandy Kenyon
Woodruff
Amanda McBroom
Ellie Carlyle
Joe Pantoliano
Gerald Mullen
Michael Carmine
Patient
Xander Berkeley
Marine
Indira Stefanianna
Lt. O'Brien
James T. Callahan
Tommy Gillis
Larry Wilcox
Corporal Mulligan
Albert Hall
Corporal
Jason Bernard
Major Rockingham
Frank Marth
Colonel Griswald
Cameron Dye
Soldier
Dennis Fimple
Sergeant 'Sparky' Pryor
Philip Ahn
The Father
Bruno Kirby
Pvt. Lorenzo Boone
Soon-Tek Oh
Syn Paik
Val Bisoglio
Sal
Arlene Golonka
Edwina
Curt Lowens
Colonel Blanche
Ted Eccles
Chapman
Graham Jarvis
Col. Whiteman
Eldon Quick
Captain Sloan
Ed Flanders
Lt. Bricker
Art LaFleur
The M.P.
Gary Grubbs
Lt. Geyer
Michael Swan
Lt. Brannum
John Alvin
Bowman
William Lucking
Urbancic
Barbara Tarbuck
Maj. Parker
Odessa Cleveland
Ginger Bayliss
Kevin Hagen
Colonel Coner
Dennis Dugan
Bob Wilson
Peter Hobbs
Col. Drake
Jeff Maxwell
Igor Straminsky
Tim O'Connor
Colonel Spiker
Robert Symonds
Col. Horace Baldwin
Edward Binns
General Korshak
Oliver Clark
Lt. Brooks
Jeffrey Tambor
Reddish
Bruce Kirby
Sergeant Kimble
Bert Kramer
Sgt. Martin
Danny Dayton
Fast Freddie
Matthew Faison
Bill Stitzel
Andrew Duggan
Col. Alvin 'Howitzer' Houlihan
Joseph V. Perry
The Cook
Sal Viscuso
Patient John / Sergeant Raymond McGill
Anthony Charnota
Verbanic
Brett Cullen
McKegney
Beeson Carroll
Lt. Col. Donald Penobscott
Jerry Zaks
Cpl. Phil Walker
Logan Ramsey
Colonel Lambert
Squire Fridell
Alvin Rice
Laurence Fishburne
Corporal Dorsey
Blythe Danner
Carlye
Marcia Strassman
Nurse Margie Cutler
Kathleen Hughes
Lorraine Blake
Arnold F. Turner
Graves Registration Assistant
Gregory Harrison
Lt. Tony Baker
John Lavachielli
Young Turk
James Gregory
General Kelly
Robert Townsend
Patient
Susanne Zenor
Nurse Murphy
Charles Frank
Captain Hathaway
Billy Green Bush
Cowboy
Timothy Brown
Spearchucker
Karen Philipp
Lt. Maria 'Dish' Schneider
Tom Atkins
Major Weems
Richard Fullerton
Soldier
Alan Fudge
Captain Chandler
Peggy Feury
Col. Bucholtz
Corey Fischer
Phil Cardozo
Michael Lerner
Captain Futterman
Mary Kay Place
Lt. Louise Simmons / Writer
Burt Young
Lt. Willis
Gene Evans
Clayton Kibbee
Tony Becker
Private Brown
Blake Clark
2nd M.P.
Herb Voland
Crandell Clayton
William Katt
P.F.C.
Mills Watson
Sgt. Condon
Allan Arbus
Dr. Sidney Freedman / Maj. Milton Freedman / Major Freedman
Bruce Kimmel
Private Gilbert
Mark Herrier
Corp. Stoddard
Dennis Erdman
Harrison
John Orchard
Capt. 'Ugly John' Black
Patrick Adiarte
Ho-Jon
Jim Lau
Chinese Musician
George Morgan
Father Mulcahy
Mark Casella
Jeep Driver
Kevin Scannell
'MacArthur'
Ray Middleton
Cardinal Reardon
George O'Hanlon Jr.
Private Gerald Phelan
Joseph Corey
Goldstein
Mike Robelo
Cook
Patricia Stevens
Nurse Able / Lt. Mitchell / Lt. Baker
Hilly Hicks
Perkins / Corporal Moody
Robert Ito
Lin / The North Koreans
Robert Weaver
Pvt. Gary Mitchell
Ralph Grosh
General's Aide
Kathrine Baumann
Nancy Sue Parker
Stuart Margolin
Major Stanley Robbins / Captain Phillip G. Sherman
Brad Trumbull
Colonel Atkins
Shizuko Hoshi
Rosie / The Mother
Randy Stumpf
Greek Soldier
William Watson
Lt. Smith
Antony Alda
Cpl. Jarvis
Robert Alda
Dr. Anthony B. Borelli
Chris Petersen
Second Recruit
Buck Young
Dan / O'Brien
Roy Evans
Orderly (uncredited)
Anthony Holland
Captain Hildebrand
Brian Byers
Patient / Private Danny Fitzsimons
Tom Stovall
The Sergeant
Tad Horino
1st Korean / Bartender
Susie Elene
Mai Ping (as Suesie Eléne)
Jill Schulz
Hooker (uncredited)
Michael Bell
Willie Stratton
Brian Dennehy
M.P. Ernie Connors
Scott Mulhern
Andy Cooper
June Kyoto Lu
Korean Woman (as June Kim)
Crandal Jue
Korean Boy
Alvin Kim
Korean Boy
Andy Romano
Sergeant Justiss
Alan McRae
Corporal Nessen
Richard Beauchamp
Cpl. Robelo
Gary Springer
Private Garvin
Sarah Fankboner
Nurse Klein / Nurse Owens
Andrew Bloch
Private Cordon
Jack Baker
Private Whitney
Daniel Zippi
Private Corey
Zitto Kazann
Sergeant Attias
Mary Peters
Lieutenant Peters (uncredited)
Greg Mabrey
Pasco / Wounded Soldier
Michael W. Schwartz
Patient (as Michael Williams)
Jimmy Baron
Patient
Gail Edwards
Marina Ryan
Karen Landry
Sarah Miller
Ed Vasgersian
Captain Broz
Paul Jenkins
Sergeant Baker
Barbara Brownell
Lt. Jones
Kelly Jean Peters
Lt. Louise Anderson
Mary-Robin Redd
Sister Theresa
Corinne Camacho
Lt. Regina Hopkins
Jack Aaron
Major Murphy
Arthur Abelson
Milt Jaffe
Sivi Aberg
Anna Lindstrom
Jim Boeke
M.P.
Monty Bane
Crooked M.P.
Leo Lewis
Sgt. Barnstable
Randal Patrick
Hicks
Jeff Tyler
Soldier
Perren Page
Driver
Jerry Fujikawa
Farmer / Dr. Pak / Father / Hwang / Sang Yu
Ted Gehring
Major Arnold Morris
Noel Toy
Mama San
Helen Funai
Betty Lou
Louie Elias
MP Sergeant
Pat Morita
Captain Sam Pak
Leland Sun
G.I. / Mr. Kwang
Richard Ely
George
Patrick Swayze
Gary Sturgis / Pvt. Gary Sturgis
George Simmons
Simmons
Bill Fletcher
Pratt
Teddy Wilson
Marty Williams
Jack Soo
Charlie Lee / Quoc
Orlando Dole
Ethiopian Soldier
Tom Dever
Lt. Rogers / M.P. Lieutenant
Basil Hoffman
Major Pfiefer
Michael Keller
Lt. LeClerq
Byron Chung
P.O.W. / Chong-Wha / Korean Soldier / Mr. Kwok / Lt. Yook
Sirri Murad
The Turkish Soldier
Titos Vandis
Col. Andropolis
Dennis Troy
Corpsman / Carter / M.P. / Ambulance Driver / G.I. / 2nd G.I.
Joseph Maher
Major Taylor
Pat Li
Soong Hi
Eileen Saki
Rosie / Korean Woman
Jeanne Joe
Mrs. Kwang
Danil Torppe
Morris
John O'Connell
Capt. Schnelker
Gene Pietragallo
Corp. Fisher
William Rogers
Corp. Logan
Jim Borrelli
The G.I.
James Emery
The Corpsman
Brian Fuld
G.I.
Corkey Ford
G.I.
Kellye Nakahara
Kellye Yamato / Lt. Able / Nurse Charlie / Nurse Baker / Nurse
John Matuszak
Hitalski
Pat McNamara
Cavanaugh
Gerald Castillo
Reporter
Jay Gerber
Reporter
Al Rossi
Reporter
Tierre Turner
Patient
Hennen Chambers
Patient
Lynnette Mettey
Lt. Nancy Griffin / Nurse Baker / Nurse Able / Nurse Sheila Anderson
Eddie Frescas
Patient
Richard Cummings
Soldier
Gwen Farrell
Nurse Wilson / Nurse Butler / Nurse / Nurse Able
Roger Hampton
The Second Marine
Tom Kindle
The G.I.
Herman Poppe
M.P.
Roy Goldman
Corpsman / Goldman / Orderly / Corpsman (uncredited) / Roy / Enlisted Man / M.P.
R.J. Miller
Graves Registration Driver
Carmine Scelza
Corpsman / G.I.
Arlee Reed
Soldier
Buddy Farmer
M.P.
Joanne Thompson
Nurse
Allen Williams
Lt. Priore
Kario Salem
Private Weston / The Youngster
Michael Bond
Captain Hobart
Paul Tuerpe
I-Corps Courier
Natasha Bauman
Nurse
Guy Boyd
Sgt. Lally
Michael Lamont
Corporal
Sheila Lauritsen
Nurse Watson / Nurse Sheila / Nurse Hardy
Jack McCulloch
Soldier
Phil Brock
Pvt. Palmer
Thomas Callaway
Cpt. Sweeney
William Schilling
Sgt. McFarland
Michael Conn
G.I.
Ken Wright
G.I.
Juney Smith
G.I.
David Orr
Soldier / Patient
Enid Kent
Nurse Bigelow / Bigelow / Lt. Bigelow, RN
Ron Kapra
Driver
George Innes
Dr. Randolph Kent
Dennis Holahan
Per Johannsen
John Otrin
Ambulance Driver / Ambulance Attendant
Michael Horton
Lt. Curt Collins
Chip Johnson
Captain Sterne
Jeff Chapman
Maloney
Norman Garrett
Patient
John McLiam
Col. Woody Cooke
Jan Jorden
Norse Baker / Nurse Baker
Jim Lefebvre
Sgt. Zurilli
Matthew Price
Corp. Marsh
Jack Yates
Large Enlisted Man
Sagan Lewis
Nurse Armstrong
Dereck Wong
Korean Soldier
Alberta Jay
Nurse
Shari Saba
Shari / Nurse
Wesley Thompson
Corpsman
Bill Snider
Snider / Corpsman / Bartender
Bobbie Mitchell
Nurse Baker / Nurse Able / Lt. Lyons / Lt. Marshall / Nurse Mitchell / Lt. Gilbert / Lt. Mason / Lieutenant Cage / Lt. M...
Jo Ann Thompson
Nurse #1
Lynne Marie Stewart
Nurse Baker / Nurse Fox / Nurse Plummer / Lt. Clark, RN
John Shearin
The Chopper Pilot
Jon Van Ness
'Truman'
Arthur Song
Korean Man
Scott Lincoln
G.I.
Brigitte Chandler
Nurse / Nurse #2
Dennis Flood
Corpsman
Joann Thompson
Nurse
Natasha Bauman
Nurse
Richard Lee-Sung
2nd Korean / Ham Kim / Cho / Cho Man Chin / The Farmer
Ted Zeigler
Sergeant Dale
Reid Cruickshanks
Staff Sergeant
Judy Farrell
Nurse Able / Nurse Able (uncredited)
Nat Jones
G.I.
Darren O'Connor
Jenkins
Sherry Steffens
Nurse Able
Ted Hamilton
Lieutenant Chivers
Barbara Christopher
Nurse O'Connor
Rollin Moriyama
General Park
Redmond Gleeson
Sergeant Callan
June Kim
Woman with Shaw1 / The Pregnant Woman / Korean Woman
Jeff Osaka
The Younger Children
Jayleen Sun
The Younger Children
Ned Wilson
Colonel Carmichael
Robert Hogan
Smilin' Jack
Dennis Kort
Howard Owens
Anthony Palmer
The Sergeant
Lois Foraker
Nurse Able
Tom Ruben
PFC
Frances Fong
Rosie
Don Eitner
Captain
Barry Cahill
Helicopter Pilot
Susan Sakimoto
Korean Girl / The Oldest Child
James Lough
Enlisted Man
Tom Sullivan
Tom Straw
Larry Block
Stephen Keep Mills
Peter Riegert
William Bogert
Bob Okazaki
Terry Wills
Mike Henry
Yuki Shimoda
Edward Herrmann
James Cromwell
Martin Ferrero
Kit McDonough
Sab Shimono
Chris Mulkey
Patricia Driscoll
Joel Brooks
Paul Linke
Thomas Carter
Philip Sterling
Bernard Fox
Jane Connell
George Wyner
Philip Baker Hall
Jordan Clarke
Andrew Parks
Pat Hingle
Ronny Graham
Writer / Adaptation
Howard Platt
Larry Cedar
Raymond Singer
Susan Saint James
Richard Herd
John Palmer
Jerry Hauser
Rodney Saulsberry
Ed Begley Jr.
Michael Currie
George Lindsey
Ford Rainey
Hugh Gillin
David Dean
Christopher Murney
Rebecca Taylor
Susan Krebs
Charles Hallahan
Michael Talbott
Mel Harris
Rick Hurst
Burt Metcalfe
Executive Producer / Director / Writer
Meshach Taylor
Shelley Long
Susan Blanchard
Philip Bruns
Keye Luke
Mark L. Taylor
Walter Brooke
Charles Aidman
James Stephens
Calvin Levels
David Hunt Stafford
Kelly Ward
Denny Miller
Peter Palmer
Barry Corbin
Oksun Kim
Korean Wife / Korean Woman
Dudley Knight
Major Overman
Raymond Chao
Korean Boy
Carol Lawson Locatell
Nurse Gaynor
Patricia Sturges
Nurse Preston
Susan Bredhoff
Nurse Able
Le Quynh
Korean Husband
Jon Yune
Korean Translater
Jay Fenichel
Patient
J. Andrew Kenny
Patient
Jennifer Davis Westmore
Nurse
Richard Foronjy
Sergeant
Larry Hama
The North Koreans
Richard Doyle
M.P.
Thomas Botosan
Sergeant
Lang Yun
The Woman on Bus
Edward Marshall
Delboss
Phyllis Katz
Nurse Able
Jae Woo Lee
Korean Guard
Mark Anderson
Pvt. Earl 'Jackrabbit' LeMasters
Dennis Howard
Capt. Rackley
Linda Meiklejohn
Lt. Leslie Scorch
Laura Miller
Knocko
G. Wood
Brig. Gen. Charlie Hammond / Brig. Gen. Charlie Hammond (voice)
John C. Johnson
Truck Driver
Robert Gooden
Pvt. Lorenzo Boone
Craig Jue
Benny
Tom Sparks
Corpsman
Jean Powell
Nurse Baker
Bill Svanoe
Aide
Jean Pleet
Nurse
Kasuko Sakuro
Cho-Cho
Bonnie Jones
Lt. Barbara Bannerman
Lizabeth Deen
Becky
Gary Van Ormand
Corporal
Fred Lerner
Patient
Chuck Hicks
Patient
Gail Bowman
Nurse Powell
Kathleen King
Nurse Beddoes
John A. Zee
Commander Sturner
Alan Manson
Colonel Hersh
Wayne Bryan
Private Thompson
Stanley Bennett Clay
Driver
Marilyn King
Miller Sister
Jean Turrell
Miller Sister
Joan Lucksinger
Miller Sister
Jerry Harper
Phillips / Sergeant
Lloyd Kino
Soldier
Deb Newman
Nurse Richards
Lesley Evans
Nurse Bryan / Nurse Mason / Nurse Mitchell
Derick Shimatsu
Chinese Prisoner
Edgar Miller
Kim
Momo Yashima
Kim's Mother
Robert F. Simon
Gen. Maynard M. Mitchell
Louise Vienna Keene
Sylvia Jaffe
Media.
Details.
Release DateSeptember 17, 1972
StatusEnded
Seasons11
Episodes251
Running Time25m
Content RatingTV-PG
Filming LocationsMalibu Creek State Park · Century City, United States of America · Los Angeles County, United States
Genres
Wiki.
M*A*S*H (an acronym for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American war comedy drama television series that aired on CBS from September 17, 1972, to February 28, 1983. It was developed by Larry Gelbart as the first original spin-off series adapted from the 1970 feature film M*A*S*H, which, in turn, was based on Richard Hooker's 1968 novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors. The series, which was produced with 20th Century Fox Television for CBS, follows a team of doctors and support staff stationed at the "4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital" in Uijeongbu, South Korea, during the Korean War (1950–53).
The ensemble cast originally featured Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers as surgeons Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce and "Trapper" John McIntyre, respectively, as the protagonists of the show; joined by Larry Linville as surgeon Frank Burns, Loretta Swit as head nurse Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan, McLean Stevenson as company commander Henry Blake, Gary Burghoff as company clerk Walter "Radar" O'Reilly, Jamie Farr as orderly Maxwell Klinger, and William Christopher as the chaplain, Father John Mulcahy. Over the run of the show, several members of the main cast were replaced: Wayne Rogers was replaced by Mike Farrell as B. J. Hunnicutt, McLean Stevenson was replaced by Harry Morgan as Sherman Potter, Larry Linville was replaced by David Ogden Stiers as Charles Emerson Winchester III, and when Gary Burghoff left the show, the Maxwell Klinger character moved into the company clerk role. Longtime supporting cast members included Kellye Nakahara, Jeff Maxwell, Allan Arbus, and Edward Winter.
The series varied in style and tone – including broad comedy and tragic drama – which can be attributed to fluctuating writing staff over the life of the show, and the variety of sources contributing to the stories, such as actor Alan Alda and surgeons who served in the Korean War. The show's title sequence features an instrumental version of "Suicide Is Painless", the original film's theme song.The show was created after an attempt to film the original book's sequel, M*A*S*H Goes to Maine, failed. The television series is the best-known of the M*A*S*H works, and one of the highest-rated shows in U.S. television history. Its final episode, "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen", was the most-watched television broadcast in American history from 1983 until 2010, and remains both the most-watched finale of any television series and the most-watched episode of a scripted series.