It’s no surprise that some celebrity big wigs actually served in the US Military. We have Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Jackie Robinson, and even Adam Driver. But did you know that there were 3 cast members of the series M*A*S*H that served in Korea?
The 1972 hit sitcom MASH became a household favorite. The actors casted for the show; Alan Alda, Jamie Farr, and Mike Farrell served in the US Military and were stationed in Korea after the war. Jamie Farr even wore his own dog tags in the show.
What was MASH About?
The acronym MASH is really used in the army. It stands for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and that’s what the show as basically about; the staff of a MASH unit stationed in Korea.
It was one of the top rated sitcoms of the 70s and it lasted for 11 years with 251 episodes. Coincidentally, three of the stars casted for the show actually served in the US Military and were stationed in Korea too! (Source: ABC News)
Who is Alan Alda?
Alan Alda was born in New York but spent most of his childhood travelling all around the United States because of the nature of his father’s job. His father was an actor and singer while his mother was a housewife and a former beauty-pageant winner.
After graduating from Fordham, he did a six-month tour as a gunnery officer during the Korean War. After his stint in Korea, he started acting. He was part of a comedy revue directed by Paul Sills in the 50s. He then joined Cleveland Play House towards the 60s. (Source: IMDB)
Who is Jamie Farr?
The Lebanese-American actor first started performing at 11. He won at a local acting contest and was eventually discovered by a talent scout from MGM Studios.
Some of his first films were Blackboard Jungle and Kismet. After shooting for these films he was drafted into the US Army for the 6th Infantry Division at California. He served for two years in Japan and Korea. (Source: IMDB)
Who is Mike Farrell?
Michael Joseph Farrell Jr. was born in Minnesota. His family moved to Hollywood at the age of 2. His father worked as a studio carpenter. After attending high school, he joined the US Marine Corps. He served from 1957 to 1959. After getting discharged, he worked odd jobs and then tried out acting.
He joined the show at the end of the third season when Wayne Rogers had left. He was not just an actor in the show, he was big fan prior to being hired. (Source: IMDB)
Where are They Today?
It’s nice to know that Alda, Farr and Farrell are all doing well and are still active in the movie scene. Alda recently played the role of Dr. Arthur Amiot in the Ray Donovan TV Series. Farr was on the show The Cool Kids. And Farrell played a Judge in NCIS.
Though Alda was the one who stayed on the show longer, their acting careers took off after playing their roles on MASH. (Source: IMDB)