The Jaw-Dropping MASH Character Recast You Totally Missed!

MASH experienced a turnover in its cast, with several members exiting, but it also witnessed a subtle recasting early on. It premiered in 1972 and went on to have a magnificent 11-season run, improving with each passing episode. The show is set in the Korean War during the 1950s and revolves around the 4077th mobile army surgical hospital and its staff. While it was an ensemble show, it became evident that Alan Alda's Captain Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce was the core character of the series. Nevertheless, the success of MASH was only possible due to the remarkable supporting characters surrounding him.

Despite the growing popularity of the show, MASH experienced a departure of some original cast members during its early stages. McLean Stevenson, who played Henry Blake, and Wayne Rogers, who portrayed Trapper John McIntyre, left the series for personal reasons. Later on, Larry Linville's Frank Burns and Gary Burghoff's Walter Eugene "Radar" O'Reilly also departed. This opened the door for the introduction of new actors like Mike Farrell's B.J. Hunnicutt and Harry Morgan's Sherman T. Potter, among others. While there were numerous original actors who remained with MASH throughout its entire run, there was one character who was recast immediately after the pilot episode.

William Christopher Didn't Play Father Mulcahy In The MASH Pilot

Only three characters from MASH appeared in all 11 seasons of the show: Hawkeye, Margaret, and Father Mulcahy. While the first two were played by Alda and Switt throughout the entire run, Father Mulcahy was actually recast. In the MASH pilot, George Morgan portrayed Father Mulcahy. However, he didn't leave much of an impression as his scenes were primarily him doing random things and he had few lines. In one episode, Hawkeye and Trapper staged a secret party and rigged a raffle to win a pass to Tokyo. Surprisingly, Father Mulcahy ended up winning, but the party was quickly interrupted by Blake and his superior. Due to Morgan's lack of memorability, he was replaced by William Christopher, who successfully portrayed the role for over a decade.

Why George Morgan Was Recast As Father Mulcahy

Years after the conclusion of MASH, Larry Gelbart, the executive producer, revealed on the alt.tv.mash Usenet group that he, along with his fellow executive producer Gene Reynolds, decided to make a change in casting. Gelbart clarified that their decision to go with Bill Christopher for the role was not due to any lack of talent on George Morgan's part. Reynolds later added more context to this decision on the same forum, stating that while Morgan was a fine actor, they were seeking someone with a more unusual and distinctive personality that they wouldn't have to specifically write into the script.

Ultimately, they were looking for someone who could leave a lasting impression in the role, which Christopher was able to do. Despite not always being in the spotlight, Christopher played an integral role in the 4077 and made the most of every opportunity he had to shine. Like all the characters, he had his own distinctive quirks and idiosyncrasies, which made his interactions with the rest of the cast even more enjoyable for the audience.

Source: alt.tv.mash Usenet group, mash4077tv