The Ultimate Crossover: Unveiling the 5 MASH Actors Who Starred in the Sequel Show!
Reunited in AfterMASH, the beloved 4077 crew from MASH made memorable appearances Discover the 5 iconic characters who returned, including Sherman T Potter, Maxwell Q Klinger, Father John Mulcahy, Soon-Lee Klinger, and Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly
Summary
AfterMASH was a spin-off of MASH that continued the story of several beloved characters as they re-settled in the States after being stationed in South Korea.
Sherman T. Potter, the commanding officer of the 4077th MASH, was later reunited with his wife Mildred in the spin-off series and assumed the role of chief of staff at General General.
Upon returning home in AfterMASH, Klinger faced challenges in regaining his previous life and eventually took on the position of administrative assistant to Potter at General General.
Other MASH characters appeared in AfterMASH, including Father Mulcahy, Soon-Lee, and Radar. AfterMASH, the spin-off series of MASH, featured familiar faces from the beloved 4077th mobile army surgical unit in Korea. CBS, wanting to capitalize on MASH's popularity, aimed to prolong the airtime of the show. Despite this, Alan Alda, who portrayed the lead character Captain Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce, decided to retire from the role after over a decade. However, not all cast members followed suit, giving the network the opportunity to extend the franchise through AfterMASH.
5 Sherman T. Potter
Despite the end of MASH in 1982, it is understandable that CBS sought to capitalize on its popularity. The series' highly revered finale, "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen," remains the most-watched series finale to date. CBS went on to launch three spin-offs, with AfterMASH being the most notable. What set AfterMASH apart was its premise and ensemble cast, as it featured multiple characters from the original show. The spin-off followed these characters as they readjusted to life back in the United States after their extended service in South Korea.
Colonel Sherman T. Potter (Harry Morgan), the commanding officer of the 4077th MASH, found himself back home in Missouri in AfterMASH. Along with reminiscing about his past experiences in wars, Potter also revealed glimpses of his personal life prior to his deployment in the Korean War. Although Potter often mentioned his wife, Mildred, in MASH, she never appeared physically until they were reunited in AfterMASH. After the initial excitement of retirement faded away, Potter resumed his medical practice and took on the role of chief of staff at General Pershing Veterans' Hospital, commonly known as General General.
4 Maxwell Q. Klinger
In a surprising turn of events, cross-dressed character Maxwell Q. Klinger decides to remain in Korea at the end of MASH, despite his previous efforts to obtain Section 8 and return home. This unexpected choice follows his previous heartbreak from his divorce with Laverne. Klinger ultimately finds love in Korea and marries Soon-Lee. Instead of immediately going back to the United States, they make the decision to stay in Korea in order to search for Soon-Lee's missing family.
In the spin-off series AfterMASH, Klinger does return home briefly but soon realizes that reintegrating into his old life is not as simple as he had anticipated. This unforeseen challenge contradicts his previous fervent attempts to be discharged from the military and sent home. Eventually, Colonel Potter offers Klinger a job as his administrative assistant at General, General, effectively re-establishing their previous dynamic from their time together in Korea as commanding officer and company clerk at the 4077th.
3 Father John Mulcahy
2 Soon-Lee Klinger
Father John Mulcahy, one of the original characters from MASH, holds a unique distinction of appearing throughout all 11 seasons of the show. His return in AfterMASH was a significant moment. While every character faced challenges in transitioning after the war, Father Mulcahy's situation was particularly devastating. The MASH finale left him deaf, leading him to turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism. However, with the help of Potter, he underwent surgery to regain his hearing and slowly began to rebuild his life. Following in Klinger's footsteps, Father Mulcahy relocated to Missouri where he assumed the role of the Catholic chaplain at General General.
Rosalind Chao portrayed Soon-Lee, Klinger's wife, in AfterMASH. Despite joining the MASH series later, her character played a significant role. Klinger's decision to remain in Korea was driven by Soon-Lee's determination to locate her missing parents. In AfterMASH, their love was still strong, and they eventually had a baby. Soon-Lee resided with the Potters while Klinger pretended to be insane to avoid imprisonment.
1 Walter "Radar" O'Reilly
Gary Burghoff, although not part of the main cast of AfterMASH, made a guest appearance reprising his role as Walter "Radar" O'Reilly in the MASH spin-off. Unlike the other members of the 4077, Radar had an advantage in readjusting to civilian life after being discharged in season 8. Potter, Klinger, and Mulcahy had planned to travel to Idaho for Radar's wedding, but he surprised everyone by showing up in Missouri, in a state of panic due to suspicions of his fiancée's infidelity. Radar's appearance in AfterMASH served as a backdoor pilot for his own spin-off show, W*A*L*T*E*R, which unfortunately was never picked up.
