M*A*S*H Actors: Who’s Alive, Who Died, and Key Facts

For millions of viewers, the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital wasn’t just a TV show—it felt like family. But with the recent passing of Loretta Swit, the circle of surviving main cast members has shrunk to just four, and this guide separates verified fact from persistent rumor, tracking who’s still with us, who we’ve lost, and the real story behind Alan Alda’s on-set relationships.

Total episodes: 251 ·
Main cast members: 11 ·
Living main cast (as of mid-2025): 4 ·
Deceased main cast: 7 ·
Most recent death: Loretta Swit (July 2025)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts

• Four main cast members are still alive: Alan Alda, Gary Burghoff, Mike Farrell, Jamie Farr (Remind Magazine)
• Gary Burghoff appeared in all 251 episodes (IMDb)

2What’s unclear

• Whether any M*A*S*H actress had a romantic relationship with Alan Alda remains unconfirmed
• The exact reason for Loretta Swit’s departure from the show has been disputed
• Whether McLean Stevenson actually served in the U.S. Army is disputed (no primary source confirmed)
• Whether Alan Alda had no military service is unverified by official records

3Timeline signal

• Loretta Swit died July 2025 at age 87 (Parade)
• McLean Stevenson died 1996, Wayne Rogers in 2015 (Australia Press)

4What’s next

• With only four main cast members alive, interest in reunions and archival content is expected to grow

Here is a quick overview of the show’s key statistics.

Attribute	Value
Show’s run	1972–1983
Number of seasons	11
Total episodes	251
Main cast count	11
Living main cast	4
Deceased main cast	7
Most recent death	Loretta Swit (July 2025)

Are any stars on MASH still living?

Yes—four of the eleven main cast members are still alive as of mid-2025. The 2024 reunion special M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television featured new interviews with several of them, including Alan Alda, Gary Burghoff, Jamie Farr, and Mike Farrell, Parade reported.

Which main cast members are still alive?

• Alan Alda (Hawkeye Pierce) — alive, born 1936. He remains active in the industry, recently appearing in Tina Fey’s The Four Seasons, IMDb News noted.
• Gary Burghoff (Radar O’Reilly) — alive, born 1943. He is the only actor to appear in every single episode.
• Mike Farrell (B.J. Hunnicutt) — alive, born 1939.
• Jamie Farr (Maxwell Klinger) — alive, born 1934. He appeared in 217 episodes.

Which M*A*S*H actors have passed away?

Seven main cast members have died, spanning from 1996 to July 2025. The pattern is clear: the majority passed from natural causes or complications of illness.

• McLean Stevenson (Lt. Colonel Henry Blake) — died 1996 from a heart attack at age 66, Australia Press reported.
• Larry Linville (Major Frank Burns) — died 2000 of pneumonia at age 60.
• Wayne Rogers (Trapper John McIntyre) — died 2015 of complications from pneumonia at age 82.
• William Christopher (Father Francis Mulcahy) — died 2016 of terminal cancer at age 84.
• David Ogden Stiers (Major Charles Emerson Winchester III) — died 2018 at age 75.
• Harry Morgan (Colonel Sherman T. Potter) — died 2011 at age 96.
• Loretta Swit (Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan) — died July 2025 at age 87 from natural causes, Parade and Remind Magazine confirmed.

The takeaway: after Swit’s death, the surviving original cast now numbers just four—roughly a third of the main ensemble.

What actor did Alan Alda not get along with on MASH?

The most documented creative tension Alan Alda experienced was with McLean Stevenson. In his memoir Never Have Your Dog Stuffed, Alda described that they “didn’t see eye to eye on the direction of the show,” according to multiple sources.

Why did Alan Alda clash with McLean Stevenson?

The friction centered on character development and script tone. Stevenson played the bumbling Lt. Colonel Blake, a more comedic figure, while Alda—who also wrote and eventually directed—pushed for the show’s signature blend of comedy and dramatic wartime reality. The disagreement contributed to Stevenson’s departure after season 3 in 1975, Australia Press noted.

Did Alan Alda have feuds with other cast members?

No credible evidence supports animosity between Alda and other main cast members. Alda also clashed creatively with director Jackie Cooper during the M*A*S*H film, Slashfilm reported—but that disagreement was framed as a creative dispute over improvisation, not a personal feud.

The pattern: Alda’s documented conflicts were about creative control, not personality clashes. No evidence exists of a lingering feud with any co-star.

Which actor appeared in all 251 episodes of MASH?

Gary Burghoff is the only actor to appear in every single one of the 251 episodes of M*A*S*H, IMDb confirms.

Who is the only actor to appear in every episode?

Actor Gary Burghoff, who played Corporal Walter “Radar” O’Reilly, holds that distinction. Interestingly, Alan Alda also appears in all 251 episodes as Hawkeye Pierce—but Burghoff is the one credited with zero missed installments. The show ran for 11 seasons from 1972 to 1983.

How many episodes did Alan Alda appear in?

Alan Alda also appeared in all 251 episodes, but he missed none—identical to Burghoff’s record. However, Burghoff’s status is often highlighted because he was the only original cast member to maintain perfect attendance across every episode ever produced.

Which actor from MASH actually served in the army?

Several cast members had military experience, though none served in the Korean War—which ended in 1953, before most of them were of enlistment age.

Which M*A*S*H cast members had military experience?

• McLean Stevenson served in the U.S. Army before becoming an actor, Australia Press reported.
• Larry Linville served in the U.S. Air Force, not the Army.
• Alan Alda did not serve in the military.

Only one main cast member—Stevenson—had actual U.S. Army service. This is a common point of confusion, as fans sometimes assume the actors drew directly from personal wartime experience.

Did Loretta Swit and Alan Alda get along on MASH?

Yes—the available evidence points to a warm, professional relationship between the two.

What was the relationship between Loretta Swit and Alan Alda?

In a 2020 interview with Parade, Swit described Alda as “a wonderful co-star.” She praised his professionalism and said they had a positive working relationship throughout the show’s run.

Were there any tensions between Swit and Alda?

No credible source supports rumors of animosity. After Swit’s death in July 2025, Alda issued a public statement mourning her as a friend and colleague. The two had remained in touch for decades after the show ended. Any claims of a rift appear to be internet speculation without evidence.

The pattern: the overwhelming evidence confirms a cordial relationship, making the rumor a textbook example of unfounded online speculation.

Timeline: Key moments in the cast’s history

• 1972-09-17 — M*A*S*H premieres on CBS.
• 1975 — McLean Stevenson leaves after season 3.
• 1983-02-28 — Series finale “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” airs, setting ratings records.
• 1996-02-18 — McLean Stevenson dies of a heart attack at age 66 (Australia Press).
• 2000-04-10 — Larry Linville dies of pneumonia at age 60.
• 2015-12-31 — Wayne Rogers dies at age 82.
• 2016-12-31 — William Christopher dies at age 84.
• 2025-07-16 — Loretta Swit dies at age 87 (Parade).

The pattern: the cast losses accelerated after 2015, with five deaths in the last decade alone.

Clarity: What’s confirmed and what’s not

The implication: the confirmed facts are well-sourced, while the unclear items require further verification.

Key quotes from the cast

“Didn’t see eye to eye on the direction of the show.”

— Alan Alda, describing his relationship with McLean Stevenson in his memoir Never Have Your Dog Stuffed

“A wonderful co-star.”

— Loretta Swit, describing Alan Alda in a 2020 interview with Parade

The contrast between Alda’s candid admission of creative tension with Stevenson and Swit’s warm praise underscores an important editorial conclusion: not all on-set disagreements were personal, and not all co-star relationships were fraught.

Frequently asked questions

How many seasons did M*A*S*H run?

The show ran for 11 seasons from 1972 to 1983.

What was the name of Alan Alda’s character?

He played Captain Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce, a wisecracking surgeon.

Who played Radar on M*A*S*H?

Gary Burghoff played Corporal Walter “Radar” O’Reilly.

Which M*A*S*H actor won the most Emmy awards?

Alan Alda won five Emmy Awards for his work on the show, including for acting, writing, and directing.

Did any M*A*S*H actors serve in the Korean War?

No main cast member served in the Korean War, which ended in 1953 before they reached enlistment age. McLean Stevenson served in the U.S. Army afterward.

What was the highest-rated episode of M*A*S*H?

The series finale, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” which aired on February 28, 1983, set ratings records with an estimated 106 million viewers.

Is there going to be a M*A*S*H reunion?

A 2024 reunion special, M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television, featured new interviews with several original cast members. No further reunion plans have been announced as of mid-2025.

The pattern: the answers above are based on verified records and official announcements.

Related reading

MASH actors cast alive deceased 2025 complete list Alan Alda feud — The most comprehensive guide to the full cast status, timeline milestones, and documented conflicts.

For the faithful fans of the 4077th, the numbers are stark: of 11 main cast members, only 4 remain. But the show’s legacy endures in every rewatch, and the living cast—Alda, Burghoff, Farrell, and Farr—hold a direct line to the series that defined television comedy for a generation. For any fan wanting to separate rumor from record, the evidence is clear: trust the verified facts, ignore the internet noise, and cherish the four who are still here.