MASH: Cast and Crew Remember the Big Series Finale, 35 Years Later

Can you believe it’s been 35 years since MASH ended? Recently, the cast and crew spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the CBS series’ big finale.

The classic TV show centered on the staff of the U.S. Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War. The cast included Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, McLean Stevenson, Loretta Swit, Larry Linville, and Gary Burghoff. The series ran on CBS from 1972 to 1983.

Speaking to THR, Loretta Swit recalled her memories of filming the big MASH finale, which broke viewership records with around 106 million viewers:

A few episodes before, Margaret had borrowed a book of poems from Winchester. He got angry with me at one point and made me return it. In real life, we had this running gag. I would tease David all the time that no one had his private phone number. He was very much his own person, very reclusive in a way. So, in the final episode Winchester gives Margaret the book back. I open it and read the inscription. David had written his phone number inside. That’s my real emotion on camera.”

Writer David Pollock added:

That night we had a special showing for the staff on the lot, earlier than when it aired on TV. Afterward, we drove to our favorite restaurant in Westwood. On the way, we noticed there were no cars on the street. Everyone was home watching.”

Alan Alda later said he’s proud of the show’s legacy:

 We’re all proud of what we did. The show was so remarkable that we all get asked about it all the time. Everybody includes it in every interview.”

What do you think? Are you a fan of MASH? Would you watch a reboot and/or reunion special?