“Hawkeye Is Devastated To Learn Trapper John Has Died:” The Cruel Joke Producers Played On MASH’s Forgotten Spinoff

When the producers of MASH found out about CBS’ spinoff Trapper John, MD, they decided to play a mean practical joke on the network. Following the shock death of Henry Blake in MASH’s season 3 finale, the show was dealt a blow when Wayne Rogers decided to leave immediately afterward. When the series began, the “Trapper” actor had been assured his character would be the co-lead, but after Trapper’s role gradually diminished, Rogers decided to exit. That’s why Trapper left without saying goodbye to supposed best pal Hawkeye (Alan Alda) when season 4 began.

Rogers was later offered the chance to front CBS’ spinoff Trapper John, MD. The actor passed – not wanting to be typecast in doctor roles – and veteran actor Pernell Roberts (Bonanza) took on the role instead. What sets this MASH spinoff apar is that it’s a straight drama instead of a comedy. Bizarrely, the series never made use of its MASH connection, rarely referencing Trapper’s wartime experiences while no other characters from the show reappeared.

MASH’s Producers Pretended To Kill Off Trapper John Ahead Of The Character’s Solo Spinoff

CBS’ Trapper John, MD got a nasty surprise ahead of its 1979 debut

None of the creatives on MASH were involved with Trapper John, MD, with the show truly being its own distinct entity. Writer Ken Levine worked on MASH for a period, and on his blog By Ken Levine recalled a gag one of the producers pulled on CBS. When submitting loglines for an upcoming batch of episodes, producer John Rappaport submitted the fake synopsis “Hawkeye is devastated to learn that his buddy Trapper John has died back in the States.” Naturally, this caused a major panic at the network.

John gets a frantic call from the network. “You can’t do that!” they pleaded. “We have a show starring Trapper John.” Rappaport shrugged and said, “That’s not our problem.” The network insisted they drop the story. John said, “It’s too late. We already filmed it.”

The pilot episode of Trapper John, MD featured both archive footage from MASH and a photo of Rogers and Alda as Trapper and Hawkeye. While the links between the two shows were kept vague, it appears CBS’ original plan involved a certain amount of crossover between them. Rappaport’s MASH gag would have meant that Trapper John died decades before his spinoff began, which would have created all sorts of issues.

That’s why Levine recalls the network rep being “apoplectic” at the news until Rappaport’s admitted it was a prank. Trapper John, MD went on to debut in September 1979 and proved to be a surprise hit. The medical drama ran for seven seasons in all, wrapping up in 1986. To date, it’s the final entry in the MASH franchise.

Trapper John, MD Later Distanced Itself From MASH

CBS later insisted the show was based on the MASH movie

However tenuous the connections already were, Trapper John, MD all but severed every link it had to MASH later down the road. This was due to a dispute with producer Ingo Preminger, who produced the 1970 Robert Altman MASH movie. Preminger claimed that since he had optioned the original novel by Richard Hooker, he was entitled to the first right of refusal to any spinoff, Trapper John, MD included (via Entertainment Law Reporter). This lawsuit eventually determined that Preminger was owed 25% of the offshoot’s profits, but that he wasn’t entitled to the right to produce it.

This case also determined that Trapper John, MD followed Altman’s MASH film, not the television series starring Alan Alda. Again, it feels like Trapper John, MD left a lot of interesting material on the table by ignoring its parent series. Older versions of characters like Radar, Margaret or even Hawkeye could have appeared, and a flashback or two to Trapper’s time in Korea wouldn’t have hurt. Instead, with a few name changes, the show could have been any number of hospital melodramas produced during this time.

MASH’s Fake Trapper John Pitch Would Have Actually Worked For The Show

The Trapper/Hawkeye friendship could have resolved itself in a tragic way

It may have been a twisted gag by MASH’s producers, but the notion of Trapper dying offscreen and Hawkeye having to resolve his complicated feelings could have made for a powerful episode. Hawkeye was left wounded by Trapper leaving Korea without so much as a farewell note. The fact he didn’t pen a letter to Hawkeye in the aftermath suggested Trapper viewed their friendship as one of convenience and once his time in Korea was done, he wanted to move on.

Had MASH revealed Trapper died back in America, both audiences and Hawkeye would have had to examine their feelings towards him. Still, this could have offered Alda’s surgeon a degree of resolution, which he never achieved on the series. Producers may have been hesitant to do this for a few reasons though, including the backlash to Blake’s demise and the fact Trapper John, MD was also running.

After Rogers exited MASH, the show rarely referenced Trapper either, as they wanted the spotlight on his replacement B.J. (Mike Farrell) instead. It may have only been a joke, but there would have been an innate tragedy about Trapper dying after he went home – and Hawkeye being left with a sense of unfinished business.

Source: By Ken Levine, Entertainment Law Reporter

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  M*A*S*H is a drama-comedy series set during the Korean War, centering on the lives of the staff at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital as they navigate the challenges of wartime medical service with humor and resilience.

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  Trapper John, M.D. is a television series that follows the life of Dr. Trapper John McIntyre, a veteran surgeon, as he navigates his career and personal relationships at San Francisco Memorial Hospital.