After M*A*S*H ended, fans couldn’t get enough of the show. There was the hugely successful Binding Up the Wounds Smithsonian Exhibit, several books released, and even a LaserDisc of the series finale sold. Meanwhile, the actors, some of whom had worked together for eleven years, vowed to keep the cast together. Following the finale, a press release announced that the cast would continue to get together annually. Let’s take a closer look!
Following the finale, the press was really interested in how often the M*A*S*H cast would see each other. A press release from March 2, 1983 proclaimed, “All of the aforementioned stars may have been “discharged”‘ on February 28, but the day will remain memorable. On that date in February, 1984, and every February 28 thereafter, the cast intends to stage a M*A*S*H reunion, party to be held on the same studio sound stage at Fort 20th Century-Fox, where so many episodes were shot and the series’ now famous farewell party was held.” That’s a pretty bold claim considering that sound stage would be used for other television series. Not to mention that the actors would all go on to do other jobs, or even leave Hollywood as was the case for Gary Burghoff.
Of course, I cannot say for sure whether the M*A*S*H cast did reunite each year on Stage 9. Some cast members lived on opposite coasts, and I am sure their work schedule kept them apart some years. However, there have been several cast reunions that fans can enjoy. The first was 1991’s Memories of M*A*S*H. The documentary was put together for the series’ 20th anniversary, but it really wasn’t a reunion. The cast members were interviewed separately for the special. That was different for the 2002 television special M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion. This event did gather members of the cast and producers for a full two hours. This one is my favorite because they are on a recreation of the Stage 9 set. More recently, the cast has also reunited virtually on Alan Alda’s Podcast Clear & Vivid. They appeared in episodes in 2019 and again in 2020. They truly seem to enjoy each others company, and it is great to see that they are still friends after 50 years!
The M*A*S*H Historian 