MishM*A*S*H 47: M*A*S*H Playing Cards

In the early 1980s, M*A*S*H fans could purchase a wide variety of licensed products. The products ranged from M*A*S*H themed alcohol, action figures, Halloween costumes, trivia games, toys, and clothing (I previously wrote about a licensed products kit distributed by 20th Century Fox Television). There was something for every fan no matter their age or budget. I enjoy the variety of toys, puzzles, and board games that were available, but there was one product that made sense to sell since it often played a direct role in the series: playing cards. Whether it was a poker game in the Swamp or the Officers’ Club, a deck of cards was pivotal to the plot of several M*A*S*H episodes. So, when M*A*S*H celebrated its 10th anniversary, there were two different sets of playing cards released to celebrate. In this week’s post, we will review each of those playing card sets!

Single Deck

The first set of cards is a single deck in a blister pack that boldly advertises that M*A*S*H was “celebrating our 10th anniversary 1981-82.” The back of the cards feature a cast photo outside at Malibu Creek State Park by the famous sign post. The deck was released in 1981, but the packaging does not list who produced the playing cards. Instead, it only lists the copyright information for 20th Century Fox Television. This package has never been opened, and I intend to keep it that. Unfortunately, it is possible that one of the playing cards might have more information about the manufacturer of the deck. The photo featured on the cards is probably one of the most widely used cast photos. And having a cast photo on the card back would have caught people’s attention as they saw the cards on store shelves.

Playing Card Album

The second set of playing cards features a “Special edition collector’s playing card album.” Again, this set was made to celebrate the show’s 10th anniversary, and it even shares similar camouflage patters. Instead of being in a blister pack, the cards are housed in a cardboard “album.” The album opens like a book, and it features photos of the cast and includes two decks of playing cards. The cards in this set are more plain as they only feature the M*A*S*H 4077th logo along with the red cross and caduceus. These cards were made by TDC, Inc. in 1981, and the cardboard album packaging was produced by the Professional Advertising Company. I have seen these decks of cards sell individually, so I am not sure whether the cards were sold separately from the album, or whether the cards were separated from the cardboard album over time. Like the other deck of cards, these are still sealed.

The 10th anniversary of M*A*S*H was celebrated with press releases and licensed products as a way to engage fans. Any show that makes it to a decade on the air is an achievement worth celebrating, and it made sense that Fox and CBS would want to advertise the milestone for one of their most popular shows. Items like this were another way for fans to connect with their favorite TV show. Releasing items such as playing cards was a great tie in since the characters are often seen playing poker, bridge, and other games. When M*A*S*H started in 1972, licensed products for television programs wasn’t as common as it was by the time series ended in 1983. In that span of 11 years, M*A*S*H went from having virtually no licensed products to having hundreds by the mid-1980s. Unfortunately, that means that there are very few products featuring the early cast. The dual playing card collection set would have been cool if one deck featured the original cast and the other featured the cast of 1981. I know that would have been difficult to do legally since McLean Stevenson, Wayne Rogers, Larry Linville, and Gary Burghoff were no longer under contract with 20th Century Fox Television, but it would have been great one celebrate the full M*A*S*H cast for its 10th anniversary.