M*A*S*H

[Salty]

Most of us have seen MASH on TV.

My question to you is how realistic is the TV show?

What parts were totally fiction?

Open for discussion

 

[prophecy70]

Most of us have seen MASH on TV.

My question to you is how realistic is the TV show?

What parts were totally fiction?

Open for discussion

Im actually watching this right now from the beginning to end!

 

[JohnDeereFan]

Of course, nothing about it was accurate at all.

Interesting that Richard Hornberger, the real life Army surgeon upon whom "Hawkeye" was based, was furious about the TV show portrayed his character and the Army.

He stated that, although it's true he was drafted, as was the character "Hawkeye", that's about where the similarities ended. Hawkeye hated the Army, hated the war, and complained constantly. Hornberger, on the other hand, said that, although the Army wasn't his choice, he was very proud of his service and what they were able to accomplish.

In a documentary about MASH units, a couple of the nurses from the 8055 MASH (the real life unit upon which the 4077 was based), confirmed that there was fraternization between the doctors and nurses and that there was alcohol involved, although not nearly to the extent as portrayed on the TV show.

 

[Salty]

Of course, nothing about it was accurate at all.

Disagree - many things are based on real life Army

For Starters -Radar ran the company - which is often the case.
There is a lot of wheeling and dealing going on - though that would normally be done by the Supply Sgt
GI's always complain about the food.
There is that episode about 25 meal trays missing and who signed for them - absolutely true.

... Richard Hornberger,... He stated that, although it's true he was drafted, as was the character "Hawkeye", that's about where the similarities ended. Hawkeye hated the Army, hated the war, and complained constantly. Hornberger, on the other hand, said that, although the Army wasn't his choice, he was very proud of his service and what they were able to accomplish. ....

This I do agree with.

 

[agedman]

Didn't Hornberger consider that the movie was rather accurate portrayal, but the TV show was not?

 

[Yeshua1]

Didn't Hornberger consider that the movie was rather accurate portrayal, but the TV show was not?

I think that the comedy elements were not all of the time in real life!

 

[rsr]

H. Richard Hornberger, 73, Surgeon Behind 'M*A*S*H'

Dr. Hornberger modeled the character of Capt. Benjamin Franklin (Hawkeye) Pierce after himself, his son said. Partly for that reason, he disliked the television series and almost never watched it.

''He liked the movie because he thought it followed his original intent very closely,'' William Hornberger said. ''But my father was a political conservative, and he did not like the liberal tendencies that Alan Alda portrayed Hawkeye Pierce as having.''

''My father didn't write an anti-war book,'' he added. ''It was a humorous account of his work, with serious parts thrown in about the awful kind of work it was, and how difficult and challenging it was.''