Posted on by RJ

50th Anniversary of M*A*S*H: 1972-2022

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M*A*S*H celebrates its 50th anniversary today. The series premiered on CBS on Sunday, September 17th, 1972 in the United States. I cannot believe how quickly the years have flown by. When I started this website in 1999, M*A*S*H was just 27 years old (and had been off the air for only 16 years) and now here we are commemorating five decades of one of television’s most acclaimed sitcoms.

This is a big anniversary for M*A*S*H. Expect to see mention of the anniversary in the news media and online and elsewhere. Here at MASH4077TV.com, I’m celebrating 50 years of M*A*S*H with weekly 50 Years of M*A*S*H posts for the next year noting which episode or repeat aired 50 years ago on CBS, monthly Through the Years posts with images from a variety of episodes showing how each character evolved, and a monthly 50th Anniversary Episode Poll.

Jeff Maxwell (Private Igor) and Ryan Patrick, hosts of the M*A*S*H Matters Podcast, are holding a special celebration today at the outdoor filming site in Malibu Creek State Park. On September 13th, cable channel Reelz aired a new television special called “M*A*S*H: When Television Changed Forever” that includes new interviews with Jamie Farr, Mike Farrell, Jeff Maxwell, and others.

This past week, digital specialty network aired “The Best by Farr,” a collection of 10 episodes chosen and introduced by Jamie Farr. And earlier this summer, Centennial Entertainment published a new magazine called Hollywood Spotlight: The Ultimate Guide to M*A*S*H.

How do you plan on celebrating the 50th anniversary of M*A*S*H? Will you rewatch the pilot episode? Sit down for a marathon of your favorite episodes?

I’ll update this post with any comments or statements on the 50th anniversary from surviving members of the M*A*S*H cast or crew.

Monday, September 19th, 2022 Update: Alan Alda and Mike Farrell reunited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of M*A*S*H. Alda shared a photograph on Twitter:

If you can’t see his tweet, here’s the text:

Mike Farrell and I today toasting the 50th anniversary of the show that changed our lives – and our brilliant pals who made it what it was. MASH was a great gift to us.

Loretta Swit also tweeted about the anniversary:

50 YEARS🎊Happy #Mashaversary! How it all began❤️What a journey!#globalmashfamily
#mashfansarethebestfans #mashfamily 💕 #mashfamforever #chills
#mash4077 #4077mash #4077th #mash4077th #margarethoulihan #premiere #50thanniversary #otd #Sept171972 #nostalgia #retrotv #mash

Jeff Maxwell and his podcast co-host Ryan Patrick also tweeted several times about the anniversary:

Happy 50th Anniversary #MASH!

Yesterday, Jeff & Ryan commemorated the special event with a quick trip to Stage 9 at Twentieth-Century Fox Studios!

These pics were taken mere seconds before security escorted Jeff off the premises.

A #MASH 50th Anniversary Message froM Jeff & Ryan.

Special thanks to everyone who came out for the #MASH 50th Anniversary event at Malibu Creek State Park. It was a day we will never forget. You are the #finestkind

And scriptwriter Ken Levine, who recently ended his blog, tweeted the picture of Alda and Farrell with a 50th anniversary message:

What an honor writing for these two gentlemen. Happy 50th anniversary.

10 Replies to “50th Anniversary of M*A*S*H: 1972-2022”

  1. I will be doing the hike out to the set this morning. I also participated in some of the other things going on for the anniversary.

    Reply

  2. So, in connection with the opening seconds of the first episode, should we be thinking “150 Years Ago Today”…?

    Will be slotting in my DVD of the first episode at exactly 8 p.m.. on Saturday night, and pretend that it’s actually Sunday night. And 1972.

    Reply

  3. Hey, M *A*S*H has been a big part of my life and my family since the beginning. In the 1970’s as a young kid I remember putting up with the show while waiting for my shows to come on the air. Over time I out grew the other shows and grew into M *A*S*H. At college most of my dorm mates and I watched the goodbye episode along with much of the nation — In our dorm it was a 36″ color tv. As my own family grew so did my M *A*S*H memorabilia. I have many of the models, books and recently one of my daughters found the bubble gum trading cards for me in a big city junk store. We have been to Packo’s several times. When my daughters were young they would “duck walk” to the start near nightly viewings of M *A*S*H which we originally watched on vhs, and later on dvd. We watched the the 30 year Anniversary when it came as a family. And yes I have gone to Comic Con to get autographs photos and to hear the actors speak.

    In honor of the 50th Anniversary my daughters (Now in their 20’s) and I had commemorative shirts made : “Thanks for the Memories:” and wore them to our respective jobs. We have been running an all episode M *A*S*H athon (not quite done yet) and got together virtually on Sunday to watch the 30 year anniversary show again.
    As the shirts say “thanks for the memories” and we’re not done yet.

    Reply

  4. Now that we are at the 50th anniversary, does anyone know anything about the likelihood of a fully remastered 4:3 BluRay set of MASH?

    Has it already come out and I have missed it? It seems odd that such a momentous TV show is not available to buy in a definitive blu-ray edition?

    Reply

    1. happi 50th anniversaryhappy birthday loretta’air Eskimo kiss lips,spirit of air guitar’m*a*s*h music..word suicide is carriage door,therefore,plant base versionopen door is painless;it brings on many changes&i can take or leave them;when I pleaseapple a day doctour away,what if siren soundphoto Cheri veganteri schuyler#ffv*/joke,how do people of Hawaii laugh?☁️alohaha

      Reply

  5. happi 50th anniversaryhappy birthday loretta’air Eskimo kiss lips,spirit of air guitar’m*a*s*h music..word suicide is carriage door,therefore,plant base versionopen door is painless;it brings on many changes&i can take or leave them;when I pleaseapple a day doctour away,what if siren soundphoto Cheri veganteri schuyler#ffv*/joke,how do people of Hawaii laugh?☁️alohaha

    Reply

  6. happi 50th anniversary happy birthday loretta’air Eskimo kiss lips,spirit of air guitar’m*a*s*h music..word suicide is carriage door,therefore,plant base version open door is painless;it brings on many changes&i can take or leave them;when I please apple a day doctour away,what if siren sound photo Cheri veganteri schuyler#ffv*/joke,how do people of Hawaii laugh?alohaha

    Reply

  7. Loretta swit and Jamie Farr were at the mid-Atlantic nostalgia con on September 17. I got to say hi to them both and wished them happy 50. after i got home, i put in a DVD of one of the seasons and sipped wine. I’ll probably never forget it.

    Reply

  8. I have been watching you guys since 1972 and am still watching replays .Can’t resist it’s so good. Tonight’s replay episode was Frank’s Dear John letter from his wife. Unforgettable . Mash series may have ended but will live on

    Reply

  9. I watched every episode with my dad when I was a teenager. He never talked about his time in Korea, watching it with him was just entertainment. He’s gone now for a dozen years, I watch it every night now, the music brings me back and I now understand a lot.
    50 years ago we were going through the VietNam war. He sent packages over there weekly, lots of food and supplies the Military didn’t provide.
    Through all of these episodes, I understand.
    Thank you for the memories.

    Reply

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