Alan Alda was 36 when he started playing Hawkeye on M*A*S*H in 1972 and 47 when the series ended in 1983. How much did he and his character change over the years? Check out this gallery to find out:
The gallery features screenshots from two episodes from all 11 seasons of M*A*S*H.
I know a lot of people talk about how they feel it would’ve been unrealistic for Hawkeye to gray as much as he did in just three years, but I disagree, I believe it’s more realistic than people even think. This was a war after all, and those who were involved, even at the 4077th were under a lot of stress, which takes its toll on people not just mentally and emotionally, but physically as well. Hawkeye was always under a lot of stress, and his coping mechanism was to booze his brains out, which can’t exactly be good for his health either – I really don’t see how this wouldn’t have grayed him noticeably, even in just three years.
Alan Alda was a silver fox!! That gray looked fabulous on him.